Three Years After Refusing To Play A Team With A Trans Athlete, Vermont School Wins $566K In Settlement
Mid Vermont Christian School forfeited a basketball game rather than play a team with a trans girl – was banned, filed a lawsuit and scored $566K.
Featured Image: Mid Vermont Christian School in Quechee, Vt. (Photo via Facebook)
In February 2023, Mid Vermont Christian School (MVCS) chose to sit out a basketball playoff game, rather than play Long Trail School which had a trans girl on the roster. “We withdrew from the tournament because we believe playing against an opponent with a biological male jeopardizes the fairness of the game and the safety of our players,” MVCS officials said at the time. “Allowing biological males to participate in women’s sports sets a bad precedent for the future of women’s sports in general.”
In response to MVCS’s refusal to follow VPA rules as it withdrew from the Vermont Division IV state tournament, the Vermont Principals’ Association (VPA) banned the school from participating in VPA-sponsored events.
At the time, Vermont’s anti-discrimination law prohibited discrimination based on gender identity in schools, allowing students to play on teams consistent with their gender identity. That’s still the case today.
Image: VPA statement effectively banning MVCS
MVCS, a pre-K-12 private Christian school located in Quechee, filed a lawsuit in 2023, with an assist from Alliance Defending Freedom, a well-funded right wing legal advocacy organization. In September 2025, The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit overturned the ban, ruling that MVCS must be permitted to participate in state sports. The court also sent the case back to district court for further proceedings.
Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) self-describes as existing “to keep the door open for the gospel by advancing every person’s God-given right to live and speak the truth.” The organization has supported – through financial backing and legal representation – multiple legal challenges that have sought to restrict the participation of trans girls and women in sports. These include Hecox v. Little (in Idaho), and B.P.J. v. West Virginia State Board of Education.
ADF served as counsel for the plaintiffs in the MVCS case. Per the 2025 appellate ruling granting a preliminary injunction, the court signaled that MVCS would likely to win on its First Amendment claim if the case proceeded: “Plaintiffs are likely to succeed on their free exercise claims.”
While not commenting on the Mid Vermont Christian School settlement per advice of their lawyers, the VPA told the press, “we will continue to follow Vermont law and advocate for all Vermont children.”
