A Florida high school was fined more than $16,000 for allowing a biological male athlete to play on the girls’ volleyball team, according to multiple reports.
The fine was carried out by the Florida High School Athletic Association over the “Fairness in Women’s Sports Act,” which requires athletes to play sports on teams that correspond to their biological sex rather than their “gender identity.” In addition, the association ordered the principal and athletic director to attend rules seminars and placed the suburban Fort Lauderdale school on probation for 11 months, according to the Associated Press.
“Thanks to [Gov. Ron DeSantis], Florida passed legislation to protect girls’ sports and we will not tolerate any school that violates this law,” Florida Education Commissioner Manny Diaz Jr. wrote in a statement posted to X. “We applaud the swift action taken by the FHSAA to ensure there are serious consequences for this illegal behavior.”
Thanks to @GovRonDeSantis, Florida passed legislation to protect girls’ sports and we will not tolerate any school that violates this law.
— Manny Diaz Jr. (@CommMannyDiazJr) December 12, 2023
We applaud the swift action taken by the @FHSAA to ensure there are serious consequences for this illegal behavior.…
According to Politico, the Monarch High School in Coconut Creek, Florida will be ineligible to play sports until November 2024.
Townhall previously reported how students at the high school staged a walkout in support of their school principal and other staff members who were reassigned to other locations amid an investigation into a “transgender” athlete at the school.
"Although we cannot comment further, we will continue to follow state law and will take appropriate action based on the outcome of the investigation," a statement from the school district said. "We are committed to providing all our students with a safe and inclusive learning environment."