Parents speak out on The Ingraham Angle after girls forfeit race over biological male runner
About a dozen girls walked off a Washington cross-country course on 13 October to protest a male athlete joining the girls’ varsity team midseason. The dispute has drawn attention to how school sports rules address eligibility and gender identity, and to the pressure the issue places on young athletes.
The meet was between Camas High School and Battle Ground. The runner had competed in a boys’ junior varsity race on 5 September, finishing 76th, and was racing in the girls’ division ten days later. Parents Kevin and Sarah Burns said their daughter Holly and teammates chose to leave the course; the district told families that state law and school athletics rules require athletes to compete in divisions matching their gender identity.
- About a dozen girls left a Washington cross-country meet in protest.
- The athlete had switched to the girls’ roster midseason.
- The school district cited state law and sports rules.
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School cross-country competitions are usually split into boys’ and girls’ divisions, with eligibility set by education authorities and school sports bodies. In Washington, schools must follow state law and athletics rules when deciding which division a pupil can enter.
This dispute involves Camas High School and Battle Ground, two schools in Washington state, and a runner who moved from the boys’ junior varsity race to the girls’ division. Parents Kevin and Sarah Burns said their daughter Holly and other girls left the course in protest. The issue matters because schools must apply eligibility rules while responding to the views and experiences of pupils and families.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Supporters of allowing the athlete to compete in the girls’ division argue that school rules should respect students’ gender identity and let them take part in school life without exclusion. They may also contend that eligibility decisions should follow state law and athletics policy, rather than be made by opposing families at the course.
The case against
Those who object argue that girls’ divisions exist to provide fair competition and meaningful opportunities for female athletes, and that eligibility rules should account for sex-based physical advantages. They may see the girls’ decision to leave as a peaceful way to express concern about fairness, while recognising that the issue affects the transgender student as well as their teammates.