County school, principals will be responsible for ensuring student athletes only play on teams with their biological peers, under a new provision to be considered by the Columbus Board of Education tonight (Tuesday).
The rule will bring Columbus County into compliance with the new state law that went into effect Dec. 1 that prohibits students from playing on teams of the opposite gender. The state law says, in part, “a student’s sex shall be recognized solely on the student’s reproductive biology and genetics at birth.”
While the N.C. High School Athletic Association (NCHSSA) does not define gender, the new law requires school athletic programs to be in compliance. The law provides that teams be divided by male, female or co-ed.
Gov. Roy Cooper originally vetoed House Bill 574, the Fairness in Women’s Sports Act. The Republican-dominated legislature overrode the veto with the assistance of two Democrat votes. The voice came after nationally known female swimmer Riley Gaines testified before the General Assembly on the effects of male swimmers in her sport. Gaines spoke to the legislature with Peyton McNabb, a North Carolina high school student who was critically injured by a male volleyball player who identified as female.
The law applies to middle and high school sports, as well as college athletics, for teams that are designated by gender.
The NCHSSA said in October that there are around 15 openly transgender student athletes in the 180,000 athletes in the state.
