Last week, President Donald Trump signed what many have considered his most monumental executive order yet. With the stroke of his pen, he threatened to take away federal funds from schools that allow men to compete in girls’ sports. Following this, Trump launched an investigation into colleges that allegedly violated Title IX by allowing transgender-identifying men on their female sports teams, such as the University of Pennsylvania (UPenn) and San Jose State University (SJSU). However, it turns out it’s not just universities Trump has to deal with.

Following Trump’s EO, the Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) released a statement making it clear that they do not intend to follow the president’s lead on keeping men out of women’s sports. The organization has claimed that the eligibility of trans-identifying student-athletes is “determined by state law, through the Minnesota Human Rights Act and the Minnesota Constitution.” As such, Fox 9 reported, “The organization will continue to abide by the anti-discrimination laws in the state, which doesn’t allow discrimination based on gender identity.”

In effect, this means “students in Minnesota can participate in sports consistent with their gender identity, despite Trump’s new Executive Order.” Here’s what MSHSL wrote in their statement:

“The Minnesota State High School League, similar to other youth sports organizations, is subject to state anti-discrimination laws, which prohibit discrimination based on gender identity. Therefore, students in Minnesota are allowed to participate consistent with their gender identity. League Member Schools have done excellent work in respecting students and their individual situations as they determine their participation and eligibility within interscholastic sports. The League will continue to review the existing state laws alongside the new Presidential Executive Order and its timeline, processes for states, and requirements that are included.”

In response to MSHSL’s rejection of Trump’s Title IX rule, Republicans from both the Minnesota House and Senate have introduced separate bills stating “only students of ‘the female sex’ can participate in elementary and high school girls’ sports.” Additionally, the proposed legislation clarifies that sex must be determined by “the student’s internal and external reproductive anatomy, the student’s naturally occurring level of testosterone; and an analysis of the student’s chromosomes.” If the bill passes, it’s set to go into effect on July 1.

Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Craig Trainor had previously said in a statement that “the Biden Administration’s failed attempt to rewrite Title IX was an unlawful abuse of regulatory power and an egregious slight to women and girls.” However, he added, “Under the Trump Administration, the Education Department will champion equal opportunity for all Americans, including women and girls, by protecting their right to safe and separate facilities and activities in schools, colleges and universities.”

And yet, despite the many efforts Trump and his team have made to uphold fairness in women’s sports, experts have pointed out there’s still work to be done to enshrine these protections into law. In fact, there are several ongoing lawsuits related to alleged Title IX violations that have yet to settle, and organizations such as MSHSL are evidently still working to push back against the Trump administration’s goals.

In light of this reality, President and Founder of Parents Defending Education Nicki Neily explained on Tuesday’s “Washington Watch” how, “clearly, Congress is going to have to codify these executive orders,” especially because, “if the American people go to sleep,” then “in four years it could change back.”

As she went on to emphasize, “the NAEP scores that came out recently underscored the fact that America’s schools are failing our children before our very eyes. And that’s because they have focused all of their time, all of their money, and all of their spending on initiatives like DEI, like equity, like gender initiatives, keeping secrets from parents, keeping us at arm’s length. … [T]here is a laundry list of problems.” Ultimately, Neily emphasized, “It’s time to root out all of the bad and focus back on the good.” Whether it relates to student athletics, or core curriculum, “students should be learning.”

Family Research Council President Tony Perkins agreed, adding that “we’ve seen a growing movement” of parents who are pushing back on the fact that they have been pushed out — parents who want a say in what’s happening with their kids at school. “Absolutely,” Neily emphasized. “I think parents had a window into their child’s education during COVID. They were disappointed by what they saw or what their children were not learning. And then when they tried to engage, they were pushed away. … [T]he fact that teachers now think that they know better how to raise our children than we do is just such a slap in the face.”

Undoing what the Biden administration did to the Department of Education is going to take “shock therapy,” Perkins contended. “[Y]ou can’t just stick your toe in the water. You got to jump all in if you’re going to get rid of this.” Neily agreed, and she noted how “we’re watching Democrats right now dig in and defend the status quo, [but] the status quo has failed our children.” Schools “have our kids for seven or eight hours a day, and they choose to fill that time with identity politics and grievance.” And to counter this, both Neily and Perkins agreed that it starts with parents taking bold steps.

“God has given us both the responsibility and the authority to teach our children,” Perkins stated. And as Neily concluded, “the more that parents exercise” other options such as homeschooling and speaking out about differing values, “it puts pressure on the public school system to improve.”