Vermont senator defends banning Christian school after its forfeit to team with trans player

A Vermont state senator defended the ban of a Christian school that forfeited a state tournament game rather than play against a team with a transgender player during a CNN interview that aired Monday.

“I don’t think it’s a bridge too far,” Democratic State Senator Rebecca White of Vermont told CNN reporter Brynn Gingras. “The athletes that we’re talking about are unlikely to go on to elite professional athletics, but that concept of discriminating against another person, it causes long-term outcomes for trans youth because they’re hearing rhetoric that tells them they are not valuable, that they’re dangerous.”

Mid Vermont Christian School (MVCS) announced that they would forfeit their Feb. 21 basketball game against Long Trail School (LTS), due to the presence of a transgender girl on the LTS team. The Vermont Principals Association voted unanimously to ban MVCS from all state competitions, claiming they violated anti-discrimination policies, the New York Post reported.

“We’re an inclusive state, a welcoming state,” White, who represents the district the school is in, added. “It doesn’t surprise me that we’ve had a situation where folks are pushing back against some of that inclusive work we’ve done because it is innovative, it is bold and it’s important.”

“We withdrew from the tournament because we believe playing against an opponent with a biological male jeopardizes the fairness of the game and the safety of our players,” Vicky Fogg, the head of school for MVCS, told The National Desk in February.

MVCS said it would appeal the ban, Fox News reported, noting that Caitlin Jenner, an Olympic gold medalist, had backed the Christian school.