A federal appeals court ordered Vermont to let a Christian school compete in state-sponsored sports events—even though the school doesn’t support the state’s view of “transgender” ideology.
That decision allows the school to finally participate in athletics again after suffering a years-long ban for forfeiting a game that would have forced girls on its team to compete against a male playing on the opposing girls’ team.
In an opinion released Tuesday, the U.S. 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals held that state officials likely “displayed hostility toward the school’s religious beliefs” by banning it and it instructed Vermont to let the school compete while the case continues.
Mid Vermont Christian School’s legal battle began in 2023, when it refused to play a girls’ basketball game against a team with a male athlete who identified as female, citing its religious convictions. In response, the Vermont Principals’ Association kicked Mid Vermont out of its athletic association—permanently banning it unless it agreed to play against teams with male athletes.
Mid Vermont sued, arguing the principals’ association violated the school’s right to freely exercise its religion.?
Now, the appeals court has said the school is likely to win its case—leading it to order the school’s reinstatement in the athletic association.
Writing for a three-judge panel of the court, Judge Michael H. Park said the principals’ association didn’t just act hostilely toward religion, it also imposed a punishment that was “unprecedented, overbroad, and procedurally irregular.”
Alliance Defending Freedom, a national religious advocacy law firm that argued the case for Mid Vermont, hailed the decision as a “sweeping victory” for the school and its athletes.
“The government cannot punish religious schools—and the families they serve—by permanently kicking them out of state-sponsored sports simply because the state disagrees with their religious beliefs,” Alliance Defending Freedom Senior Counsel and Vice President of U.S. Litigation David Cortman said in a statement.
“The 2nd Circuit was right to uphold constitutional protections by guaranteeing the school can fully participate while still adhering to its religious beliefs,” he said.
“I never thought I would be in court for simply adhering to my Christian and commonsense belief that boys and girls are different,” said Chris Goodwin, coach of the girls’ basketball team. “As a dad, I want my daughter to know that she should always stand up for her beliefs and should never be punished for that decision.”?
Mid Vermont’s case now returns to a lower court for full consideration. In the meantime, its players will once again be able to compete in sports without compromising their religious convictions.
