Parents group sues WA officials for continued support of trans-athletes in schools

Washington State Superintendent Chris Reykdal and Governor Bob Ferguson have been named in a Title IX complaint filed by the Washington Parents Network (WPN).

The complaint was submitted to the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights last week and centers around transgender participation in women’s sports. WPN Executive Director David Spring told The Center Square that the organization has been preparing for more than a year but had hoped to avoid filing it.

WPN is a volunteer group of over 2,600 parents, that claims to protect the rights of both parents and children.

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The order to end DEI

On his first day back in office last month, President Trump signed an executive order that called for the end of all “discriminatory” and “illegal” Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs in federal government institutions.

On February 14, the U.S. Department of Education issued a letter to colleges and K-12 schools across the country, giving them a two-week deadline to end all identity-based programs or risk losing federal funding. Reykdal responded by advising school districts not to alter their existing policies, practices, or programs.

About 20 school districts then received a letter from Reykdal demanding they comply with Policy 3211—a state policy promoting gender-inclusive schools and prohibiting discrimination based on gender identity or expression.

Several school board members, including those from districts affected by the policy, signed declarations that were submitted as part of the complaint.

One such declaration was from Enumclaw School Board Member Paul Fisher, who expressed concern over the conflicting orders, writing:

State Superintendent Chris Reykdal has threatened to withhold state funding if our school board fails to comply with State Policies 3211 and 3211 P. At the same time, President Trump has issued a Presidential Order declaring that our school district will lose federal funding if our school board fails to comply with Title IX. This places our school board in an impossible position.”

Spring argues that a federal ruling in January supports their case. According to Spring, Reykdal and Ferguson are violating their oaths of office by disregarding federal law and continuing to enforce state policies that contradict it.

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