By COLE REIF
Great Bend Post
Kansas Governor Laura Kelly wanted to allow transgender athletes to compete in women sports. The Kansas Legislature felt differently last April, overriding the Governor’s veto of a bill that includes the “Fairness in Women Sports Act.”
Funneling down through the Kansas Board of Regents, educational institutions throughout the state are adopting policies to make it clear…there will be no biological males competing with all-female teams.
Barton Community College Athletic Director Trevor Rolfs said the act will clearly state athletic teams designated for females will not be open to students of the male sex.
"This language actually comes directly from the legislature," said Rolfs. "It's funneled down to the Board of Regents and schools. It's trying to get everybody on the same page more or less."
The Barton Community College Board of Trustees were presented a draft of the act at Tuesday’s study session and will likely approve the act at the regular meeting later this month.
While statewide or local procedures are determining the handling of the subject now, Barton Vice President of Student Services Angie Maddy said the debate on the matter is happening everywhere.
"There is a lot of thought that this will eventually end with the Supreme Court," said Maddy. "Then states, schools, districts and athletics don't have to come up with their own policy because we're going to set the law of the land. Those kind of things tend to take years. In the interim, we're grappling with what's the right thing to do. What's the most fair for the most amount of people?"
Under the draft, Barton will refer to the original birth or adoption certificate if a dispute arises. If biological sex at birth is unable to be determined, the student shall be eligible to participate in male or coed athletic activities only.
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Draft of the Fairness in Women Sports Act...
Interscholastic, intercollegiate, intramural or club athletic teams or sports that are sponsored by Barton County Community College shall be expressly designated as one of the following based on biological sex:
(1) Males, men or boys;
(2) females, women or girls; or
(3) coed or mixed.
Athletic teams or sports designated for females, women or girls shall not be open to students of the male sex.
Colleges shall use information collected when individuals elect to participate on a team or in a sport to determine which gender team is appropriate for respective students. Should a dispute arise, colleges shall refer to the original birth or adoption certificate completed at or near the time of birth. If the original birth or adoption certificate is not available, documentation provided by a licensed physician indicating biological sex at birth may be utilized. If biological sex at birth is unable to be determined by the above means, the student shall be eligible to participate in male, men’s, boys, coed, or mixed athletic activities only.