Vermont high school basketball team banned from playing in sports after refusing to play a transgender student

February 28, 2024

The Mid-Vermont Christian Highschool girls’ basketball team was banned from play after their coach forfeited a game against a team with a transgender player. The school spoke out in support of the coach, stating that playing against a transgender player would be “irresponsible and asking for an injury of a smaller female athlete.” In response, the Vermont Principals Association (VPA) banned the team from playing in all athletic events in the state. The statement from VPA said the school has every right to teach their beliefs to its own students but cannot “impose those beliefs on students from public and private schools; deny students from other schools the opportunity to play; or hurt students from other schools because of who those students are.” The has continued to defend the decision, stating that males and females are created differently. Alliance Defending Freedom, a Christian legal advocacy group, filed a lawsuit on behalf of Mid-Vermont and said they feel confident they'll win this case.  

“The state is basically attempting to purge individuals like Chris and other family members in the state, from public discourse, from the ability … to speak out … on issues of significant, public concern,” he said on “Fox & Friends,” where he accused the state of failing to consider “the biological reality” and the health and safety risks to female athletes. (Ryan Tucker, attorney with Alliance Defending Freedom)  

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