Central Valley School Board divided over transgender sports participation

Central Valley School Board divided over transgender sports participation

News Story by Elena Perry | The Spokesman-Review

At a packed and lively meeting, the Central Valley School Board on Monday passed a resolution and sent a letter against transgender girls’ participation in girls sports.

Addressed to the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association and state and federal lawmakers, the documents implore WIAA to consider safety and fairness for cisgender female athletes when mulling two proposed amendments to their policy that would prevent trans girls from playing on girls teams and create an ungendered category in sports. Existing WIAA policy allows kids to play on whichever team is consistent with their gender identity.

The board was divided in its endorsement of each document. The resolution passed after some tweaking at the meeting, with members voting 3-1 and Vice President Tere Landa abstaining.

Concerns of fairness in sports

Board President Pam Orebaugh, Stephanie Jerdon and Anniece Barker voted in favor and Cindy McMullen was the sole opposition. She was also the only member to vote against the letter, which contains similar sentiments about “protecting biological females.” Landa, Orebaugh, Jerdon and Barker all voted to send the letter.

“There have been clear instances in this state and across the country demonstrating that biological males, regardless of their gender identity, threaten injury against biological females when competing in female athletics because of their physiological differences,” the resolution reads.

The board’s actions don’t change existing WIAA policy, nor state or federal law that enshrine transgender identity as a protected class, but Jerdon said it sent an important message proactively.

“It must be addressed, if not now, it would certainly need to be later,” Jerdon said, reading a prepared statement.

Supporting board members echoed concerns of safety and fairness for cisgender athletes voiced by some in public comment.

Concerns about hurting ‘vulnerable’ students

The sole “no” vote, McMullen said at the board meeting last week that she supported trans athletes playing on whichever team they preferred, because fostering a sense of belonging for these most “vulnerable” students was in line with their district’s strategic priorities.

She continued to oppose the documents on Monday.

“I’m not going to vote for the letter because I don’t want us to center on only one answer, and I still have great hope that we can find ways so that all of our students can compete in safe, equitable and fair competition,” McMullen said.

The board removed a section acknowledging “hateful vitriol” experienced by trans athletes. Barker said the district’s legal department added to the draft Jerdon submitted. McMullen was the only one opposed to removing that language.

Barker denied trans students face harassment in Central Valley.

“I don’t think that we have discrimination and harassment of our transgender students happening in our schools with hateful vitriol,” Barker said. “Those are strong, strong words, and we have passed discrimination and harassment policy where we will not tolerate that in our schools.”

Last spring, a trans East Valley High School student was booed as she raced and won the State 2A girls 400-meter run at the high school track and field championships in Tacoma.

The district’s legal team filtered an original draft of the resolution authored by Jerdon, she said, adding that language and another line pointing out that all women sit on the board, which the board also removed. Barker was the sole opposition to removing that portion.

Public comments largely in support of sending letter

The meeting had over an hour’s worth of public comment and 75 submitted written comments, a large majority of speakers urging the board to send a clear message denouncing trans girls’ participation in girls sports. Most spoke in support of the documents, or asked the board to send a stronger resolution like Mead passed in October.

Unlike at last week’s meeting, a few speakers spoke in support of trans athletes playing on their preferred sports teams. Their comments, of which there were three, were met with silence, shaking heads and sighs from the full room, a stark contrast to the applause, whoops and standing ovations for speakers who spoke against transgender athletes participating in girls sports.

The question of just how many out trans athletes play in the district came up from speakers on both sides of the issue, with the assumption it was fewer than five, maybe even none. Those opposed to the resolution said since there were likely so few, hypothetical concerns about injuries or lost scholarships seemed like a nonissue in the face of other troubles in education.

“I would say that transgender girls are not and will not be taking over the world of girls sports anytime soon, but let’s try to think of a solution,” said Kathryn Atkins, a district resident and parent. “Creating a third category does not appear to be much of a solution, and you won’t be able to have enough competitors to field a team or event.”

Trans identity not a ‘mental disorder,’ says APA

Those who supported restrictions on trans athletes said since there were so few, current WIAA policy puts the needs of the minority over cisgender girls who account for more of the district’s population.

“You’re on thin ice if you continue to support this mental illness,” Spokane Valley City Councilwoman Jessica Yaeger said in public comment. “In closing, I ask you, what are we willing to sacrifice for the sake of a very small minority?”

The American Psychological Association does not consider being transgender a mental illness.

“A psychological state is considered a mental disorder only if it causes significant distress or disability,” the association says on its website. “Many transgender people do not experience their gender as distressing or disabling, which implies that identifying as transgender does not constitute a mental disorder.”

Some other area politicians made an appearance at the meeting. Liberty Lake City Councilman Jed Spencer and outgoing state Sen. Mike Padden, R-Spokane Valley, spoke in support of the documents, as did state Rep.-elect Rob Chase, R-Spokane Valley. State Rep. Suzanne Schmidt, R-Spokane Valley, came to the meeting but didn’t speak.

Chase said he may bring forth the matter when the Legislature convenes in January.

The amendments to WIAA policy that would prevent trans girls from playing on girls teams and one to create a third ungendered league will be considered during the WIAA assembly’s annual amendment review process.

Elena Perry’s work is funded in part by members of the Spokane community via the Community Journalism and Civic Engagement Fund. This story is republished under a Creative Commons license.