The Quilcene school board is expected to consider a resolution Wednesday, Sept. 18, regarding Title IX regulations that “strongly affirms that biological males should not participate in biological females’ sports” due to “inherent biological differences.”

Board member Jim Hodgson introduced the resolution by reading it aloud during the board’s Aug. 21 meeting. During the public comment portion of the meeting, some expressed concerns about Hodgson’s proposal, including assistant volleyball coach Cortney Beck, who questioned its necessity.

“We have exactly zero born males who identify as girls in school in general,” Beck said, “but also zero that play our sports.”

The board revisited the proposal during its Sept. 4 study session meeting, during which board members Hodgson and Ron Frantz argued that the resolution is intended to promote safety and competitive fairness in girls sports.

“There are just certain physical realities, I don’t care what you think,” Frantz said. “I wouldn’t want to have biological males and biological females mixing in on a sport where they could get hurt.”

Board member Viviann Kuehl argued that the resolution seems unnecessary, especially in a small school district where coaches are empowered to address any potential issues with their student-athletes as they arise.

“I think really what we’re addressing here is not the reality but the fear,” Kuehl said, “and the reality is that there’s not, I mean, I’m not aware of any terrible things that have happened.”

Kuehl asked whether Hodgson was aware of any unsafe incidents that have arisen in Quilcene sports due to mixed-gender play.

“It hasn’t happened here — yet,” said Hodgson, who went on to cite the case of University of Kentucky swimmer Riley Gaines as well as that of Olympic boxer Imane Khelif as examples of unfair or unsafe outcomes in women’s sports as a result of the inclusion of transgender athletes.

Several people in the audience also addressed the proposed resolution during public comment, with some parents expressing support and some school teachers expressing opposition while saying that they support their students regardless of gender identity.

“I was impressed that we had a discussion and it didn’t get out of hand,” board chair Jon Cooke told The Leader after the study session meeting. “You know, no yelling, no screaming. So it was good to talk about things and hear people’s opinion on both sides.”

During its next meeting, the board will also consider appointing a new member to fill the Position 5 vacancy created by Paul Mahan’s resignation in August. Three people — Shona Davis, Dana Nixon and Anne Bessey — applied to fill the vacancy. Whoever is appointed would finish Mahan’s term, which runs through November 2025.