LIBERTY LAKE, Wash. — The Central Valley School District has passed a resolution to encourage the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) to have open dialogue and discussion about transgender athletes and their participation in school sports.
The school board proposed a revised letter asking the WIAA and legislators to "create dialogue and move forward legislation within your purview to uphold this practice and protect sports for biological females."
According to current WIAA protocols, student-athletes are allowed to compete in sports based on the gender they identify with. According to the proposed letter, the school board argues that current federal and state laws "do not account for the physical inequities that are created by allowing athletes to compete according to the gender category in which they identify."
"Such legal adjustments, which then drive district and WIAA policies, have made and will continue to make sport competition inequitable and, in many cases, unsafe for biological female athletes specifically," the letter reads.
The letter argues that students born male have a biological advantage over students born female, adding that male-born students should continue to compete in male sports, unless there is a co-ed sport category.
"This is not an issue of whether students who are transgender, non-binary, or gender fluid can participate, but where they may equitably compete," the letter reads. "There is a place for everyone in sports."
According to the resolution, the school district is asking the Washington legislature and Congress to change current laws to allow all students to participate in athletics in a fair, safe and equitable manner, while making sure biological females aren't denied their rights under Title IX.
Anniece Barker, Stephanie Jerdon and Pam Orebaugh voted in favor of the resolution, Cindy McMullen voted against the resolution and Teresa Landa abstained from voting.
The board also voted to send the letter to the appropriate parties.