A North Carolina school board has voted to forfeit all planned games against a school with a transgender player after a biological girl was injured by the biological male.
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The Cherokee County school board voted 5-1 to forfeit all district games against Highlands School, which is in the nearby Macon County School District, “due to safety concerns.”
“The County will not participate in any volleyball games, varsity or junior varsity, against Highlands due to safety concerns,” according to the minutes from the meeting.
The vote came after a female volleyball player at Hiwassee Dam High School was “forcefully struck” and injured when the transgender player spiked her in the head with a ball, according to local station WLOS.
Speakers at the board meeting appeared to be divided on the issue of canceling all games.
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CHEROKEEE COUNTY, N.C. — All girls’ volleyball teams in the Cherokee County school district will forfeit upcoming regular season games against one competitor due to a recent player injury, according to Cherokee County School Board member Arnold Mathews.
Mathews told us in an email on Tuesday that the board determined the varsity and junior varsity teams in the district won’t play the Highlands School volleyball team “due to safety concerns,” Mathews said.
That decision came after a Hiwassee Dam High School volleyball player got neck and head injuries when a Highlands athlete spiked a ball, which “forcefully struck” the athlete in the head, says Mathews.
Mathews says this decision does not affect any other sports or teams in the district.
We reached out to the North Carolina High School Athletic Association, who says “It is the understanding of the NCHSAA that a local school system governs its athletic programs and at any time can determine for whatever reason that a school or team cannot play another school or team.”
They say safety and venue size can be factors.
“While we would prefer that schools or teams play all games it schedules, that latitude does exist,” says NCHSAA.
In Cherokee County, residents have strong opinions about the cancellation.
“All the events for one incident… it’s not right. There’s risk getting out of bed in the morning, crossing the street, and going to the store,” says resident Tony Graham. “I’m sure the teammate that did get hurt, wants them to go out there and fight for it, right? That’s what we do.”
