Naperville School District 203 board meeting packed after trans student wins at junior high track meet
Naperville parents packed a school board meeting Monday night at District 203 after controversy at a junior high school track meet.
Some parents were incensed that a transgender student won multiple events in girls' competition at the recent meet.
Awake Illinois, which describes itself as a "grassroots organization" launched by parents and citizens in 2021 to "[empower] citizens to elevate their voices on topics of education, equality, legislation, civic involvement and social welfare causes," was present at the meeting, and their founder spoke out against transgender athletes competing in the categories of the gender in which they identify, describing the result as "boys stealing girls' victories, leaving young girls sobbing on the track."
Speakers representing the group also argued that chromosomes cannot be changed, apparently arguing against the existence of transgender and intersex athletes at any age.
But other members of the community showed up in force to support the student, waving trans pride flags and speaking in defense of the student's rights.
"Intersex is not a choice," said one speaker. Humans, like you and me, all of us, are born that way."
The board did not take any action on the district's policies on transgender students.
Awake Illinois filed a civil rights complaint against the district, saying it violated Title IX, which prohibits "sex-based discrimination."
Parent advocates and organizations have increasingly targeted transgender student athletes in recent years. In April, a Deerfield school board meeting for District 109 made national headlines after a parent alleged students were forced to change gym clothes in a locker room in front of a transgender classmate.
