Parents sue school district that banned them for wearing pink ‘XX’ wristbands to daughters’ soccer game against boy

A New Hampshire school district tried to stifle parents’ support of fairness in girls’ sports. Now the parents are suing.

The plaintiffs – Kyle Fellers, Andy and Nicole Foote, and Eldon Rash – attended a Bow High School (BHS) girls’ soccer game on Sept. 17, aware that a member of the opposing team was a biological male.

When Nicole Foote complained to BHS’s athletic director Michael Desilets about the heightened risk of injury, Desilets told her the district couldn’t do anything because of a recent ruling allowing transgender student to play with the opposite sex.

In silent protest, the parents donned pink wristbands featuring “XX” – a reference to female chromosomes – at their daughter’s game.

During the game, the district’s athletic director, Michael Desilets, told Andy Foote and Kyle Fellers they weren’t allowed to protest and to remove the wristband.  

When Fellers disobeyed, Desilets got the police involved. Steve Rossetti, the head referee, eventually paused the game and said BHS would forfeit if the wristbands were not removed.  

After the game, Rossetti allegedly called Fellers a “f***ing a**hole.”  

The parents later received notices they were banned from school property, making it impossible for them to pick their kids up from school or attend other sporting events.  

Monday the parents filed a lawsuit against the district, claiming their First and Fourteenth Amendment rights were violated.  

“[School officials] conspired with a local police officer and soccer referee to intimidate parents, enforce the school’s unconstitutional rules, and prevent anyone from exercising their rights to speech, petition and assembly,” the lawsuit reads. 

“We wore pink wristbands to silently support our daughters and their right to fair competition. Instead of fostering open dialogue, school officials responded with threats and bans that have a direct impact on our lives and our children’s lives,” explained Fellers. “This fight isn’t just about sports – it’s about protecting our fundamental right to free speech.” 

“I spent 31 years in the United States Army, including three combat tours,” added Andy Foote. “The idea that I would be censored and threatened with removal from a public event for standing by my convictions is not just a personal affront – it is an infringement on the very rights I swore to defend.”