The state of Florida fined and placed Monarch High School on administrative probation for allowing a male student to participate on the women’s volleyball team, which prompted a walkout by hundreds of students in protest of the penalty.
On December 12, the Florida High School Athletic Association sent a letter to Monarch High School, in which the association described Broward County Public Schools “self-reporting” the presence of a biological male on the women’s volleyball team. The letter noted that Monarch was in violation of both a bylaw and a Florida state statute which prohibit biological males from competing in women’s sports, and that Monarch had not taken any action to rectify the situation.
Accordingly, the association assigned a $16,500 fine and placed Monarch in a state of warning under administrative probation for one year. In addition, the principal and athletic director of the high school were required to attend a compliance seminar administered by the association and to host an eligibility and compliance workshop at the school.
The male student athlete who competed on the women’s team was declared ineligible to represent the school in competition for a period of one year, beginning on November 21. Five school staffers, including Principal James Cecil, were reassigned for their roles in allowing a male to play on the team.
In response, several hundred students at Monarch High School staged a walkout, marching on the football field with handmade signs and chanting “trans rights are human rights.” The students did not elaborate on the particulars of what rights the school had allegedly violated. Thus far, it does not appear that the demonstration has changed any policy, as Broward County Public Schools told ABC News that it would “continue to follow state law and will take appropriate action based on the outcome of the investigation.”
Considering that at least 23 states have similar laws to Florida, which preclude biological males from participating in women’s sports, this will likely not be the last instance of a school facing the consequences of attempting to inject gender ideology into school athletics.