Track coach fired for opposing trans policy, says lawsuit

(Daily Caller News Foundation) – An Oregon high school track and field coach filed a lawsuit Thursday claiming he was improperly fired after stating that biological males had an unfair advantage against female athletes.

John Parks was fired in June after sending a letter to the Oregon School Activities Association (OSAA) suggesting the regulatory agency change its policy regarding transgender athletes in advance of the state’s track and field championship. Parks alleged that some of his female athletes had unfairly lost competitions to Aayden Gallagher, a biological male competing in the women’s division, and suggested they create an open league to allow transgender athletes to compete separately without jeopardizing women’s sports.

“You are robbing these girls of a podium spot, a spot in the finals, altering race plans and making all the female athletes question why are their rights being ignored?” Parks’ letter said. “Allowing this travesty to be carried out is making a complete mockery of the meet this weekend and in the future until the rules are altered to protect natural born females.”

The lawsuit, filed on Parks’ behalf by the Liberty Justice Center (LJC), alleged the Oregon School District violated Parks’ free speech rights and falsely accused him of harassment. The OSAA admitted in an email that Parks “didn’t violate either the Gender Identity Participation policy or Rule 3 in our Handbook” and that they “have no new rules prohibiting criticism of any OSAA policy.”

In May, an OSAA executive board member filed a complaint against Parks claiming he engaged in “premeditated, calculated and discriminatory” behavior and harassed students, families, coaches and the transgender athlete, which Parks’ lawsuit alleges is false. The member also claimed Parks encouraged competition spectators to “boo” the transgender athlete, which he denies, according to the letter included in the lawsuit.

Parks was fired from his position as head coach in June and was told he would not be returned to his position as an educator the following year following an investigation into the complaint. Parks appealed his dismissal but was denied.

Parks told the Daily Caller News Foundation he was “stunned and horrified” upon receiving notice of his dismissal, stating he is an advocate for transgender athletes and denies any allegations of harassment and discrimination. Parks said he disagreed with the people who protested and booed the transgender athlete, but wanted to advocate for fairness for his female athletes.

“In my dismissal, they were trying to use the words that I was trying to ‘stop’ them from competing. I never did that,” Parks told OutKick’s Riley Gains in a June interview. “All I was advocating for was an open division that would allow competition so that the fans could cheer the transgender athletes separately and recognize and award their efforts, but not take away from the female athletes that were naturally born females who are in a whole different competition level.”

Parks said he received permission from his school’s athletic director before sending the letter. He said that the school’s principal also approved of his letter before he sent it.

“I want my job back,” Parks told the DCNF, saying he hopes this litigation will effect change within the competition guidelines.

“Coach Parks was retaliated against, falsely accused of discriminatory behavior, denied an appeal, and fired—just for exercising his constitutional right to free speech as a private citizen,” Buck Dougherty, senior counsel at LJC, said. “We are proud to stand up for his constitutional rights through this lawsuit, and we look forward to holding the District and the Board accountable for this egregious violation of free speech and due process.”

Lake Oswego School District and OSAA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.