Transgender female athlete
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A girls’ basketball game in Massachusetts garnered attention when one team forfeited against an opponent with a transgender female athlete. The forfeit occurred at halftime with the score recorded as 10-0.
Concerns
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Concerns were raised about player injuries, with the decision to forfeit supported by the school due to a depleted bench and upcoming playoffs.
Injured
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Collegiate Charter spokesperson Casey Crane wrote in a statement, “On February 8th, the coach of the Collegiate Charter School of Lowell Girls’ Basketball Team decided to end a game at halftime after watching a third player injured in the game with KIPP Academy.”
Depleted
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“The bench was already depleted going into the game with the 12-player roster having four players unable to play. When the coach saw three more go down in the first half leaving him with five players, he made the call to end the game early. The upcoming Charter School playoffs were looming, and he needed a healthy and robust bench in four days,” the statement continued.
Feared
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Crane wrote, “Once the third was injured, the remaining five expressed concern to him about continuing to play. The players feared getting injured and not being able to compete in the playoffs.”
Maintain safety
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“In an effort to maintain safety for his team, he decided to forfeit. The Charter School supports this decision and reiterates its values of both inclusivity and safety for all students. We take the standards set by the MIAA and our Board of Trustees seriously and strive to uphold them on and off the court. We also follow the guidance from the MIAA and state laws regarding equity and access for all student-athletes,” explained the school’s spokesperson.
Gender identity
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The Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) guidelines address gender identity in sports teams, emphasizing inclusivity and fairness.
MIAA handbook
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The MIAA handbook states, “a student shall not be excluded from participation on a gender-specific sports team that is consistent with the student’s bona fide gender identity.”
Section 43.3.2
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Section 43.3.2 reads, “When a school district submits a roster to the MIAA, it is verifying that it has determined that the students listed on a gender-specific sports team are eligible to participate either based on the gender listed on their official birth certificate or based on their bona fide gender identity and that no students are included on the roster solely for the purpose of gaining an unfair advantage in competitive athletics.”
Gender classification
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“The MIAA shall defer to the determination of the student and the student’s school regarding gender classification,” the handbook declares.
Inclusion
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According to Section 43.3.4, “It is a recommended best practice that schools communicate with their opponents as necessary about the gender-specific needs of their team in order to promote inclusion – e.g. to ensure that appropriate locker room facilities are available, that announcer use athlete’s correct pronouns, etc.”
General Law
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According to Massachusetts General Law, “no person shall be excluded from or discriminated against in admission to a public school of any town, or in obtaining the advantages, privileges, and courses of study of such public school on account of race, color, sex, gender identity, religion, national origin or sexual orientation.”
Transgender athletes
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The incident highlights the complexities of accommodating transgender athletes in competitive sports.
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