Controversy grows as California forces schools to switch to athletics league that lets males in girls sports
The California Department of Education (CDE) has stood by its demand that the Tahoe Truckee Unified School District (TTUSD) switch sports associations to a league that allows biological male trans athletes to compete in girls sports.
The switch would require the school to embark on much longer and more treacherous road trips to competing schools, and critics say that will cause distress and safety concerns among students and parents.
Students would have to travel through California's Donner Pass, a 7,056-foot mountain pass. During winter, the pass is known for being dangerous due to extreme weather conditions like heavy snowfall, strong winds and icy roads.
The high elevation and frequent storms contribute to treacherous travel conditions, including the potential for avalanches.
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At a school board meeting this week, residents expressed their opposition to the CDE's mandate for the TTUSD to switch from the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association (NIAA) to the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF).
Truckee High School girls track and field athlete Ava Cockrum spoke about the danger the commute would present for her and other students.
"It's dangerous," Cockrum said. "It just doesn't seem safe at all. … You're going to be prone to danger."
Cockrum also protested the notion of girls having to compete against males.
"I don't see how it would be fair for female athletes to compete against a biological male because they're stronger, they're taller, they're faster. … It's just not fair," Cockrum added.
The teen received applause from residents in attendance.
The TTUSD has historically competed in the NIAA due to its proximity to Nevada schools. However, after the NIAA changed its policy to only allow biological females to compete in girls sports earlier this year, the CDE demanded TTUSD switch to the CIF.
TTUSD requested to delay the move, it announced in a memo last week, "due to significant logistical challenges." But the district claims the state is not showing any leniency and that defying the order could result in financial and legal penalties.
"Last week, TTUSD received a mandatory order from the California Department of Education (CDE) ordering our athletic programs to move to the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) beginning in the 2026-2027 school year due to a formal complaint filed against TTUSD," the announcement said.
"The decision is no longer within the TTUSD’s local control. We are legally required to follow this CDE order. … If we do not comply, TTUSD will be violating state law, which could result in severe financial penalties and legal action against the District."
The CDE provided a statement addressing the situation to ABC 10.
"California law requires that students be permitted to participate on the sports team that corresponds with their gender identity. California local educational agencies (LEAs) are required to follow California law regardless of which state’s athletic association they join," the statement said.
The situation has drawn the scrutiny of several California politicians.
"This is a new low. California is forcing Tahoe Truckee Unified to compete in CA instead of Nevada, despite this being impractical and unsafe for athletes whose seasons will move from Spring to Winter in a snowy area. The reason: Nevada doesn't allow males in female sports," Rep. Kevin Kiley, R-Calif., wrote on X.
"For 40 years, Tahoe Truckee Unified has chosen to compete in Nevada because sports like soccer and tennis are played in the spring there. In California, these are winter sports, which is impractical in snowy areas like Tahoe and presents travel safety concerns.
"Yet the state has overridden this local decision for no other reason than to preserve the ability for biological males at the district’s schools to compete in the female division. This will decimate several sports, and schools in the district may not even be able to field teams."
Nevada Lt. Gov. Stavros Anthony also condemned the move in an X post.
"California is forcing schools to exit Nevada, despite decades of successfully competing in our state. We are taking a commonsense approach with female athletes. Since my Task Force on Protecting Women’s Sports, there has not been an incident with men playing in women’s sports," Anthony wrote.
CIF is one of many high school sports conferences located in blue states to defy President Donald Trump's executive order since it was signed Feb. 5.
The CIF is under investigation by the U.S. Department of Education for its defiance of the order, and Education Secretary Linda McMahon has warned Gov. Gavin Newsom his state could be subject to federal funding freezes if it continues to defy the order.
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