PODCASTS

Tag: #girls sports

Issues in Education – Regional Consolidation, Politics in the Classroom, more – 9/23/24

Issues in Education – Regional Consolidation, Politics in the Classroom, more – 9/23/24

Issues in Education” is a Monday News Feature from Family Life.

This episode includes commentary from former superintendent and current educational strategist Ralph Kerr on significant issues facing families, teachers, school boards and communities:

  • Beyond Civics courses, what roles do schools play in shaping discussions of campaigns and candidates? How should parents monitor election conversations which may happen at schools?
  • New York State education leaders are surveying every public school district, asking how they are serving their students. One outcome might be recommendations for “regionalization” in many places — cooperation between schools, and perhaps more consolidations of elementaries, high schools, or even entire districts. Population shifts and budget imbalances are a big reason why.
  • The State Board of Regents (which oversees most of the education in New York) removed from this month’s agenda a proposed rule which would have mandated that students could cross gender lines for sports, in high schools, middle schools and elementary programs.

Dr. Kerr offers his vantage point on these Issues in Education.

Riley Gaines – Approaches to Women’s Sports (NCAA, NAIA, and Public Action) – 9/16/24

Riley Gaines – Approaches to Women’s Sports (NCAA, NAIA, and Public Action) – 9/16/24

Riley Gaines – Approaches to Women’s Sports (NCAA, NAIA, and Public Action)

This autumn marks a new chapter in the debates on transgendered athletes in sports for college students, teens and younger children.

With this new academic year, two major oversight organizations deal with collegiate sports will handle the question differently. The NCAA across all three of its divisions will support student-athletes who were born male to be active with women’s sports, women’s records and women’s scholarships. The NAIA which regulates sports for more than 250 smaller and mid-sized schools is going the other direction, with athletes playing either the male or female sports which matches their genetic makeup.

Riley Gaines, a former championship collegiate swimmer is now an advocate for fairness, privacy and safety surrounding transgender policies. She not only is a commentator for Outkick.com, she is a litigant in Title IX lawsuits against the NCAA. In this special Family Life Interview, she says she one significant change over the past year has been the level of public advocacy for protecting women and girls.

Archives of our Family Life interviews with former University of Kentucky swimmer Riley Gaines:

  • The Politics of Protecting Female Athletes (full 10-minute interview):  FLN 5/31/2024
  • Title IX, and a majority opinion on fairness which crosses all political stances:  FLN 5/29/2024
  • How Riley Gaines’ vocational calling began, as an advocate for women and girls:  FLN 10/31/2023

Also on the issue of gender, education and politics, Family Life aired a related interview 9/16/2024 with Shena Rossettie of the Twin Tiers Family Forum.

 

 

Riley Gaines testifying recently about her interactions with the NCAA and with a university president:

https://vimeo.com/1000850865#t=1h20m51s Georgia Senate Special Committee

vimeo.com/1000850865#t=1h20m51s
Riley Gaines — Who will stand up for the daughters and granddaughters? — May 29, 2024

Riley Gaines — Who will stand up for the daughters and granddaughters? — May 29, 2024

Riley Gaines, Sports when XX and XY compete, and the lack of advocacy for the majority position

 

Women’s sports advocate Riley Gaines says transgender inclusion in women’s sports is supported by small numbers of Americans.

She quotes a Gallup Poll showing more Democrats, Republicans, and Independents all see unfairness when someone born male takes away a roster position, a scholarship, or a sports record from a female athlete. Still the loudest voices are outshouting those majorities.

In this first part of a two-part interview, Gaines tells Family Life News about the core issues at hand, and why women’s sports should be set aside for women and girls.

She also talks about Title IX, the Federal civil rights legislation which opened up educational and athletic opportunities for females starting more than 50 years ago.  She credits that women’s-rights movement for opening fabulous doors for her. However, as the U.S. President tries to change Title IX to take away women’s opportunities and give them to athletes who “identify as female”, she notes that 20+ states are not going along with the Biden Administration efforts.

You can listen to Part Two of our exclusive interview with Riley Gaines on the May 31 Family Life News Podcast.

 

More information about the Riley Gaines presentation in suburban Pittsburgh (Friday, May 31) is available from the Pennsylvania Family Institute.

Riley Gaines won five Southeastern Conference swimming titles, and she is a twelve-time All American. Gaines set aside her dental career as she graduated from the University of Kentucky, after she tied for a trophy in a collegiate swimming competition, but that trophy went to a transgender athlete because an NCAA official decided that would make a better photo opportunity.  She is a commentator for the news site Outkick.com, travels the nation as a speaker and supporter of girls in sports and schools, and takes part in legal challenges and political events.

Gender, Sports, the First Amendment – Faith Under Fire – 3/21/24

Gender, Sports, the First Amendment – Faith Under Fire – 3/21/24

Gender, Sports, Parental Rights, and the First Amendment – “Faith Under Fire”

A small Christian school has sued its state sports association, after the Vermont Principals Association evicted the school’s teams  from the group. The Mid Vermont Christian School’s girls basketball team forfeited a state tournament game, rather than play an opposing team which included a 6-foot tall player who was born male.

Attorney Jake Reed says the forfeit which ended a successful sports season was a sharp punishment in and of itself, but the statewide group retaliated by forbidding that school from all participation in any other sport (and academic competitions) sponsored by the association. Mid Vermont is also out of a state tuition program, taking away advantages for students and families.

This brought a First-Amendment lawsuit, and the next hearing in the case happens in April. Greg Gillispie asked Reed about matters or parental rights and recent trends on how courts have been ruling in transgender cases and allegations of bias against people of faith.

Jacob Reed is an attorney with the Alliance Defending Freedom, a legal organization which takes on cases related to religious freedom, marriage and family, free speech and the sanctity of life. His emphasis with ADF often centers on schools, students and educational matters.

Details of this specific case can be found here and here.

These are the links to the school and to the state association.

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