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A4 U.S. NEWS
Friday 18 September 2020

Federal funding threatened over transgender athlete policy

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — conversations with (grant)
The U.S. Department of recipients, even to discuss
Education is threatening reasonable options such as
to withhold some federal waiting until the court ruling
funding from Connecticut on CIAC's policy," the del-
school districts if they follow egation wrote.
a state policy that allows The dispute over transgen-
transgender girls to com- der participation in Con-
pete as girls in high school necticut high school sports
sports. is the subject of a federal
In response to a complaint lawsuit, filed in February by
filed last year by several cisgender track athletes
cisgender female track who argue they were de-
athletes who argued that nied championships and
two transgender female potential college scholar-
runners had an unfair physi- ship opportunities as the re-
cal advantage, the fed- sult of having to compete
eral agency's office for civil against two transgender
rights determined in May girls.
that Connecticut's policy The ACLU of Connecticut,
violates the civil rights of which is representing the
athletes who are not trans- transgender athletes, said
gender. the Trump administration is
School districts including In this Feb. 12, 2020 file photo, Danbury High School sophomore Alanna Smith speaks during a trying to pressure schools
New Haven, as well as the news conference at the Connecticut State Capitol in Hartford, Conn. into denying transgender
Capitol Region Educa- Associated Press athletes an opportunity to
tion Council, were asked compete.
around the beginning of students to be treated as year ends this month. ing a pandemic, and we "It's incredibly mean spir-
September to sign a docu- the gender with which they "It would basically mean will fight to keep the money ited," said Dan Barrett, the
ment to receive grants identify. that New Haven school- in our community," he said. ACLU of Connecticut's le-
from a program for magnet But the U.S. Education De- children would have less "However, no amount of gal director. Connecticut
schools that states they will partment's Office for Civil access to educational op- money will deter us from Attorney General William
"not participate in any inter- Rights argues the policy vi- portunities," he said. "There accepting all children for Tong declined to say how
scholastic sporting events" olates the civil rights of girls are teachers and admin- who they are and provid- the state will respond but
unless the Connecticut In- who are not transgender istrative staff that support ing equitable access to said he is working with the
terscholastic Athletic Con- under Title IX, the federal our program that are fully programs and services. school districts to secure
ference changes its policy law that guarantees equal funded by this grant." The state's congressional their magnet school fund-
on transgender athletes. opportunities in education. He and Timothy Sullivan delegation also sent a let- ing.
The Federal Magnet The department did not im- Jr., the superintendent of ter Thursday to Kimberly "Neither federal law nor
Schools Assistance Pro- mediately respond Thurs- schools for the education Richey, the U.S. Education Connecticut law toler-
gram Grants are worth day to a request for com- council, said they have Department's acting assis- ates discrimination against
about $3 million a year to ment. no intention of signing the tant secretary for civil rights, transgender students," he
New Haven and the edu- New Haven Mayor Justin document. calling the department's said. "Transgender girls
cation council. Elicker said his city could "It is unconscionable that action "an unprecedented are girls, and the Office of
The athletic conference lose the final two years the federal government overreach." the Attorney General will
has said its policy is de- of funding for its five-year would threaten to take "This case is anything but continue to protect every
signed to comply with a magnet school grant fed- away funds that support normal, and it is clear that woman and girl in this state
state law that requires all eral when the federal fiscal Hartford area children dur- OCR is unwilling to enter against discrimination.q

Hemingway's favorite Key West bar reopen from virus shutdown

KEY WEST, Fla. (AP) — Sloppy festival. Charlie Boice, who Street bar has been asso-
Joe's, the iconic Key West won the contest in 2015, ciated with the legendary
bar that Ernest Heming- traveled nearly 250 miles author since he lived in Key
way frequented during the (400 kilometers) from Jupi- West during the 1930s.
1930s, reopened Thursday ter, Florida, to attend the With the noted exception
after closing six months ago reopening. of the Key West Marlin Tour-
because of the coronavirus "Coming back to Sloppy nament, most other area
pandemic. Joe's is a wonderful thing," festival events were can-
By noon, the bar had al- Boice said. "For most peo- celed as well.
ready reached the 50% ple, it's just a destination on The reopening of Sloppy
capacity allowed by law, a cruise or a destination on Joe's comes three days
including three Ernest vacation. But for the Pa- after bars were allowed to
Hemingway look-alikes. pas, this is home." resume business operations
Concerns about COVID-19 The three-night competi- throughout most other Flori-
had forced cancellation of tion typically draws about da regions.
the 40th Ernest Hemingway 150 stocky, bearded en- "With the pandemic, we
In this photo provided by the Florida Keys News Bureau, Ernest
Hemingway look-alikes, including from left, Dusty Rhodes, Tim Look-Alike Contest held at trants from the U.S. and oth- did the best we could to
Stockwell and Charlie Boice chat with bartender Lou Gammel, Sloppy Joe's each July dur- er countries, as well as their minimize our costs," Sloppy
right, at Sloppy Joe's, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2020, in Key West, Fla. ing the subtropical island's supporters and hundreds Joe's brand manager Don-
Associated Press annual Hemingway Days of spectators. The Duval na Edwards said. q