Five middle school girls were banned from competing in track and field events last week in protest of a court ruling blocking enforcement of the state’s Women’s Sports Protection Act, the West Virginia Attorney General’s Office said.
State law prohibited transgender girls from competing in sports with biological girls. However, the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, in a 2-1 decision, found the law The American Civil Liberties Union, West Virginia Chapter, sided with Lambda Legal in violating Title IX.
OutKick notes that students refused to participate in the tournament because a transgender athlete was participating. The biological male placed first in the shot put and second in the discus.
video Provided for outkick This image shows the girls entering the shot put ring but leaving without throwing, resulting in a foul and an apparent forfeiture.
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Five middle school girls who protested the inclusion of transgender athletes in the last track and field meet were excluded from the event. (Fox News)
The students from Lincoln Middle School in Shinnston, West Virginia, were then banned from competing in the next tournament on Saturday. They returned to competition on Monday.
In response, West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrissey filed a lawsuit against the Harrison County Board of Education, naming four of the five players and their parents as plaintiffs.
Morrissey released a statement Thursday, which was obtained by Fox News Digital.
“I want to say to these students and their parents: I am rooting for you. You have witnessed injustice, you have expressed your disappointment, you have sacrificed your personal performance in the sport you love and the Constitution exercised their protected freedom of speech and expression,” Morrissey said. she said.
West Virginia AG Patrick Morrissey announced that he will file a lawsuit in the Supreme Court. (screenshot)
“They did not disrupt anything by protesting. They should not be punished, they should be praised. We stand firm in our beliefs and believe that the Constitution We need to teach them that it is honorable to address their grievances within the protections we guarantee them. They don’t have to. They won by making their voices heard, and we will. I’m so happy to be there for these brave girls and for them to be able to play. ”
A Harrison County Circuit Court judge heard the students’ lawsuit Thursday.
Also on Thursday, Arkansas Governor Sarah Sanders Signed an executive order in response to President Biden’s new Title IX regulations that added protections for transgender athletes.
Several middle school girls refused to participate in a shot put competition over the inclusion of trans athletes. (“Fox & Friends” screenshot)
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Six states sue the Department of Education On this week’s Title IX overhaul.
Fox News’ Ryan Gaydos contributed to this report.
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