Oregon High School Track Coach Fired for Advocating Against Transgender Athlete Policies

John Parks, a former track and field coach at Lake Oswego High School, has been terminated after writing letters to state officials, advocating for changes to laws concerning transgender athletes. Parks maintains his First Amendment rights were violated and that he was "vilified" for standing up for girls' right to compete fairly.

John Parks, a former high school track and field coach in Oregon, has been fired after advocating for a change in laws concerning transgender athletes. Parks, who had been the head track and field coach at Lake Oswego High School outside of Portland since January 2023, was terminated after sending letters to Peter Weber, the Executive Director of the Oregon Student Activities Association (OSAA), and State Sen. Rob Wagner in May.

In his letters, Parks expressed concerns about the current policies allowing transgender students to compete under the gender they identify as, arguing that it gives them an unfair advantage in girls' sports. He called for competition rules to be "aligned with what the rest of the world competes under," particularly appearing to reference hormone testing by professional organizations like the International Olympic Committee.

Oregon High School Track Coach Fired for Advocating Against Transgender Athlete Policies

The district reportedly received a formal complaint alleging that Parks had made a transgender student athlete from a different school feel "unwelcome and discriminated against" at events throughout the spring, which Parks denied. The investigation resulted in Parks' termination.

Parks told Fox News Digital on Monday that he feels he was "vilified" for standing up for girls' right to compete fairly. He emphasized that he supports transgender rights but believes that transgender athletes should have their own division to ensure fairness in sports.

Oregon High School Track Coach Fired for Advocating Against Transgender Athlete Policies

"It's kind of like a slap in the face to say, ‘I’ve fought for you, I've got girls scholarships to some of the best schools in the country – guys as well – and you're tossing me aside because you're saying I wrote a letter that you, after the fact, are saying was inappropriate hate and harassment because I was advocating for a change, for an opportunity to protect girls from this,'" he said of the school district.

Parks also argued that his ability to express his opinions to officials should be protected by the First Amendment. He said he had witnessed transgender athletes being booed for winning and that it doesn't need to happen again.

Oregon High School Track Coach Fired for Advocating Against Transgender Athlete Policies

The Oregonian noted that OSAA's policies are "created through the guidelines that are set by the Oregon Department of Education and the federal government" and are made by its executive board, which consists of representatives from schools across the state.

Parks is appealing his termination and told Fox News Digital that the appeal had to be submitted by Wednesday. "My attorneys are working with me on that," he said.

Oregon High School Track Coach Fired for Advocating Against Transgender Athlete Policies

Despite the controversy, Parks said he has been relieved to see so many members of the community coming together to support him. "It's been empowering to have all my athletes support me, parents support me, and they don't even know what's going on fully, but they know that they didn't witness anything inappropriate, and I know that it's an issue that they care deeply about and enough that they even set up a GoFundMe, so that's been empowering. That kind of support."