A school board meeting erupted into a clash of impassioned opinions between concerned parents and transgender activists on Thursday night amidst a nationwide debate over a transgender athlete on the cross-country team.
The Riverside Unified School District (RUSD) convened a board meeting at its Riverside, California office to address issues surrounding the student-athletes at Martin Luther King High School and students facing repercussions for wearing “Save Girls’ Sports” shirts.
This meeting followed weeks of buildup as hundreds of students at Martin Luther King High School and other district schools defiantly donned the T-shirts in protest. Despite initial disciplinary actions, the schools eventually relented and stopped penalizing students for wearing the shirts the week of Dec. 11.
Prior to the meeting, dueling demonstrations took place outside the RUSD District Office, with pro-transgender activists facing off against “Save Girls’ Sports” advocates.
Once the meeting kicked off, individuals were given the chance to voice their concerns. Numerous parents, critical of the district for permitting a transgender athlete to compete in girls’ sports, wore the controversial shirts as they aired their grievances.
One parent known as Sandy R. loudly objected to the district’s stance on transgender inclusion, expressing discomfort over her identity being exposed to the pro-trans activists outside the assembly room. She voiced plans to file a harassment complaint.
Sandy proceeded to rebuke the board for allegedly disregarding Title IX in favor of California State law.
Another parent highlighted the presence of genetic education in the school district’s science curriculum, showcasing a ninth-grade biology textbook that outlined the chromosomal variances between biological males (XY) and females (XX).
This parent also revealed images of the disciplined students who sported “XX (does not equal) XY” shirts.
“By penalizing students for displaying a biological fact found in your curriculum, are you questioning science itself? Are we on the path to censoring textbooks next? This denial of biological reality to spare someone’s feelings is unacceptable!” she exclaimed.
She referenced a claim from a recent lawsuit filed by female cross-country runners at the school, alleging that their T-shirts were likened to swastikas.
Another mother, identified as Colleen, passionately criticized the board for favoring pro-trans sentiment and drew parallels between this advocacy and the relaxed approach towards young males transitioning to female sports for competitive advantages.
With emotions running high, Maria Karillo embarked on a provocative speech, using explicit excerpts from school-approved books to highlight her concerns. She criticized the school for labeling dissenting parents as “agitators” and “MAGA disruptors.”
A mother named Patty Clauda, speaking through a translator, mocked the board’s understanding of gender differences and expressed fears about girls sharing locker rooms with biological males.
Students at Martin Luther King High School in Riverside, California, wear T-shirts that read “Save Girls’ Sports” to protest a trans athlete on the cross-country team. (Courtesy of Sophia Lorey)
Patty concluded her address by directly addressing the board in English, raising her voice in condemnation of the mistreatment, harassment, and discrimination faced by young women in the district.
