After the principal and several other staff members were reassigned over the trans athlete controversy, students of Monarch High School in Coconut Creek, Florida, staged a massive walkout.
The staffers, including the principal, were removed from campus
Principal John Cecil, an assistant principal, and an athletic director were reassigned while district officials conducted an investigation into "allegations of improper student participation in sports," reports claim. The reports further claim that the school staff was trying to support a transgender girls' volleyball player, reportedly violating DeSantis's law on transgender athletes.
Students were appalled
One student explained to CBS, "The school is not any good without a principal. We need someone here who is able to lead us. Even though it's a state law, I know according to state law you can't do it, but I think his punishment was too harsh." Many disagreed with a trans athlete being on the team, though they still wanted to support the school staff for doing what felt right. Others carried signs, "Let her play" and "Trans lives matter." Many also had "Free Cecil" signs.
Some officials commented
The district's superintendent, Peter Licata, said there will be a change in how student-athletes are screened because of what happened. Scott Galvin, Executive Director of Safe Schools South Florida, stated, "It's horrendous first on just a human level that the school would out somebody on an issue like this that's incredibly sensitive. It's just dumbfounding, and the Broward County Schools should be ashamed of themselves."
The girl recently lost a legal case
The Guardian reported that the girl, DN, "lost a legal challenge earlier this month to the anti-trans Fairness in Women's Sports Act." The bill was signed by DeSantis in 2021 and was challenged soon after. However, U.S. District Judge Roy Altman ruled that the law did not violate constitutional equal protection, due-process rights, or Title IX, CBS learned.
The school district said it was not about the lawsuit
John Sullivan, a spokesperson for the school district, told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel that reassigning school staffers had nothing to do with the lawsuit, "The investigation was launched solely on an allegation of state law not being followed. The lawsuit had no bearing on our decision to investigate or reassign."
Sullivan issued another statement
In a statement to the press, Sullivan wrote, "Although we cannot comment further, we will continue to follow state law and take appropriate action based on the outcome of the investigation. We are committed to providing all our students with a safe and inclusive learning environment."
More From Womenio
What you rarely see in fashion magazines is what women wear that men love. Here are 21 Things Women Wear That Men LOVE
20 Weird Things People Find Extremely Attractive That Most DON'T
Everyone's got their own idea of what they find attractive, and sometimes it's something a little unconventional. Here are 20 Weird Things People Find Extremely Attractive That Most DON'T
30 Things Men Should Wear to Drive Women WILD - (According to Women)
Here is what you should wear to drive them crazy: 30 Things Men Should Wear to Drive Women WILD - (According to Women)
25 Popular Things Women Wear That Men Secretly Hate
From your favorite accessories right down to the choices of footwear, here is a list of fashion items men wish women stopped wearing: 25 Popular Things Women Wear That Men Secretly Hate
33 Dirty Company Secrets Revealed By Employees That We Are Not Supposed To Know
Learn what various industries tried to hide from outsiders straight from the employees: 33 Dirty Company Secrets Revealed By Employees That We Are Not Supposed To Know
Leave a Reply