John Parks, a former track and field coach from an Oregon high school, is suing the Oregon School District, claiming he was wrongfully dismissed after voicing concerns about the unfair advantage of biological males competing against female athletes. Parks was let go in June, following a letter he sent to the Oregon School Activities Association (OSAA), recommending changes to their policy on transgender athletes.
Parks argued that his female athletes had lost competitions unfairly to Aayden Gallagher, a biological male who competed in the women’s division. Parks’ lawsuit contends that the Oregon School District violated his free speech rights and falsely accused him of harassment. He pointed out that the OSAA has no rules barring the critique of any OSAA policy. Parks is seeking the reestablishment of his position as a coach and aims to instigate change within competition guidelines.
The outcome of the lawsuit could set a precedent for the ongoing debate around transgender athletes’ participation in sports, especially in gender categories opposite their biological sex.