SLO County school board shuts down resolution targeting trans athletes
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Lucia Mar school board voted 5-2 to reject adding a resolution on trans athletes.
- The rejected resolution mirrored others passed in California school districts.
- Public testimony reflected sharp division over fairness and trans student rights.
The Lucia Mar school board shut down a resolution purporting to support “fairness, safety and equal opportunities” in girls sports Tuesday night — the latest move in the district’s battle over transgender rights.
The resolution, which was brought to the board by community member and Save Girls Sports founder Shannon Kessler, is nearly identical to resolutions passed elsewhere in California as communities have become embroiled in debate over whether trans students should be able to play on the sports teams and use the facilities that align with their gender identities.
While the document did not explicitly target transgender students, it did include language often wielded by anti-trans advocates — and it received a substantial amount of support from members of the public who opposed trans inclusion in sports.
But after hearing testimonies from over 45 people — in addition to the lengthy comments provided at past raucous board meetings — Lucia Mar trustees voted 5-2 to kill the resolution without giving it a chance to be officially added to the agenda.
The debate around trans rights has dominated Lucia Mar’s school board meetings over the past month.
In April, Arroyo Grande High School athlete Celeste Duyst recounted her experience in the locker room with a trans teammate. Duyst became emotional and alleged that the student had no reason to be in the locker room and was watching others undress.
Duyst did not name the teammate, but Lily, a transgender student and track athlete at AGHS, soon came forward to defend herself against the allegations and advocate for the continued inclusion of trans students.
The increased volatility around the topic also sparked a rally ahead of the district’s May 6 meeting. That was when Kessler introduced the resolution to the board.
According to Tuesday night’s agenda item, the school board’s bylaws allow members of the public to request items to be placed on the agenda, but trustees ultimately decide whether or not the requested matters fall within their jurisdiction.
Resolution called on board to support ‘fairness’ in girls sports
Lucia Mar is not the only California district to have encountered the resolution up for debate Tuesday night.
The document is a near copy of a similar resolution that was passed in the Redlands Unified School District in April, according to CalMatters reporting.
The Chino Hills district also passed the same item in mid-April, along with a slew of other actions targeting trans athletes, according to a report from KVCR.
Both districts’ decisions were mentioned by supporters of the resolution who spoke at Tuesday’s meeting.
Overall, the resolution’s aim was to ensure “fairness” in girls sports, it said — a concept some believe is at odds with the inclusion of transgender girls on girls sports teams. It also called on the board to reinforce its commitment to “the original intent” of Title IX, a federal law that prevents discrimination based on sex.
District Superintendent Paul Fawcett explained to trustees during Tuesday’s meeting that the resolution would essentially act as an “advocacy commitment.”
If it were to pass, the resolution would not have altered any district policies — but it would require the district to send a letter to state officials, federal officials and the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) advocating for alignment with President Donald Trump’s executive order targeting trans participation in school sports, Fawcett said.
Currently, both the State of California and the CIF uphold the rights of transgender students to participate on the teams aligned with their gender identities.
People spoke at Tuesday’s meeting both in support and against the resolution.
Many supporters recited the same rhetoric used at previous meetings — claims that “biological differences” between men and women make trans girls’ participation in sports unfair or that some girls feel unsafe using the same locker room or restroom as transgender girls.
Meanwhile, opponents to the resolution focused on the need for safety and inclusion of trans students. Many argued that any differences in athletic prowess between trans students and their peers are nominal or even nonexistent.
And while supporters of the resolution called on the board to align itself with the goals of the Trump administration, several opponents pointed out that executive orders are not federal law.
Lily also spoke at the meeting, defending herself against the rhetoric.
As a transgender student and athlete, Lily said she deals with a lot of fear. When she first started going to track practice, she was afraid to try to make friends, concerned she’d be rejected or mocked for her identity.
And she continues to walk on “razor-thin ice” at school, she said. She’s spent no longer than three minutes in the locker room and doesn’t make eye contact with others, she added.
“And yet, people still accuse me — somebody that deals with sexual harassment on a daily basis — of being a predator,” Lily said. “So, I’m here to say that I am not the villain. I am the victim.”
After hearing from the public, the board entered its deliberation on the item.
Trustee Mike Fuller advocated for the board to put the resolution on the agenda for a future meeting. He said he believed there are biological differences between men and women, and that he worries about young women losing out on scholarships due to the presence of trans athletes on their teams.
Trustee Don Stewart and board president Colleen Martin both claimed that the board has not historically taken up resolutions around political advocacy or changing state laws.
Between graduations, budget deliberations and the local control accountability plan, the district has other pressing matters to attend to, Martin added.
“Continuing this divisive town hall is getting us nowhere,” she said.
Trustees ultimately voted against adding the resolution to the agenda in the future. Fuller and trustee Eilene Pham voted in support of placing the resolution on the agenda.
The vote was followed by an eruption of applause from half of the room and outrage on the other. One audience member could be heard shouting that the district was failing its community.
Martin encouraged those upset by the district’s decision to take their concerns to their state or federal representatives.
This story was originally published May 21, 2025 at 1:51 PM.
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