A California school told students wearing T-shirts protesting trans athletes that they appeared to be wearing a Nazi swastika, a lawsuit alleges.
Riverside Unified School District is being sued by two female Martin Luther King High cross country runners and their parents over allegations that their freedom of speech was violated.
The girls, identified as ninth-grader Kaitlyn and 11th-grader Taylor, say they were reprimanded for their shirts with the slogans “protect girls’ sports” and “It’s Common Sense XX ≠ XY.”
The students decided to wear the shirts on November 1 during a cross-country practice.
It came after a trans athlete was given Taylor’s spot on the girls’ varsity team despite reportedly not attending as many practices or putting in as much effort as Taylor, the documents state.
The student had recently transferred from another high school where she had broken the girls cross-country record, according to the lawsuit.
Kaitlyn, 15, and Taylor, 16, claim athletic director Amanda Chan told them to take off the shirts because they were creating a “hostile environment.”
“School officials alleged that the messages on plaintiff’s shirts created the same level of hostility as a student wearing a swastika in the presence of a Jewish student,” the lawsuit said.
A California school told students wearing T-shirts protesting trans athletes that they were akin to wearing a Nazi swastika, a lawsuit claims
“It really hurt me because I’m not a hateful person,” Taylor said Fox News Digital. “God calls us to love everyone and be kind to everyone, so just hearing that made me feel like I was being hateful towards that person.
“But that wasn’t the case, I was just standing up for women’s sports and helping them achieve equality.”
‘It was definitely painful. We’re not trying to be hateful in any way, we’re just wearing a shirt that expresses what we believe in and trying to raise awareness of a situation,” Kaitlyn added.
“It was not targeted at any individual at all, and the athletic director kept making it seem like it was.”
They also questioned why the school allows other political and religious messages on campus, but disagreed with the shirts they claim other teammates supported them wearing.
The students state that their strong Christian beliefs mean that they believe, “God created boys and girls with unique biological differences.”
The plaintiffs’ experiences show that many of their teammates agree with their views on human identity, sex, and gender, but are afraid to express these views because of the social consequences of expressing an opinion that differs from the opinion which is propagated by authority figures within the school community. “, the file said.
The lawsuit “seeks to affirm plaintiffs’ right to express their opinions, ensure fair athletic opportunities for female students, and hold the district accountable for discriminatory practices,” the document said.
Riverside Unified School District is being sued by two female cross-country skiers and their parents over allegations that their freedom of speech was violated when they were prevented from wearing these shirts
The Martin Luther King high school students protested a trans athlete taking one of their positions on the girls’ varsity team
It alleges that the school’s actions violated the teen’s First and Fourteenth Amendment rights, as well as the protections of Title IX, which prohibits exclusion based on sex in federally funded education programs.
Taylor and her father Ryan Starling say that when she was kicked off the team, she “missed opportunities to participate in a high-profile meet, resulting in her losing valuable opportunities for college recruiting and recognition,” according to the lawsuit.
“This case is about more than two young athletes; it is a stand for freedom of speech, fair play, and the fundamental right of girls to compete on a level playing field without being sidelined by ideologies that ignore biological differences,” said Nicole Velasco, spokeswoman for Advocates for Faith and Freedom.
‘It is important to remember that RUSD is required to follow California law, which requires that students “be permitted to participate in sex-segregated school programs and activities, including athletic teams and competitions consistent with his or her gender identity, regardless of stated gender. in the student’s records,” the school district said.
“Although these rules were not established by RUSD, the District is committed to complying with the law and CIF regulations.
California state law prohibits discrimination against students on the basis of sex, gender identity, and gender expression, and specifically prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in physical education and athletics.
‘The protections we provide to all students are not only in line with the law, but also with our core values, including equality and wellbeing.’