SouthernWorldwide.com – A Christian school in Vermont has received a significant settlement of over $566,000 from the Vermont Principals Association (VPA) after being banned from sports competitions for several years.
The ban stemmed from the school’s decision to forfeit a girls’ basketball playoff game three years ago. This decision was made because the opposing team allowed a male athlete to compete on their girls’ team.
Mid-Vermont Christian School (MVCS), a small K-12 school with about 100 students, holds a strong adherence to its Christian beliefs. These beliefs include the tenet that God created humans as two distinct sexes, with inherent biological differences between males and females.
The coach of the girls’ basketball team, whose daughter plays on the team, explained the school’s stance. The school felt it could not tacitly approve of the idea that sex is changeable, given their religious convictions.
They acknowledged that gender identity can be a struggle for some teens but maintained that their faith dictates a belief in immutable sexes as created by God. This belief informed their view that biological differences impact athletic performance.
The coach emphasized that the school did not seek to demand the other team withdraw. Instead, they felt a responsibility to their own players’ safety and to upholding their principles.
By forfeiting, MVCS lost a competitive opportunity but affirmed their commitment to their religious beliefs. This decision, however, led to their expulsion from the VPA after 28 years of participation.
The repercussions extended beyond sports. Vermont officials also excluded MVCS students from all co-ed academic competitions, including the Geo-Bee, Science and Math Fair, and the Debate and Forensics League.
This effectively barred the school’s students from all state extracurricular activities. The school argued that this action infringed upon their First Amendment rights and demonstrated impermissible hostility towards their religious views.
With the assistance of Alliance Defending Freedom, MVCS filed a federal lawsuit challenging the state officials’ decision. The lawsuit argued that the exclusion violated the school’s constitutional rights.
In September of the previous year, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit ruled in favor of MVCS, mandating that Vermont must allow the school back into the state’s athletic association. This was a significant victory for the school and its students.
The coach highlighted that for her daughter and the other girls on the team, the issue was not just about discomfort competing against a male body. It was about a breach of their constitutionally protected freedoms and their Christian beliefs regarding sex.
The recent settlement with the VPA resolves the sports-related aspects of the lawsuit. The school’s team was able to return to league play and reached the state semifinals in their first year back.
However, the legal battle for MVCS is not entirely over. Vermont officials have continued to bar the Christian school and its students from participating in the state’s tuition program and other public benefit programs.
The school’s attorneys are actively litigating these remaining issues, with the expectation of a favorable outcome. The coach expressed confidence in their legal team’s ability to achieve success on this front as well.
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The case serves as a signal that Vermont is beginning to acknowledge the consequences of violating the constitutional rights of Christian schools and families. The substantial settlement underscores the financial and legal price of such actions.
