Washington’s Kennewick School Board has thrown down the gauntlet in the transgender athlete debate, appealing directly to the federal government to override state policies. The move pits Trump’s Title IX protections against Washington’s inclusive stance, putting millions in federal funding and girls’ sports opportunities on the line.
At a glance:
• Kennewick School Board filed a Title IX complaint against Washington state’s policies allowing transgender athletes in female sports
• The complaint specifically targets State Superintendent Chris Reykdal, seeking federal intervention to ban transgender athletes from girls’ sports
• Board members argue current policies harm young women and potentially jeopardize federal funding that comprises 10% of their budget
• State officials maintain their policies comply with state law prohibiting discrimination based on gender identity
• The Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) has proposed creating a separate “open division” for transgender athletes
School Board Takes Bold Stand Against State Mandates
The Kennewick School Board has formally requested “URGENT federal intervention” through a Title IX complaint filed with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights. The complaint directly challenges Washington state’s policies that allow biological males who identify as female to compete in girls’ sports, which they claim violates federal protections.
The board’s complaint specifically targets State Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal, who has maintained that transgender athletes must be allowed to compete according to their gender identity. Board members argue that complying with state mandates puts their district in direct violation of Trump’s executive order on Title IX protections for female athletes.
The Kennewick board isn’t alone in pushing back against state policies. The Tumwater School District recently defied state mandates by voting to ban transgender athletes from girls’ sports teams, setting the stage for a broader confrontation between local districts and state officials.
Federal Funding and Girls’ Opportunities at Risk
The Kennewick School Board’s complaint highlights serious concerns about potential financial consequences of the current policy conflict. Federal funding accounts for approximately 10% of the district’s annual budget, money that primarily supports disadvantaged students and essential programs.
“We are particularly concerned the openly discriminatory policies and mandates by the state of Washington, State Superintendent Reykdal, OSPI and WIAA not only directly harm our young women, but also jeopardize our district’s essential federal funding, the loss of which would most severely impact our most impoverished and at risk populations,” the Kennewick School Board stated in their complaint. The board characterized their action as a “whistle blower complaint” designed to seek clarification between conflicting state and federal directives.
Board member Micah Valentine expressed confidence in federal protection despite concerns about potential retaliation. “I don’t have any doubt that Reykdal wants to retaliate against us with every fiber of us being, but again I think we have that protection,” Valentine said.
The complaint cites a transgender athlete winning a state championship as evidence of Title IX violations. Board members argue that current policies create unsafe environments for female students and deprive them of fair competitive opportunities guaranteed under federal law.
State Officials Defend Inclusive Policies
Superintendent Reykdal has firmly defended the state’s inclusive policies, challenging both the scientific basis for excluding transgender athletes and Trump’s authority to mandate such exclusions. His comments have fueled further controversy in the already heated debate over girls’ sports.
“It is quite simply inaccurate to say, biologically, that there are only boys and there are only girls,” Reykdal stated. “There’s a continuum. There’s a science to this. There are children who are born intersex. There are children whose hormones and whose chromosomes are not consistent with their sex at birth.”
Reykdal also argued that Trump’s Executive Order attempts to “override the authority of states and local school districts by requiring educational institutions to agree to discriminate against trans female athletes in order to continue receiving federal funds.” He maintained that such authority lies with Congress, not the President.
The Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) has proposed creating a separate “open division” for transgender athletes following public concern. This proposal represents a potential compromise solution as the legal battle intensifies between local districts, state officials, and federal authorities.
