Dept. of Ed Investigates Gender Complaint at WA State HS
The Office of Civil Rights (OCR), which is a branch of the Department of Education, has confirmed it's looking into a complaint filed by a female Tumwater HS basketball player and her family.
The girls sat out rather than face a trans player on an opposing team
February 6th, Tumwater player Frances Staudt chose to sit out rather than play against Shelton HS, who has a trans-player on their team. According to KOMO-TV in Seattle, Staudt openely voiced her objections to the boy playing for the girls' team, but then she was investigated by the Tumwater District herself. She was one of 2 Tumwater players to sit out.
According to the complaint, Staudt was accused of misgendering the player and discrimination by her own school. The complaint says Staudt was deprived of her fair athletic opportunity by the other team utilizing a male player. It was also noted the behavior and steps the Tumwater District took against her over the situation.
Her family objected to her having to play against a team with a boy, however, the WIAA was one of the first in the US to include in its 'toolkit' policies about allowing transgender athletes to compete.
Her family also pointed to the recent orders from the Trump Administration to stop the practice, or face the prospect of losing Federal funding. As of late last week, the Tumwater School District voted 3-1 (school board) to not allow trans players. Shelton HS is not part of the Tumwater District.
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Gallery Credit: Andrew Lisa
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