On Sept. 15, Camas High School in Camas, Washington, barred Joel Retzlaff from school property for a year after he displayed signs and shouted “Keep boys out of girls sports!” during a cross‑country meet. Retzlaff, the father of Skyview High runner Sierra Retzlaff, protested the participation of Logan Mihailoff, a student who, under Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) rules, is allowed to compete in the girls division after transitioning.
Background on the athlete and the rule
Logan Mihailoff finished 76th in a junior varsity race on Sept. 5 and later won a varsity race on Sept. 29. Mid‑season, Mihailoff announced a switch to compete as a girl, a move permitted by WIAA policy that aligns with state law allowing transgender students to participate in sports consistent with their gender identity. In a Sept. 26 race in Portland, Mihailoff placed second among 195 girls.
Protest actions and school response
Two Skyview runners, Sierra Retzlaff and Charlie Garrett, learned they would be racing against Mihailoff and chose to make a public statement. They walked to the starting line with body paint reading “keep women in women’s sports” and then stepped off the course when the race began.
Retzlaff’s father, Joel Retzlaff, arrived with two signs. The first read, “It will never be OK for a XY to steal an opportunity from a XX.” The second urged, “Please only XX competing with XX, XY competing with XY. Keep it fair.” Because the WIAA prohibits signage beyond team banners, Camas athletic director Stephen Baranowski asked Retzlaff to remove the signs. Retzlaff complied but later returned to his car, held up a sign, and chanted the same slogan while driving past the venue and honking his horn.
School officials reported that Retzlaff drove through a construction‑tape barrier, prompting the district to issue a criminal trespass notice that bars him from Camas school properties for one year. Superintendent John Anzalone said the action was taken for safety reasons, not as a punitive measure against speech.
Community reaction and upcoming ballot measure
Retzlaff argues he was defending biological girls’ opportunities, stating, “I would beg to ask them where all the adults are that know the difference between a boy and a girl and why they’re letting this happen.” Garrett echoed the sentiment, emphasizing that the issue is about biology and the spots taken from girls like Sierra and herself.
The incident comes as Washington voters prepare to decide Initiative 638 on Nov. 3, a statewide ballot that would ban biological boys from competing in K‑12 girls’ sports. If passed, it would be the first law of its kind in the United States, directly addressing the type of controversy seen at Camas.
What this means for local families
For parents and students in the Camas and Vancouver school districts, the dispute highlights a growing tension between state athletic policies and community concerns about fairness in girls’ sports. While the school district emphasizes safety and adherence to WIAA rules, many families see the issue as a matter of protecting opportunities for biological girls.
Local officials have not indicated any change to the existing WIAA policy, but the upcoming ballot measure could force a reevaluation of how schools handle transgender athletes. Until then, the Camas district says it will continue to enforce its no‑signage rule and maintain safety protocols at athletic events.
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
