Vermont religious school that refused to play team with trans player banned from sporting events
A Christian private school that gave up an all-girls basketball game instead of playing a team that included a transgender player was banned from school athletic events in Vermont.
The Vermont Principals’ Association, which oversees school sports, said Monday afternoon that Mid Vermont Christian School in Quechee will no longer be eligible to participate in sports and other sponsored activities.
The decision was announced following a meeting of the Vermont Principals’ Association Executive Committee Monday morning, at which members determined “that policy violations have occurred at the school level and, therefore, there is an immediate determination of Mid-Vermont Christian’s ineligibility for VPA-sanctioned activities.” and tournaments in the future.”
Mid Vermont in particular violated the organization’s anti-discrimination and gender identity policies, the organization told the school in a letter of expulsion. These guidelines allow athletes to play on teams that are “consistent with their gender identity” and prohibit discrimination “based on a student’s actual or perceived gender and gender.”
A Mid Vermont Christian representative did not immediately respond to an email and phone call request for comment.
Mid Vermont Christian School made international headlines last month after its girls’ basketball team refused to play Long Trail School, which had a transgender athlete on its basketball team.
In its letter, the Vermont Principals’ Association cited this decay and the “reasonable rationale” the school provided to the media as the basis for its decision.
Mid Vermont Christian principal Vicky Fogg said in a statement last month that the school believes that “playing against an opponent with a biological male compromises the fairness of the game and the safety of our players.”
After the school withdrew its girls team from the playoffs of the Vermont Division IV State Tournament, Mid Vermont Christian finished second in the boys’ tournament that ended Saturday.
Jay Nichols, the executive director of the Vermont Principals’ Association, said the organization’s 15-member board was unanimous in its decision.
“If you don’t want to follow the VPA rules, that’s fine,” Nichols said. “But then you’re not a VPA member. It’s pretty easy. That’s really all we’re really going to say about that.”
Nichols said he couldn’t recall any previous cases where a school had been banned from sporting events. There is no appeal process, he said. But Mid Vermont could come ahead of the group’s lead and try to get picked up again, he said.
“That (decision) would be a matter for the Executive Council,” he said.
In addition to sports, the Vermont Principals’ Association sponsors extracurricular events such as spelling bees and science fairs.