The Riverside Unified School District (RUSD) in California faced controversy over a transgender cross country runner at Martin Luther King High School, with students being reprimanded for protesting the athlete’s participation. A board meeting was held to address recent allegations in a lawsuit involving the comparison of “Save Girls’ Sports” T-shirts to swastikas.
Protesters gathered outside the RUSD District Office, advocating for and against transgender inclusion. Some wore shirts with transgender pride flag colors, while others wore “Save Girls’ Sports” T-shirts. California Family Council and Advocates for Faith and Freedom held a press conference prior to the meeting, where Ryan Starks, a father of a girl involved in the lawsuit, spoke out against the unfair treatment his daughter faced.
Attorney Julianne Fleischer criticized school administrators for their dangerous rhetoric in comparing the T-shirts to swastikas. Students at Martin Luther King High School continued to wear the T-shirts weekly despite the school enacting a dress code for them, with the school recently stopping enforcement of the code.
RUSD stated it allowed the transgender athlete to compete in compliance with California state law. Laws have protected transgender athletes in women’s sports in California since 2014, allowing them to participate based on their gender identity. The controversy continues to spark debate and protests among students, parents, and advocates on both sides of the issue.
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