A West Virginia judge ruled in favor of four middle school girls who had refused to compete against a trans-identifying athlete during track and field championships.
Riley Gaines, who has been a prominent voice following this ordeal since its onset, and a leading voice on the topic of trans athletes infiltrating girls’ sports in general, weighed in on the ruling on X.
“A win for truth and sanity. Good on these girls & their parents for pushing back,” she posted.
The teens had protested by purposefully scratching during the shot put competition, leading to school officials banning them from future competitions.
Harrison County Judge Thomas Bedell determined Thursday that the girls could not be banned for their protest and granted them a temporary injunction, as reported by WBOY-TV.
“Even though there was no malice found on either part of the defendants, the plaintiffs have met their burden and the temporary injunction has been granted,” Judge Bedell stated.
The four Lincoln Middle School girls claimed they faced prohibitions and punishments after their silent protest on April 18 against Becky Pepper-Jackson, the trans-identifying student-athlete from Bridgeport Middle School who won the competition.
Testimony from two of the girls revealed that they were unaware of the scratch rule.
They also testified that they were subjected to “Indian runs,” or interval sprints, during the next practice as a form of retaliation.
The board of education, however, denied any retaliation, arguing that school policy forbids any player who “scratches” in an event from competing at the next competition.
“This neutral, school-specific rule was in place before the students’ protests and has nothing to do with those protests in any way,” the board stated following the ruling, according to the Washington Times.
“Other than not being permitted to participate in the same event in which they scratched at the next track meet, the students have competed in track meets and events following their protests without restriction,” the board continued.
The girls’ protest came two days after the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals declared West Virginia’s 2021 law, which required school athletes to compete based on biological s*x rather than gender identity, unconstitutional.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) had filed a challenge on behalf of Pepper-Jackson, per WBOL-TV.
West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey, who supported the middle school girls with an amicus brief, expressed his backing of the teens.
“You saw unfairness and you expressed your disappointment and sacrificed your personal performances in a sport that you love; exercised your constitutionally protected freedom of speech and expression,” Morrisey wrote in a statement.
“These girls didn’t disrupt anything when they protested. They should be commended, not punished.”
Morrisey also pledged to take the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals decision to the Supreme Court.
Morrisey affirmed his support of the girls late April in response to Gaines voicing her opposition to the teens being barred from future competitions.
“These girls stood up for what they believed and their coach barred them from competing. Insane,” Gains said on X.
“It’s dangerous to teach young girls to ignore the threats their eyes and ears are warning them of. How do some call this ‘progress’?”
Morrisey replied by stating, “I will do everything in my power to defend these brave young girls.”
“This is just wrong. We must stand for what’s right and oppose these radical trans policies.”
“Thanks to @Riley_Gaines_for her leadership on this critical issue,” he continued.
