Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares has publicly backed the Hanover County School Board’s policy regarding sex-based sports participation amidst a legal dispute over a decision to prevent a biological male student from trying out for the middle school girls’ tennis team. Miyares filed an amicus brief supporting the school board’s policy, which prioritizes student participation based on sex rather than gender identity in sports separated by sex.
Miyares emphasized that neither the federal Constitution nor any federal statute mandates Virginia school boards to allow biological males to join girls’ sports teams. He argued that civil rights laws aim to protect female equity in athletics and urged the court to uphold women’s rights and opportunities in Virginia.
The student involved in the lawsuit is seeking a preliminary injunction to allow them to try out for the tennis team, with a hearing scheduled for August 6. In his brief, Miyares contended that the injunction should be denied as the student is unlikely to prove that the school board’s policy violates the U.S. Constitution’s Equal Protection Clause or Title IX.
This legal dispute highlights the ongoing debate surrounding transgender rights and sports participation in schools. The outcome of the case could have broader implications for similar policies across Virginia and potentially impact the rights and opportunities of female athletes.
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