At Monarch High School in Coconut Creek, Florida, students organized a walkout on a Tuesday, expressing their discontent following the reassignment of their principal, James Cecil, and several other staff members. This incident took place approximately 15 miles north of Fort Lauderdale. The walkout, captured by aerial footage from NBC Miami, showed students leaving classrooms around noon and gathering on the school’s football field. During this demonstration, students visibly supported transgender rights, with some holding signs and others chanting “trans lives matter.”
The reassignment of the school officials, including Principal Cecil, was announced a day prior to the protest. This administrative action was taken amidst an ongoing investigation by Broward County officials into whether the school had allowed a transgender student to participate in the girls’ volleyball team. Such participation would be in violation of Florida state law. Principal Cecil could not be reached for comment regarding this matter.The spokesperson for Broward County Public Schools confirmed that the reassignment of Cecil and the other staff was pending the outcome of an investigation into allegations of improper student participation in sports. However, they did not clarify if the investigation was directly related to the transgender student’s involvement in the volleyball team.At a press conference, Superintendent Peter Licata of the district addressed numerous queries about the transgender student’s participation in the girls’ volleyball team. He mentioned the implementation of “new processes” for determining athlete eligibility in the future. These processes would include additional levels of investigation to ensure that all athletes are eligible for the sports they participate in, considering factors like grade level and academic performance.Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who is campaigning for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, signed a law in 2021 prohibiting transgender girls and women from competing in girls’ and women’s sports teams at public schools. This law aligns with similar legislation in over 20 other states that restrict the participation of transgender athletes in school sports. A request for comment from the Florida governor’s office on this matter did not receive an immediate response.In June 2021, a lawsuit was filed against Governor DeSantis, the School Board of Broward County, and other Florida officials, challenging the law on the grounds of violating Title IX. This federal law prohibits sex-based discrimination in any school receiving federal funding. The lawsuit, which was dismissed earlier in the month, involved a teenage girl, identified only by her initials D.N., who intended to try out for her public school’s volleyball team in Broward County.When questioned about the connection between the student in the lawsuit and the one involved in the current investigation, Superintendent Licata stated his lack of awareness about the lawsuit. Lawyers representing the unnamed transgender girl in the lawsuit did not immediately respond to a request for comment.Anna Fusco, president of the Broward Teachers Union, suggested that the reassigned staff might not have been fully aware that they were potentially breaking the law by allowing the transgender student to compete on the team. She highlighted the challenges educators face in keeping up with new and existing laws, emphasizing their primary focus on teaching and supporting students. Superintendent Licata also acknowledged the uncertainty regarding the awareness of the principal and staff about the law, stating that this aspect would be part of their ongoing investigation.
