A trio of high school athletes filed a federal lawsuit seeking to overturn all sports records set by transgender students in Oregon and prohibiting them from participating in future girls’ competitions.
The track and field athletes filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Oregon on Monday, claiming they were outranked by transgender competitors or compelled to withdraw from competition in protest during the 2024-2025 school year.
The suit, which seeks a permanent injunction from a judge but only nominal damages, names Gov. Tina Kotek, the Oregon Department of Education’s functional head, and the Oregon School Activities Association, which regulates interscholastic events.
It also targets the Newberg School District, which two of the plaintiffs attended; the Forest Grove School District, from which the third athlete recently graduated; and Portland Public Schools, where a few transgender athletes have competed in girls’ track and field events.
The litigation comes after President Donald Trump issued an executive order on February 5 threatening to cut off all federal money to states that allow transgender athletes to compete in women’s sports.
A few days later, Trump launched an investigation into Portland Public Schools and the school activities association. It is ongoing. Oregon received approximately $1.8 billion in federal education funds last fiscal year, according to the lawsuit.
Since then, state education leaders have only stepped up their efforts, adopting guidelines in April forcing all schools to enable pupils to participate in sporting programs that correspond to their gender identity.
The plaintiffs, on the other hand, allege that Oregon’s laws violate Title IX, a landmark 1972 law that prohibits gender discrimination in education.
The plaintiffs “placed lower in the Oregon high school statewide rankings and were not recognized,” according to the lawsuit, which was brought by the America First Policy Institute, a think tank created by several Trump administration officials.
The plaintiffs are S.C. and her parents, Randy and Tiffany Castaneda of Carlton; S.N.C. and her parents, Adam and Rebecca Carpenter of Newberg; and Madelyn Eischen, an 18-year-old Forest Grove High School graduate.
In a phone conversation, Eischen explained that she withdrew from the girls high jump at an April 18 meet because a transgender athlete was scheduled to compete.
“I absolutely do not despise any trans athletes. I just think I’m asking for fairness and protection,” she explained.
S.N.C. withdrew from the Chehalem Classic meet on April 18 after realizing she would be competing against a transgender athlete, which the lawsuit claims may jeopardize her chances of gaining college acceptance or scholarships.
According to court documents, South Carolina finished third in the girls 200-meter and 400-meter dashes at the 2024 state track and field championships, while a transgender athlete from Portland won first and second place.
After the 2024 victory ignited a social media uproar, the McDaniel High School girl told The Oregonian/OregonLive in May that she intended to flee the nation for her safety.
Spokespeople for the OSAA, the education department, Portland Public Schools, and the Forest Grove School District either stated that they were studying the litigation or declined to comment.
Erica Wilhelm, a spokesperson for Newberg-Dundee Public Schools, stated that the district adheres to state law governing student athlete participation.
“We remain committed to staying in compliance and to ensuring that all students are supported in a safe and respectful learning environment,” she said.
