SPOKANE, Wash. — The Central Valley School Board decided Monday night to move forward with plans to sign and send a letter of complaint to the Department of Education.
The letter concerns the district’s policies on transgender athletes and whether or not Washington state law complies with Title IX, which prohibits sex-based discrimination.
Central Valley joins Mead and other school districts in the move to challenge Washington’s transgender athlete policy.
Monday night’s meeting allowed the public to weigh in on the different versions of the drafted letter, and the issue overall.
Some attendees spoke in favor of state law.
“The policies and procedures are in place. If they are followed, I believe that it should be allowable for transgender students to participate in girls sports,” said one speaker.
Others spoke in support of the School Board’s drafted complaints.
“I strongly urge you to send those letters. I’m behind you all the way,” said one commenter.
In February, President Trump signed an executive order banning transgender athletes from participating in women’s sports—a move that directly conflicts with Washington state law.
“This is not about trans rights. This is not about any of those things. This is about getting information from the federal government,” said School Board Member Anniese Barker.
Barker originally brought the letters forward and maintains that their purpose is to assure federal funding and clarify whether federal orders exempt state policies.
School Board Member Cynthia McMullen argued that sending the letter is in defiance of state law.
“When you call upon a federal agency that has the responsibility for investigating civil rights violations, you are, in fact, filing a complaint. You are, in fact, challenging our state,” she said.
McMullen said she would not sign the letter and demanded that her opposition be noted in writing, if sent.
Ultimately, the letters passed 3-2 with amendments.
Once certified, the signed letters will be mailed to the Office of Civil Rights.
You can find the amended letters by clicking here.
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