Vermont religious school that refused to play team with trans player banned from sporting events 

A Christian prep school in Vermont that refused to play girls basketball against a team with a transgender player has been banned from participating in state sporting events.  

The Mid Vermont Christian School was booted by the Vermont Principals' Association in a March 13 letter that said the school had violated its inclusivity principals.

After a Monday meeting, the associated decided the Quechee school's actions had violated its  'Commitment to Racial, Gender-Fair, and Disability Awareness and Policy of Gender.'

Those policies state that students may compete on teams 'consistent with their gender identity,' and protect against discrimination 'based on a student's actual or perceived sex and gender.' The association added that its policies reflected Vermont state law. 

Mid Vermont Christian School's girls basketball team withdrew from a game against Long Trail Mountain Lions in the state playoffs in February after discovering there was a transgender player on the team. The school justified its decision, saying 'playing against an opponent with a biological male jeopardizes the fairness of the game and the safety of our players.'

The Mid Vermont Christian School's basketball team which refused to play a team with a transgender player on in February

The Mid Vermont Christian School was banned from participating in all Vermont sports

Vermont Principals' Association executive director Jay Nichols said the 15-member board's decision to ban the school was unanimous.

'If you don't want to follow VPA rules, that's fine,' He said, according to VTDigger. 'But then you're just not a VPA member. It's fairly simple. That's really all we're gonna really say about it.'

Nichols said he had no knowledge of any school being banned in such a way before, and that there currently was no appeal process in place.

He added that the school could ask the board to reverse their decision, but the outcome 'would be up to the executive council,' according to VTDigger.

State law in Vermont prohibits discrimination against student athletes on the basis of their gender identity and says that any dispute over a student's ability to play because their biological gender doesn't match their gender identity must be considered on a case-by-case basis.

The state's Education Agency says that best practice entails providing transgender and gender nonconforming students 'the same opportunities to participate in physical education as are all other students.'

'Generally, students should be permitted to participate in physical education and sports in accordance with the student’s gender identity. Participation in competitive athletic activities and sports will be resolved on a case-by-case basis.'

A letter from the Vermont Principals' Association banning the school from state sports

State law in Vermont prohibits discrimination against student athletes on the basis of their gender identity and says that any dispute over a student's ability to play must be considered on a case-by-case basis

The agency also advised that transgender students should not be required to use the bathroom or locked room 'that conflicts with the student's gender identity.'

Earlier this year, the Mid Vermont Christian School submitted a letter the agency seeking permission to continue receiving public tuition funding, while also arguing that it should not have to follow all of the state's anti-discrimination laws because it is a religious organization.

'As a religious organization, the school has a statutory and constitutional right to make decisions based on its religious beliefs, including hiring and disciplining employees, associating with others, and in its admissions, conduct and operations policies and procedures,' wrote Fogg in an early January letter.

'By signing this form, the Mid Vermont Christian School does not waive any such rights,' she wrote, adding that to the extent that state laws conflict with the school's beliefs on 'marriage and sexuality,' the school 'has not included that language in its handbook or online, nor can it affirm that particular aspect of the Vermont Public Accommodations Act.' 

The state's progressive stance on the issue has caused before. 

Last year, a Vermont middle school girls soccer coach was suspended last fall after 'misgendering' a trans student on a private social media account as he defended his daughter, who had spoken out against a biologically male player being in the girls locker room.