A Christian school in Vermont secured a $566,000 settlement with state education agencies following a two-year ban from all sports and academic competitions after refusing to allow its girls’ basketball team to compete against a transgender athlete in 2023.
The victory follows a years-long conflict that forced the school’s entire athletic and academic teams—including spelling bee and mathlete groups—to compete out of state. The dispute originated when Mid Vermont Christian School forfeited a girls’ basketball postseason game against a team featuring a transgender athlete during early 2023. Coach Chris Goodwin described the decision as rooted in religious conviction, stating: “We were all in agreement that the right decision was to not compromise our beliefs and to withdraw… it brought some tears.” He added that students understood the choice despite the emotional toll of ending a competitive season.
The Vermont Principals’ Association (VPA) expelled Mid Vermont Christian School in 2023 after adopting a policy requiring schools to assign athletes based on gender identity rather than biological sex—a move the school deemed incompatible with its beliefs. The VPA denied readmission requests and later accused the school of violating state regulations, despite its own policies prohibiting male participation in girls’ sports.
Following a federal court ruling in September 2025 that found the VPA’s actions violated Mid Vermont Christian School’s First Amendment right to religious freedom, the settlement was finalized. The court criticized the VPA for acting “with hostility” toward the school’s beliefs and imposing an “unprecedented, overbroad” punishment. As a result, Mid Vermont Christian School is no longer barred from VPA athletics, though it continues to pursue its legal claims.
The case underscores the tension between religious principles and state-mandated policies in educational settings, affirming that students must not be compelled to compete against athletes of differing biological sexes while maintaining their faith-based practices.
