College Place, WA – In a move to uphold the principles of fairness, safety, and competitive opportunities for female athletes, the College Place Public Schools District Board of Directors adopted Resolution No. 03-2023-2024 on Tuesday, July 23, 2024. This resolution emphasizes the district’s commitment to maintaining the integrity of female sports by ensuring that biological males do not participate in female athletics, citing inherent biological differences that can create unfair and unsafe competition.
The resolution highlights that Title IX was established to promote fairness, safety, and the enhancement of athletic opportunities for biological females. The Board announced the resolution ahead of the August 1st implementation of expanded Title IX guidelines for schools, aiming to influence the Department of Education's stance on athletics, which is still under consideration. The Department of Education received over 150,000 public comments on the subject; which it is reviewing before it reaches a decision on athletics in the near future.
Mandy Thompson, College Place Public Schools Board President, expressed the board’s dedication to supporting all students while ensuring the protection of female athletes. “We recognize and respect the dignity and identity of transgender students and athletes,” said Thompson. “and we also have the duty to protect the safety and opportunities of our female athletes. This resolution is about finding a balance that maintains fair competition and safety for all our students.”
The resolution asserts that the term "sex" as intended in Title IX is defined as biological male or female as determined at birth and cannot be altered. It emphasizes that recognizing these absolute biological differences is essential for ensuring fair and safe competition in female athletics.
The board’s decision reflects a careful consideration of scientific research indicating physiological differences between biological males and females, which can impact fairness and safety in competitive sports. The resolution aims to protect the competitive opportunities for biological female athletes without undermining the dignity of transgender students.
A copy of the resolution can be found at: https://5il.co/2rtn8