Eighth California high school volleyball team gives up match against team with transgender player

Volleyball Conflicts in California High Schools

Volleyball teams from at least eight high schools in California have had to forfeit matches, raising concerns among players and parents alike. One notable instance occurred at Patriot High School, which confirmed it would forfeit a game against Jurupa Valley High School on September 26th. Both schools are part of the Jurupa Unified School District (JUSD).

In a statement, JUSD communicated, “We can confirm that the Patriot High School volleyball team will forfeit the game on September 26th.” This was the first time a team within the district had to forfeit to another local team.

Previously, during the Freeway Games Tournament on September 13th, Jurupa Valley faced three forfeitures, with Aquinas High School, Yucaipa High School, and San Dima High School refusing to compete against them. Before that, Riverside Poly High School, World High School Rim, Orange Vista High School, and AB Mirror High School had also forfeited to Jurupa Valley.

Meanwhile, three current and former teammates of Ab Hernandez, a transgender student at Jurupa Valley, have filed lawsuits against JUSD, the Inter-California Federation of Governance (CIF), and the California Department of Education (CDE). These lawsuits center around their experiences with sharing teams and facilities with transgender athletes.

The two teammates actively involved in the lawsuit, senior Alyssa McPherson and Hadiel Hazame, have expressed concerns about being separated from their team whenever transgender athletes are present. The third plaintiff is Madison, McPherson’s older sister, who graduated last year. The lawsuit claims that the plaintiffs are subjected to a hostile environment created by the school, where they feel they are silenced and bullied when voicing their discomfort about competing with male athletes and sharing locker rooms.

The McPherson family, identifying as practicing Catholics, argues that gender is an immutable characteristic, stating, “God creates humans as both men and women,” reflecting their perspective on the nature of gender.

In a contrasting viewpoint, Hernandez and their family, identifying as practicing Muslims, have stated that their religious beliefs require them to maintain separation from men in public spaces. They argue that the biological differences between genders should be respected and honored, which adds complexity to this ongoing situation.

A statement from JUSD invited critics to direct their concerns to lawmakers rather than the school district, emphasizing that they do not have the authority to change state laws. “School districts don’t write California laws… But as primarily federally funded agencies, they need to follow them,” the statement noted.

Moreover, a spokesperson for the CDE indicated that they cannot comment on the situation due to the pending lawsuit, while the CIF has yet to respond to inquiries regarding the complaints.

California Governor Gavin Newsom’s office has also issued a statement, clarifying that the CIF and CDE operate independently and asserting that any changes to the law would need to come from legislative action.