Virginia Attorney General Backs Policy Excluding Transgender Student from Girls’ Team
Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares has taken action by filing an amicus brief on behalf of the Hanover County School Board. The board had made the decision to prevent a middle school male student, who identifies as a transgender girl, from participating on the girls’ tennis team.
“Virginia school boards are not obligated by the federal Constitution or any federal statute to permit biological males to participate in girls’ sports teams,” stated Miyares. Instead, civil rights law is intended to safeguard equal opportunities for women in sports. I strongly encourage the court to prioritize the protection of women’s rights and opportunities in Virginia.
The administration’s latest effort focuses on addressing transgender issues in schools. In a recent development, Miyares has submitted an additional amicus brief, joining forces with attorneys general from various states. The brief was filed in support of parents in Wisconsin who are against schools secretly socially transitioning their children.
“In that case,” Miyares emphasized, “it is crucial for schools to collaborate with parents rather than oppose them in order to promote a child’s well-being.” It is crucial for parents to have a say in important choices that impact their children’s lives.
Parents, students, and schools across the commonwealth were stirred up by the release of new model policies on the treatment of transgender students by the Virginia Department of Education last summer.
A law was passed by the previous administration, which required the department to create model policies that aimed to provide support for transgender students in schools. These policies aimed to ensure that teachers, school staff, and other students offered as much affirmation as possible.
Youngkin’s administration implemented updated model policies last summer, which aimed to encourage sex-based segregation in bathrooms, locker rooms, and sports teams, aligning with traditional practices.
There is a divide among school districts regarding the adoption of the new model policies. While some have embraced them, others have firmly rejected them, arguing that they violate federal (and state) law, as the American Civil Liberties Union has done in this particular case.
Miyares has expressed support for the preservation of women’s sports for female athletes. He supported the women’s swim team of Roanoke College during a period of controversy surrounding the addition of a transgender woman to their team.
The student swam with them for a month before deciding to leave the team. Miyares also made an appearance at an NCAA track meet, which drew attention as women’s sports groups voiced their concerns about a transgender track athlete participating in the women’s event.
The ACLU is currently challenging the policy of the Hanover County School Board. They argue that the policy, which limits participation based on biological sex for certain school programs and activities, goes against the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment and Title IX.
