The debate over transgender athletes participating on a team separate from their biological gender was on full display at Naperville School District 203’s board of education meeting Monday, May 19, as elected officials fielded comments from nearly three-dozen speakers on both sides of the argument.
The wide-ranging comments come on the heels of a transgender Jefferson Junior High School student’s win at a Naper Prairie Conference track meet May 14 and a subsequent complaint from the organization Awake Illinois.
The student athlete, assigned a male gender identity at birth, has since identified as female and competed in the girls’ division at the meet, including the 400-meter and 100-meter dash.
The crowd attending the Naperville 203 board meeting was so large that people had to be seated in an overflow area at the administration center on Hillside Road. In addition to addressing the board, a number of audience members held up signs, with such messages as, “The future is inclusive,” “Protect girls sports” and “Stop exploiting kids.”
‘Pushing trans students out of sports doesn’t fix anything’
Proponents of the student’s participation in the recent track meet — and the broader issue of trans students’ rights — took aim at people who disclosed the identity of the athlete and accused dissenters of participating in hateful rhetoric. Concerns of teen suicide, mental health struggles, and related issues were also raised throughout the commentary.
Through Title IX, the federal government under President Donald Trump’s administration has maintained that student participation is to be based on biological sex. In Illinois, the Human Rights Act states transgender athletes can participate in sports based on gender identity.
“Pushing trans students out of sports doesn’t fix anything. It spreads fear and misinformation, and it hurts kids who are already carrying so much,” said Diana Torres Hawken, who urged the Naperville 203 board of education to stay the course and continue following the Human Rights Act.
Resident Tim Thompson, who has addressed the board in the past, also lauded elected officials for their inclusive efforts through the enactment of policy decisions.
“This is an attempt to further marginalize a group and tell them that they don’t belong, and they are not good enough,” Thompson said. “Once again, I have to come here to thank you for doing your job and upholding Illinois law. I’m only here as a friendly reminder that we’ve got your back.”
Several people who identify as transgender also spoke to the board about their experiences.
“There’s a lot of trauma, in the best of all examples,” Naperville resident Beverly Trafton said. “When you bring in elements of hatred and animus, doxing and just vile behavior into that mix, the trauma gets extreme.”
‘I urge the district to change its course’
The board of education also heard from a number of speakers who opposed transgender students participating in sports teams that do not align with their biological gender identity.
“There are numerous reasons that the community should oppose the district’s current path, regarding transgender students participating in girls’ sports,” Naperville 203 parent Mike LaBelle said. “I urge the district to change its course and also encourage families and fathers to stand up, in good conscience, and send a positive message in defense of our kids and girls’ sports.”
Several speakers on the opposing side of the debate also pushed back against assertions that their views were the equivalent of hateful rhetoric.
“Nobody wants to harass anybody here. Nobody here wants to disenfranchise or harm or negatively impact anybody,” David Wade said. “What we do want is to ensure basic fairness for our girls.”
Details on the Awake Illinois complaint against District 203
In a 4-page document, Awake Illinois indicates its federal civil rights complaint is based on “sex-based discrimination within education programs or activities that receive federal funding, in violation of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972.”
The complaint also notes Naperville 203’s history of receiving federal grants in the range of $9 million annually.
“If ISBE (the Illinois State Board of Education) and school districts develop policies pertaining to bathrooms, locker rooms and/or sports teams, they cannot supersede federal protections simultaneous to acceptance of federal funds,” the complaint further states.
Shannon Adcock, founder and president of Awake Illinois, was present at the Naperville 203 board of education meeting and addressed the elected body during public comment.
“Four years ago, I first publicly spoke to this board, and I said DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) ideology is chaos,” Adcock said. “It’s harming kids. It is abusive.”
Neither the board of education nor Naperville 203’s administrators spoke to the issue at the recent meeting.
Image courtesy: Naperville School District 203
If you have a story idea, send us a tip!