Kennewick schools’ recent resolution banning trans athletes is bigoted and wrong | Opinion

Kennewick school ban of trans athletes discriminates

On June 26, the Kennewick School Board passed Resolution 10, titled “Regulations Supporting Fairness in Competition and Student Safety,” targeting transgender student-athletes with fear-mongering, placing KSD in opposition to state and federal rules and regulations, and at risk for costly discrimination lawsuits.

Resolution 10 is blatantly unfair, and discriminates against transgender student-athletes, denying them equal opportunity to safely participate in school sports with the classmates of their identified gender, and would require transgender student-athletes to reveal their transgender status in order to play school sports.

The board failed to acknowledge that transgender students are our children, and our neighbors’ children, loved and accepted by their classmates, families and community, and instead chose to paint them as a threat to their athletic competitors.

A three-member majority of Gabe Galbraith, Micah Valentine and Josh Miller unfairly discussed and passed the resolution with two board members and the student representative absent. It makes a mockery of the board’s sworn obligation to support the success of all Kennewick (School) District students, and creates a false image and reputation of Kennewick School District and the City of Kennewick as a community that is unwelcoming and discriminatory. Kennewick schools deserve better.

Kathryn Schroeder, Kennewick

Back only state GOP’s candidates

In April we had the largest Republican Party State Convention in history.

We voted to endorse Semi Bird For governor by 72% of the delegation. Dave Reichert left before the vote and didn’t even speak to the delegation. Instead, he went on TV blasting the whole delegation saying we were all corrupt. If Reichert was a true Republican, he would respect the process and step down and support the candidate who won the endorsement. Rep. Dan Newhouse lost to Jarod Sessler 177 delegate votes to only 27 votes for the Congressional District 4. Clearly, Newhouse does not have the support of the state Republican Party.

Tiffany Smiley joined the race along with Loren Culp after the state convention, making it three candidates running against Jarrod Sessler the state-endorsed candidate. This is shooting ourselves in the foot.

We are doing the Democrats’ bidding by splitting the vote. We could end up with two Democrats winning the primary. If you are not endorsed by the state GOP, step down now so we can have a decent chance of winning the general. Support the state Republican Party, and vote the slate of endorsed candidates on Aug. 6.

Kim Spencer, Pasco

Biden struggled, Trump told lies

This is written 36 hours after the debate between Biden and Trump. It’s becoming clearer that what we saw was Biden fighting hard, with mixed results, to fit complicated truths into brief periods of time while trying to push back on a constant stream of ugly lies from the former president.

Biden’s age and stuttering problem were obvious. Many in the universe of voters who are terrified of another Trump presidency panicked because it’s pretty easy for a guy who is happy to say anything that comes to mind whether it be lies, stupid or ugly, to sound fluent. They say Trump won and Biden should step down.

Less than a day later, feisty Irish Joe was back in his stride in North Carolina. “When you get knocked down what do you do? You get back up!”

Hell yeah, he’s got my vote! I’d vote for an alternative nominee too, if there is one, but knowledgeable people agree there is no process to produce one in such a short time.

Greg Carl, Richland

Trump won’t do business as usual

Does anyone remember the phrase “you can’t fix (or) cure stupid”? If the voters re-elect President Joe Biden and if he is unable to carry out the duties of the office, the U.S. Constitution and the Presidential Succession Act of 1947 outline the presidential order of succession.

First is the vice president, then the House Speaker, then 16 other officials.

If the voters elect Donald Trump as president and if said president goes forward with his promises of defunding government agencies, dropping the United States out of important global agreements, going after and/or firing those folks who are doing their jobs, which raised Donald Trump’s ire! This is not a business-as-usual way to lead a country.

Dorothy Rawson, Pasco

Biden’s issues aren’t a surprise

The idea that the level of cognitive functioning of the president came as a shock to fellow Democrats following the recent debate is ludicrous. It’s been obvious from the start of his term that he’s had serious issues as evidenced by his gait, his speech patterns and the tight control his handlers have had on the narrative.

Democrats are running amok, hiding behind an easily controlled vulnerable adult who is no more fit for office than my cat. Perhaps their shock stems from mainstream media’s decision to finally acknowledge what some of us realized as soon as the poor man took office.

If Democrats insist they’re in shock, in awe and in a panic over Joe Biden’s cognitive inabilities now, consider firing them in coming elections for their failure to pay attention to the mental acuity of the only person in the United States of America authorized to launch our nuclear weapons.

Then again, maybe that’s no concern since most of the citizens of the countries we’d fire a nuke at are or will be living in America with the blessing of Joe Biden’s marionettists.

Lynda Jo (Thornbrugh) Staples, Kennewick