A recent decision by the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association (NIAA) is costing the conference two longtime member schools from California, and one more may soon leave as well.
Who is leaving the NIAA?
Starting this fall, North Tahoe and Truckee, two Northern California schools close to the Nevada border, have decided to leave the NIAA because of the association’s vote to ban transgender athletes from playing in girls sports. According to the Reno Gazette Journal, South Tahoe High School will remain in the NIAA for now.
On Tuesday, April 3, the NIAA voted to ban transgender girls from playing girls’ sports. Athletes on girls’ teams will have to prove their sex assigned at birth if a school raises a claim that they are transgender.
The athletic association said they are following President Donald Trump’s executive order banning transgender athletes in girls’ and women’s school sports. Attorney Paul Anderson said not approving the transgender policy puts Nevada schools at risk of losing federal funding.
What are the California schools saying about the move?
The two California schools making the move away from the Nevada conference believe they have to abide by California laws that bar discrimination based on sex or gender identity.
“We are a California school district, and so we must adhere to California state law,” Amber Burke, spokesperson for Truckee schools, told the Gazette Journal.
Truckee Tahoe Unified School District’s Superintendent Kerstin Kramer explained the school’s decision to leave the NIAA in a letter to parents.
“We understand how incredibly important high school sports are to so many of our students, families, and community members. Please know that this decision, while driven by our requirement to comply with California state law, was not taken lightly,” Kramer said. “Recent NIAA policy changes regarding student-athlete eligibility based solely on biological sex directly conflict with California laws protecting gender identity and expression, including AB 1955, which guarantees students’ rights to privacy and protects them from discrimination.”
Why is the move upsetting to parents and students?
The schools are moving to the California Interscholastic Federation, but that means much longer trips for games and other activities. Many opponents will be an hour or more away in the Sacramento suburbs.
Truckee High School is a football powerhouse, winning two of the past three state Nevada 3A football championships. In all, Truckee has won 14 state football championships in Nevada.
How are other states trying to navigate Trump’s executive order?
Several states have had to grapple with President Trump’s executive order banning transgender athletes from competing in girls’ sports. In February, Attorney General Pam Bondi warned officials in Maine, California and Minnesota to comply with President Trump’s executive orders or face legal action.
Maine Gov. Janet Mills, D, previously sparred with Trump at a National Governors Association meeting over her state’s refusal to implement the ban. She responded to the President’s threat to take away Maine’s federal funding with a curt “See you in court.”
There are currently several cases challenging Trump’s executive order making their way through state and federal courts.
