Seattle Public Schools Authorizes Legal Action Over Transgender Athlete Ban
The Seattle Public Schools board held a special meeting on the evening of Monday, November 9, and passed Resolution 2026/27-11, authorizing the district to retain legal counsel and take all necessary legal action to protect the interests of its students and the district.
The move responds to newly passed statewide Initiative 638, the Fairness in Interscholastic Sports Act, which bars transgender athletes from girls’ middle and high school sports. The measure passed in the November election with nearly 56% of the statewide vote, overturning Washington’s long-standing rule allowing transgender girls to join school teams consistent with their gender identity. Under the new law, students determined to be biologically male may not compete in girls’ interscholastic sports. The board’s resolution notes that the initiative’s requirements apply only to girls’ sports and could subject girls to scrutiny and potential privacy intrusions that boys do not face. The board hopes to obtain clearer guidance before the measure’s December 3 implementation deadline.
The district said the legal action is intended to protect students’ rights and the district’s responsibilities before the new law takes effect, with specific litigation steps to be decided by the counsel it retains. Seattle is the first public school district in Washington to take legal action over Initiative 638, and the case will be closely watched by districts across the state.
Source: FOX 13 Seattle
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 西雅图公立学区学生课堂照片。（西雅图公立学区官网）
