2 Tri-City school leaders make Fox News plea for ‘federal intervention’ on trans athletes
Days after filing a formal sex discrimination complaint against the state for allowing transgender girls in sports and locker rooms, two Tri-City school board leaders made a Monday appearance on national television.
“We’re asking for federal intervention,” Kennewick School Board President Gabe Galbraith told “Fox & Friends First” host Todd Piro.
“We’re asking (the Department of Education) to step in and be a partner in this, and kind of take the lead on ensuring we’re complying with President Trump’s federal order.”
Washington state law and procedures prohibit public schools from discriminating against students based on their gender identity. But those state regulations are at odds with recent action from President Donald Trump.
His Feb. 5 executive order, titled “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports,” threatens to revoke “all funds” from educational programs that allow trans girls to participate in sports with their cisgendered peers.
Some outspoken school boards, including Kennewick’s, want to see state law trumped. Galbraith says it’s “unfair” and “not safe” to allow transgender girls in locker rooms and to compete in girls sports.
“(Superintendent) Chris Reykdal is a total joke,” Vice President Micah Valentine said.
“We tried to pass a financial literacy graduation requirement in this state, that didn’t go down. Grades are dropping under his watch, meanwhile he’s promoting LGBTQIA+ things, DEI, SEL — everything like that, he pushes, pushes, pushes. He has a very radical agenda,” he continued.
Their school Board on Thursday filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education over Washington state policies on who can use female locker rooms and compete on girls sports teams.
The complaint claimed violations of federal law by Washington state Superintendent Chris Reykdal, the Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, and the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association.
This story was originally published March 31, 2025 at 6:11 PM.
