Track coach who sued Oregon school district explains why transgender division is necessary
John Parks, a high school track coach in Oregon who has sued his former school district over alleged First Amendment infractions, explained why a separate division for transgender athletes was necessary in his eyes.
Parks was fired from Lake Oswego High School after he sent a letter to state officials and asked them to reconsider state rules regarding transgender athletes. Parks raised concerns over laws that offer protections for athletes who seek to compete against the gender they personally identify. He told Fox News Digital he filed the lawsuit because he felt like he did nothing wrong.
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Former Oregon high school track coach John Parks (OutKick)
On Monday, Parks appeared on "OutKick The Morning" with Charly Arnolt and explained why he believed there should be a separate division for transgender athletes. He recalled one transgender girl getting booed by fans after winning a race. He also noted physical advantages.
"By having a separate division, you empower more transgender athletes to feel comfortable to come out, because right now, I think a lot would feel like, ‘Well, I don’t want to do so to disadvantage, because I do have a physical advantage.’ That’s been proven by the scientific studies done by the IOC and other international sport federations like World Athletes, World Aquatics, etc.," Parks said.
"They got these policies in place, and the concern at the high school level is, ‘Well, not all kids develop at the same age.’ Well, we still have separate divisions for a reason, and the transgender athletes are fully aware that if they’ve gone through puberty they have an advantage. They have higher testosterone levels, and that’s where they have this advantage they can’t undo," he continued.
"Those are the things I mentioned because it’s what should be addressed, so the kids are cheered and celebrated for their accomplishments and not booed – it’s not what sports is about."
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John Parks coached girls track and field at Lake Oswego High School in Oregon. (Fox News)
Parks previously told KATU that he addressed two letters to a high-ranking official with the Oregon Student Activities Association. He also sent letters to state Sen. Rob Wagner, including one last month after Oregon's state championships. In the letters, Parks said the state's laws, as currently constructed, do a disservice to girls' sports.
Parks appeared to reference the International Olympic Committee's hormone testing mandates. The requirements for hormone testing vary across different sports leagues, committees and organizations.
"The OSAA competition rules need to be aligned with what the rest of the world competes under," Parks wrote in the letter addressed to Wagner. "My proposal to encourage transgender participation is to offer an open division that is so named so it doesn't identify or discriminate but offers an opportunity to participate."
Parks told Arnolt he was still a bit stunned over the school district’s decision to terminate him.
"I’m still mystified as to why they took this path," he said. "It’s damaged the reputation of the leadership that made this decision. … Hundreds of parents have come up to me and said, ‘We’re behind you, we’re fighting for you, stick it to the district.’ All these kinds of comments.
People wave a Transgender Pride flag as they attend the LA Pride Parade on June 11, 2023, in Hollywood, California. (ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty Images)
"It goes back to coaches in the building at Lake Oswego who still support me 100%, and the more they’ve heard, the angrier they have gotten with the decision made. So, it’s divided the school."
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The Liberty Justice Center filed the lawsuit on Parks’ behalf.
Fox News’ Chantz Martin contributed to this report.
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