A recent school board meeting in California turned heated when the topic of transgender athletes arose after a women’s volleyball match. The Riverside Poly High School Girls Volleyball team decided to forfeit their game against Jurupa Valley High School, with parents expressing concerns over the presence of trans athlete AB Hernandez.
During a Riverside Unified School District board meeting, local parents rallied for the girls impacted by the current gender policy, while others voiced support for trans athletes in women’s sports.
Nereida Hernandez, the mother of AB, defended her daughter’s right to participate. She criticized board member Amanda Vickers for a recent interview where Vickers seemed to welcome negative opinions toward trans athletes. Nereida stated, “If you allow or tolerate target harassment… you are just morally failing.” She emphasized that the issue lies outside her daughter’s participation, pointing to external pressures that promote discrimination based on misconceptions.
Another parent, Maria Koreo, expressed her support for the Riverside players, condemning those who advocate for trans athletes in women’s sports. She drew a comparison to drug use, insisting that love should not excuse harmful behaviors.
This controversy isn’t new for Riverside. Last year, the area was embroiled in a similar dispute when two girls filed a lawsuit over a cross-country spot. Following this, students wore “Save Girls Sports” shirts weekly in protest.
A mother, Sandy R, urged the board to implement resolutions banning trans athletes, pointing to how California law affected these policies. She expressed pride in standing against what she termed unconstitutional policies.
Former President Donald Trump weighed in on the issue, warning California and its governor that school districts not adhering to trans policies could lose funding.
Historically, the Riverside Unified School District has seen its share of media attention over these matters. AB Hernandez was notably in the spotlight during the California Girls Athletics Championships, where she faced protests from some female athletes and their supporters.
Meanwhile, the Department of Justice has contested California’s policy allowing biological males to compete in women’s sports, despite federal opposition stemming from previous executive actions.
A recent poll indicated that a significant portion of Californians, specifically over 70% of school parents, do not support biological males competing against women. A majority of adults echoed this sentiment, favoring that athletes should compete based on their sex at birth rather than their gender identity.
