A Vermont high school coach and his teenage daughter are being punished by school leaders after they raised concerns about a boy who was using the girls locker room. The coach and his attorney joined the Todd Starnes Show.
TODD: I want to go to the Patriot Mobile Newsmaker Line. We have a crazy story coming to us from our friends at Alliance Defending Freedom. Bill Sackler is an attorney with ADF and Travis Allen is their client. Gentlemen, I want to welcome both of you to the Todd Starnes radio show.
ADF: [01:30:00] Yes, thanks for having us.
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TODD: [01:30:02] You know, Travis, I’d like to start with you. Here is a story coming from Burlington, Vermont, where Alliance Defending Freedom has filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of you and your daughter, Blake. I want you to tell us what happened there at the local school.
TRAVIS: [01:30:19] Well, my daughter was changing for a volleyball competition at the school, and the student had come into the locker room, the male student, and so she asked him to get out because they were changing. And when he didn’t, she finished as quickly as she could and then left the room. Where she went inside out authorities to let them know what was happening and that it was not okay.
TODD: [01:30:44] And Bill, I understand from the from the information from Alliance Defending Freedom that that was a big problem. Tell us what happened.
ADF: [01:30:54] So Blake Travis, his daughter, then discussed the issue with her friends and was basically suspended and discipline was imposed on her for having that discussion, for saying that the student he shouldn’t have been in the girls locker room. So she was accused of harassment and bullying and just given suspension and some other discipline as well.
TODD: [01:31:20] Now now, Travis Anderson, you’re a coach. You’re a coach as well. Do you coach at that particular school? And what do you coach?
TRAVIS: [01:31:26] I do. I was coaching the middle school girls soccer team.
TODD: [01:31:31] I see. And so why I’m curious here. Why were you suspended from from your coaching job?
TRAVIS: [01:31:38] I was suspended because I made a social media post that referred to the male student as a male. And so that’s they asked me to officially issue an apology, and I refused to. So they said, if you can’t refuse or if you can’t offer an apology, we’re going to suspend you immediately.
TODD: [01:31:58] That sounds to me on its face like like an unconstitutional decision by the school district.
ADF: [01:32:05] Yeah, that’s what it sounded like to us, too. So that’s why we filed the lawsuit, because it’s just blatant viewpoint discrimination. The government essentially punishing somebody because they don’t like their views.
TODD: [01:32:16] You know, Travis, it’s interesting that that this particular case involves your daughter who is a volleyball player. There was a story that’s been circulating for the past week from western North Carolina where a team, a volleyball team, was playing against another team that had a a boy who identifies as a girl, spiked the ball and a girl’s face and knocked her out. I mean, caused all sorts of, you know, injuries. And now that school has decided to forfeit any other games with this particular school. I mean, the reality here is, you know, beyond just the basic understanding of human anatomy, this could pose a danger issue, quite frankly.
TRAVIS: [01:32:58] I agree. I’ve seen that clip. And it’s as far as I know, the girl is still recovering, isn’t she?
TODD: [01:33:05] She is. So. So, again, I know this is a situation where you have a young man coming into the locker room, but it just seems to me, Bill, that that young girls, biological girls, are having to put their rights on hold. They’re the ones that have the problem. If they don’t want a young man in their locker room or they’re changing facilities.
ADF: [01:33:26] Absolutely. Not only do they have to endure what the school decides when they complain, they’re told they really don’t have a basis to complain. And then when they discuss the issue, they get punished for even discussing it, which is what happened to Blake. And it’s really crazy.
TODD: [01:33:41] And so, again, so Blake, what she was what, suspended or was she how was she punished?
ADF: [01:33:47] So she was suspended. And then also she was required to engage in what the school called a restorative circle so that she could see the error of her ways. And then if she did a good enough job on that in a reflective essay, they would let her be done with suspension. But if she didn’t do a good enough job, she’d have three more days suspension. So we thought that also is unconstitutional because they’re trying to compel her to speak and just recite their views of this woke ideology they’re pushing.
TODD: [01:34:19] Travis, we’ve got about 10 seconds here. What’s your message to other moms and dads that may be dealing with this.
TRAVIS: [01:34:25] To go with your gut instinct? If you think something’s not right, it’s probably not right. You need to stand up and defend yourself and your family.
TODD: [01:34:33] Well said. And gentlemen, we appreciate you coming on. And we apologize for the shortness. We have all sorts of breaking news today, but we’ve got the story up on our Web site, Todd Starnes dot com. Travis, best of luck to you and your daughter. Phil, God bless you. And the team at Alliance Defending Freedom.