05-03-2025
Washington school district's inclusion of trans athlete sparks federal investigation
PORTLAND, Ore. () — Federal officials are looking into claims that a Southwest Washington school district has discriminated against female student athletes.
On , the U.S. Department of Education revealed that the Foundation Against Intolerance and Racism — an organization 'committed to challenging threats to civil liberties from identity-based practices' — has accused Tumwater School District of violating Title IX.
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The Seattle-based Office for Civil Rights launched its investigation involving an incident with a 15-year-old female basketball player on Friday. According to the the federal office sent to Superintendent Kevin Bogatin, the district 'deprived her of a fair athletic opportunity by allowing a male player on an opposing basketball team to compete against the Student's team in February 2025 which forced the Student to withdraw from participation in the game.'
The complainant told the education department that the school principal referred to the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association policy permitting students to play on teams consistent with their gender identity.
But TSD's Board of Directors amended this policy at a meeting on Feb. 27, establishing that 'participation in the 'Girls Category' is limited to students whose biological sex is female.' The argued that the state guidelines fail to ensure a safe environment and fair opportunities for female students.
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The district's new policy echoed President Donald Trump's early February that banned transgender athletes from participating in women's sports. The order threatens to strip federal funding away from schools that don't adhere to the regulations.
In response, Washington's Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal accused Trump of attempting to 'override' state and local jurisdiction.
'One thing is clear: The 47th President of the United States is disregarding the rule of law by attempting to unilaterally impose an attack on the specific student groups that anti-discrimination laws aim to protect,' Reykdal added in the Feb. 6 .
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At the recent board meeting, Director Jill Adams said that many members disagree with the order, but they must follow their oath to comply with the U.S. Constitution.
KOIN 6 News reached out to TSD for comment but have not heard back at this time.
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