LIBERTY LAKE, Wash. (CITC) -- A Washington school board is urging its state governing body for high school athletics to "restore equity" to sports, raising concerns over allowing students to compete based on gender identity.
The Central Valley School District Board of Directors approved the resolution targeting the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) during a special meeting Monday evening. The resolution, titled "Supporting Equity and Safety in Female Sports," notes that the entire board is comprised of female members who have either competed in athletics themselves or have daughters who competed in athletics.
Current WIAA policy allows athletes in the state to compete based on gender identity. However, the board members explain in the resolution that community members have pushed for them to "advocate" for female athletes.
In the resolution, the board members raise concerns that current state and federal approaches "frustrate" Title IX by "allowing biological males to unfairly compete with biological females in athletic endeavors." The resolution also argues that the country has seen examples nationwide of biological females being "outmatched" by biological males in sports due to physiological differences, as well as facing safety risks.
"...all student-athletes, regardless of biological sex or gender identity, should be allowed to compete in athletics in a fair and equitable manner," the resolution reads.
The board members close the resolution by urging WIAA to "have open dialogue and discussion with its member school districts to restore equity and safety to all student-athletes," as well as "to advocate for legislative adjustments for such equity and safety." They also ask state legislators to amend current laws to allow all students to participate in athletics "while ensuring that biological female athletes are not denied their rights under Title IX to fair competition and opportunity."
The resolution divided Central Valley parents and students Monday, with some raising concerns over how it could impact the mental health of transgender student-athletes. One father argued that some of the resolution's language resembles "segregation," telling the board "that's not the way forward."
One current student-athlete for the district recounted her own experiences while discussing the resolution.
"When I ran cross country for Greenacres Middle School, a boy who was biologically male but identified as female competed on the girls' team," she said. "While I respect everyone's right to participate in sports, the situation made me question the fairness of competing of someone who had the physical advantage associated with male biology."
In June, the coach of the girls' track and field team at Cedarcrest High School in Duvall also voiced frustrations with WIAA's guidance. Dean Vergillo's team took second place at this year's state championships, a ranking the coach attributed in part to a dominant performance by a transgender runner on an opposing team.
"My biggest disappointment in this situation is how our state association didn't prepare us for what was coming," he said at the time. "We've had many coaches, through text, emails or just verbally, state their displeasure with the situation."
WIAA did not respond to a request for comment from Crisis in the Classroom (CITC).