Moses Lake School Board Challenges State, Backs Trump’s Transgender Athlete Ban in Letter

Moses Lake School Board intends to follow President Trump's directive preventing transgender athletes from competing in sports.

In a letter to Washington Governor Bob Ferguson and State Superintendent Chris Reykdal drafted Feb. 25, the board says Reykdal's recent comments to the media and in public indicate an unwillingness to comply with directives from the U.S. Department of Education, which puts the district at risk of losing funding.

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This comes from President Trump's Feb. 5 executive order called "Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports." This order says the federal government will rescind all funds from educational programs depriving women and girls of "fair athletic opportunities" under Title IX.

Therefore, the board says it will update its student handbook and athletic guidelines prohibiting males at birth from participating in girls sports teams.

It also wishes to review and adjust facility usage policies, such as locker rooms and restrooms to ensure alignment with the federal mandate and prioritize student safety.

Finally, the board wishes to communicate these changes to students, staff, and families, ensuring transparency and understanding their commitment to fairness.

In 2022, the School Board adopted a policy mirorring the state law prohibiting discrimination of students based on gender identity or expression.

In a release dated Feb. 6, Reykdal decried President Trump's executive order, stating the president is disregarding the rule of law. Reykdal said attempts to restrict transgender girls from participating in girls sports with their peers and withholding federal funds from school districts is discriminatory.

Reykdal added his office is working closely with the Attorney General's Office to understand the next steps for the state and school districts in response to the order.

Moses Lake School Board of Directors will read the letter during its regular scheduled meeting 6 p.m. Thursday. You can watch that meeting when you click here.