An Oregon high school track coach said he was fired for “fighting for girls’ sports” in a climate where transgender athletes predominate.
John Parks, former head track and field coach at Lake Oswego High School He told KATU-TV The school district terminated his contract after he wrote a letter to state officials calling for changes to laws affecting the participation of transgender athletes.
“I’m going to fight now because I was treated unfairly. I’m fighting for girls. I’m fighting for women’s sport. And I’m fighting for it to be fair for everyone.”
The department said Parks wrote two letters to Oregon Student Activities Association Executive Director Peter Weber and state Sen. Rob Wagner before and after the state championship game in May.
KATU noted that Parks’ letter argued that while state law protects athletes who want to compete in the gender category that matches their gender identity, it undermines the integrity of women’s sports.
“OSAA’s competition rules need to be consistent with those used by other sports organizations around the world for their competitions,” Parks wrote to Wagner in a letter about hormone testing requirements mandated by the International Olympic Committee and other organizations, the agency reported. “My proposal to encourage transgender participation is to have an open division that does not identify or discriminate but provides the opportunity for participation.”
KATU’s video interview with Parks (available to watch) here He said transgender athletes “have an unfair advantage” in women’s competition at the “highest levels” when it comes to championship competitions that can determine athletic scholarships.
He is not anti-transgender.
Parks told KATU she was there when crowds at the state championships booed a transgender athlete who won the girls’ event.
“I want to make sure they can compete without being booed,” Parks told the station, emphasizing that she supports transgender athletes and does not want them to be excluded.
More from KATU:
Mary Kay Larson, communications director for the Lake Oswego School District, confirmed Monday that Parks is no longer an employee of the district. Larson declined to explain why Parks’ employment, which began in January 2023, was terminated. “We do not discuss personnel matters,” Larson said.
Parks is currently in the process of appealing his firing and argues that the district’s swift response deprived him of his right to give a voice to state officials.
“I was treated unfairly and I’m going to fight,” Parks told the station. “I’m fighting for girls. I’m fighting for women’s sports and I’m fighting for it to be fair for everybody.”
