The Iowa City Community School District took to Twitter on Feb. 22 — a day after a bill passed the Iowa House to protect women’s sports — in an effort to express their “strong opposition” to House File 2416.
“The Iowa City Community School District is strongly opposed to HF2416,” the district wrote on Twitter. “A bill that attempts to prevent trans athletes from participating in high school, and in some cases, college and elementary school sports.”
The district wants to “make clear our ongoing support for transgender students and student-athletes.”
“Our district has in place one of the most robust policies in the country to protect our LGBTQ+ youth,” they said. “This proposed bill will not detract us from our commitment to ensure every member of our school community is valued and respected regardless of gender identity and sexual orientation. An attack on transgender students is an attack on civil rights. Now is the time to contact your local state senator.”
The district’s assertion that the bill attempts to “prevent” trans athletes from participating in sports is patently false. All students are eligible to participate in athletics but must do so with the team that corresponds with their biological sex.
