The Alaska School Activities Association Board of Directors took no action on a proposed bylaw change prompted by a resolution passed unanimously by the State Board of Education, which addressed the protection for girl athletes from boys taking over their sports and winning medals that have been previously reserved for top-performing girl athletes.
The ASAA Board decided that until the Department of Education itself changes the current regulations, it would be premature to change the ASAA bylaw.
The ASAA met in Valdez this week to consider the resolution and other school athletic issues. Transgender activists testified against the proposal to put sideboards on when boys would be able to compete against girls. Conservatives testified against it.
The association said that the Department does not require Alaska school districts to join ASAA. Instead, existing state regulation authorizes districts to join and pay dues to ASAA or “any other voluntary, nonprofit association whose purpose is to administer and promote interscholastic activities in Alaska” so long as certain criteria are met.
The Board of Education’s resolution says the separation of males and females in sports is related to competitive fairness and promotion of broad and equal participation opportunities. The two-page resolution also says the gender policies in Alaska school athletics programs should be objective, workable, and practicable for all students who participate.
