Florida officials punish Broward high school that allowed trans student to play girls sports
State officials found that Monarch High School broke two rules for allowing a trans female student to play on the girls volleyball team, and punished the school with a one-year administrative probation and a penalty of $16,500.
In a three-page letter sent to the school’s interim principal on Tuesday, the associate director of eligibility and compliance services for the Florida High School Athletic Association said the school “permitted a biological male to participate on the girls volleyball team,” listing 13 games in the 2022-23 season and 20 in the 2023-24 season.
The Daily Signal first reported the letter.
The letter, confirmed and obtained by the Miami Herald, accuses the high school of breaking a state law called the “Fairness in Women’s Sports Act,” which prohibits trans girls from playing on female sports teams, and an FHSAA bylaw that mandates the same.
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In a tweet, Florida Education Commissioner Manny Diaz, Jr. applauded the association’s “swift actions (...) to ensure there are serious consequences for this illegal behavior.”
Gov. DeSantis’ office did not respond to questions regarding the association’s reprimands.
In an emailed statement, John Sullivan, a Broward County Public Schools spokesman, said: “The District is in receipt of the letter from the Florida High School Athletic Association regarding the recent incident at Monarch High School. The District’s investigation into the matter remains ongoing at this time.”
Last month, the district launched an investigation into five employees, including the principal and assistant principal, for allegedly allowing the student to play on the girls team. During it, the district reassigned them to non-school sites. In response, students at the school staged two peaceful walkouts protesting the move, chanting “Free Cecil,” in a reference to the principal, James Cecil, “Let her play,” and “trans rights are human rights.”
What the letter says about the reprimand
The administrative probation means the school is on warning until Nov. 20, 2024, according to Tuesday’s letter addressed to Principal Moira Sweeting-Miller, whom the district appointed interim principal after removing Cecil.
The $16,500 accounts for a $500 fine for each of the 33 games in which the transgender athlete played in the past two seasons.
In the missive, the FHSAA required Monarch’s current principal, Sweeting-Miller, and athletic director to attend a compliance seminar in the summer of 2024 and the summer of 2025.
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The association also mandated the school to host FHSAA staff for an eligibility and compliance workshop scheduled no later than Jan. 19, 2024 and conducted no later than June 30, 2024.
The association also forbade the student, whom the Herald is not naming, from playing on any school team for a year until Nov. 20, 2024.
It’s unclear if the school district officials plan to appeal the decision. If they wanted to, they’d have to do it in the next 10 business days.
Employees’ fate still unknown
Despite the reprimands, the association is unable to determine the fate of the five employees the school reassigned: Cecil; assistant principal Kenneth May; athletic director Dione Hester; girls volleyball coach, IT technician and mother of the athlete, Jessica Norton; and temporary coach Alex Burgess.
In 2021, the Norton family sued the school district and state officials in hopes the law would be found unconstitutional and the student could play high school sports. In November, a judge ruled against the family, though allowing time for the lawsuit to be amended.
The Broward County Public Schools Special Investigative Unit has been investigating the issue for a little over two weeks, and it’s unclear when the results will be ready. Once that happens, though, the superintendent could either come up with a punishment himself or consult a committee. He would then recommend a punishment to the school board, which would in turn take him up on it or come up with their own.
READ MORE: State expects ‘serious consequences’ over trans athlete at Broward school. Like what?
If the school district finds the employees broke the law, their punishment could include “verbal and written reprimands, suspension without pay, demotion and termination of employment,” according to the district’s policy. The district could also mandate coaching, counseling or additional training.
Additionally, state officials could also suspend or revoke their educator certificates for five years, effectively taking away their ability to teach in the state of Florida. State law allows them to do that for a number of reasons, including breaking a law.
Reporter Ana Ceballos contributed to this story.
