Central Bucks Retires Controversial Sex-Based Athletics Policy

DOYLESTOWN,PA ? The Central Bucks School Board on Tuesday voted 8 to 1 to retire the district?s controversial sex-based distinctions in athletics policy.

Policy 123.3, which prohibited trans students from competing on opposite-sex sports teams, had been enacted by the outgoing Republican board majority at its final meeting last fall. The policy was suspended about three weeks later by the incoming Democratic board majority pending further review.

Aimed at "preserving fairness and providing increased opportunity for girls," the policy was written to keep biological males from playing in girls? sports.

By retiring the policy, Superintendent Steven Yanni told policy supporters that ?functionally there is no change. PIAA, when they look at competition, they look at situations from a safety standpoint. If there is an athlete sex assigned at birth as a male with a female gender identity competing on a girls' team, if there is an inherent safety concern, PIAA?s rules come into play.

?So what we?re talking about is simply retiring a policy that is not grounded in any law or statute,? said Yanni.

Moving forward, he said if there are changes to the law or statutes, ?we will make sure our policies are not home-grown and that we are attaching them to something in the law.?

The decision to retire the policy drew both supporters and critics during a lightly attended meeting.

While several praised the board for its courage in retiring the policy and encouraging an environment of inclusion, others spoke in favor of the policy as a way of protecting biological female athletes on the playing field and in competition.

Following public comment, School Board President Karen Smith read from a prepared board statement supporting the retirement of the policy. Board member Jim Pepper dissented and voted against the motion.

?Because the district must adhere to state law, implementing policy 123.3 would result in the district violating Pennsylvania's anti-discrimination law leaving our students vulnerable to
discrimination and leaving the district vulnerable to litigation as it would require students to participate in athletics according to their sex," said Smith. "CBSD must remain compliant with the law and we must also ensure that our student-athletes practice and compete in a safe environment.

?Our female student-athletes and our girls' athletic teams also deserve to remain fair and competitive," Smith continued. "The district will handle instances where a transgender student participating in athletics according to their gender identity would pose a safety threat or would alter the competitiveness of competition on a case-by-case basis protecting all student athletes and avoiding discrimination by acting in accordance with state law and the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletics Association guidance.

?We understand this is an important issue for the community. We will continue to follow anti-discrimination laws while also making decisions to protect the health and well-being of our student-athletes," said Smith. "As the law evolves we will update the community."

According to board member Heather Reynolds, the district currently has no trans girls participating in sports. ?But we do have a young woman on the CB East football team. We have lots of situations where we have girls and boys playing together in a co-ed situation. So if this discussion about trans athletes is genuinely rooted in concern for women?s safety, why aren?t we hearing objections to that team or another team? It seems to me the issue may not be about safety but unfamiliarity of what you don?t understand.

?Meanwhile, in our school district, there?s a more immediate need to talk about," said Reynolds. "There is language that young men are directing at our women - phrases like ?Your Body My Choice? have been reported. It?s deeply concerning. It?s violent, aggressive, and disrespectful and has undertones that we can?t ignore.?