Transgender athlete's win at Illinois middle school track meet sparks heated debate

Debate over a transgender student’s win in a middle school girls track meet grew heated at a school board meeting in suburban Illinois this week.

Debate over a transgender student’s win in a middle school girls track meet grew heated at a school board meeting in suburban Illinois this week.

The meet took place at Jefferson Middle School in Naperville, about 30 miles west of Chicago, where the student athlete won multiple events, becoming a microcosm of a national debate over trans athletes in sports.

During public comment at a Naperville Community Unit School District 203 Board meeting Monday, nearly 100 parents could be seen in the audience, some raising transgender pride flags, others holding signs that read “Protect Girls Sports” and “Stop Exploiting Kids.”

At one point, an audience member could be heard shouting “Protect trans youth” before being escorted out of the meeting.

Parents opposed to the student’s participation in the meet have asked for federal funds to be frozen at District 203 until the board changes course on its athletics policies, arguing they are in violation of Title IX.