Leading off today: Though Tuesday's ruling on transgender athletes' participation in girls sports made headlines across the country, the decision by the United States Supreme Court has little if any bearing on the New York scholastic scene.
In a 6-3 decision, the court affirmed the right of states to ban transgender athletes from girls. The ruling upholds laws in Idaho and West Virginia, two of 27 states that have comparable bans.
However, there is no such law in New York, where it is illegal for schools to discriminate based on a student's gender identity or expression. The New York State Public High School Athletic Association has been following the state's anti-discrimination laws as advised by the State Education Department and State Health Department.
The issue is likely to surface in the state's gubernatorial race. In 2024, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, who is running against Gov. Kathy Hochul, issued an executive order banning transgender participation in girls sports on county property. The Nassau County legislature passed a similar law, but a New York appeals court paused enforcement in October 2025.
New York Attorney General Letitia James, who sued to overturn that law, criticized the Supreme Court decision.
"Today's ruling ignores fact, science, and decency in favor of abandoning young trans people nationwide, she said in a statement. "I will continue to fight for trans New Yorkers against discriminatory policies and am proud to stand with the LGBTQ+ community today and every day."
LOOKING BACK: Transgender shot-putter wins state title
Smallest Section 2 school closing its doors
Doane Stuart School in Rensselaer will close this fall in the face of declining enrollment and deteriorating finances, the school announced Monday.
With a BEDS number of 39, Doane Stuart was the smallest school in Section 2 in the just-concluded school year. Board of trustees member James Cole told The Times Union that enrollment had been 300 in 2009.
The school resulted from the 1975 merger of Kenwood Academy, founded in 1852, and St. Agnes School, founded in 1870. Doane Stuart moved from Albany to Rensselaer in 2009.
The paper reported the school's administration will sell the building after the Rensselaer City School District uses it for seventh-grade classes while its middle school wing. is renovated.
Passings
Erwin Dill, a longtime football and boys lacrosse assistant who went on to serve as the head coach in both at Bethpage, died on June 11. He was 69.
Dill began coaching football in 1983 at Bethpage's John F. Kennedy Middle School. He assisted Howie Vogts from 1986-2009, then went 52-34 as the head coach the following nine seasons.
He was as an assistant on the lacrosse team that earned a state title in 1996 and served as the head coach from 1997-2014, posting a 205-78 record.
Decision coming Friday
Rising Canisius senior Elijah Kimble will announce his college football program choice on Friday.
Kimble won the Connolly Cup as Western New York's outstanding player as a junior last fall after becoming the school's career leader with 5,325 rushing yards.
In late 2025, Kimble said he was weighing offers from Indiana, Kansas, Florida, Maryland, Miami, Michigan, Ohio State, Syracuse, Tennessee, and Washington.
