Nebraska Considering a Transgender Policy

By Al Riskowski

The Nebraska School Activities Association has announced that their board is considering a transgender policy that would allow students to participate in school sports without consideration of biological gender.

The board will consider the policy August 21 during its regular meeting.

“Placing the proposal on the August board agenda as an action item will eliminate any confusion on the transparency of the association or myself to formally address procedures for transgender participation within our board procedures,” Blanford-Green said in a news release.

Ironically, the policy, which originally had appeared on the NSAA’s website (but read the Transgender Policy here;  https://nsaahome.org/nsaaforms/pdf/transqa.pdf ), has been removed.

According to the original version of the policy, it would require students who want to participate in a sport with members of the gender opposite from their biological gender to prove their gender identity through the testimony of experts such as hormonal experts and psychologists.

Blanford-Green, executive director of NSAA, said she proposed the policy to the NSAA board because she wanted to establish an equity policy for transgender students before her appearance at a national conference on transgender student participation in sports.

If such a policy would be passed it would create an unfair advantage for transgender students, especially boys who ask to play against girls.

This type of policy can create so many difficulties for a public school in so many different ways, like locker room and restroom accommodation. It certainly seems parents should be involved in this type of decision that morally and economically affects schools and sports programs.

A policy of this type would also affect private and parochial schools because they compete against the public schools in various sports. For example, if a boy played for a girl volleyball or basketball team the home team would be required to accommodate in locker and restroom provisions. Schools would face difficult decisions on how to or if they should accommodate transgender student athletes and allowing boys and girls to share locker rooms and showers.

This issue is on the agenda for the August 21 meeting of the NSAA Board of Directors. It is not listed as an Action Item; it is listed as an item on the Executive Director Report. Thus, this proposal will be discussed at the August meeting but a vote on this policy may not be taken until possibly November.

The NSAA needs to hear from concerned Nebraska citizens who oppose the adoption of a transgender participation policy.

1. Send an email to the directors. Copy the executive director and all board members in your email. For contact information go to www.nebfc.org
2. Mail a letter to Rhonda Blanford-Green, Executive Director. Ask that she provide a copy to all board members. Mail to: NSAA Customer Service, P.O. Box 85448, Lincoln, NE 68501-5448
3. Call NSAA customer service at 402-489-0386 and communicate your concern.

You can learn more about this issue by contacting Nebraska Family Council toll free at 1-888-777-3191 or go on our web site, www.nebfc.org.

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Al Riskowski is Executive Director of the Nebraska Family Council. 

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