Debate over transgender athlete, Title IX draws divide
PASO ROBLES — At the start of the Paso Robles Joint Unified School District meeting on Tuesday, May 28, some community members raised concerns and support for transgender students. Paso Robles High School senior Kennedy Myrick came to the podium Tuesday night to speak in support of her friend and teammate on the tennis team.
“Those who continue to harshly discriminate against those of the LGBTQ community are discriminating against one of my best friends,” Myrick shared. “There have been several comments about her playing with us on the tennis team, many of which are just false … in no way do I believe she has an advantage playing with us.”
The parents of an Arroyo Grande transgender athlete who has been at the center of some controversy came to speak in support of transgender athletes at PJUSD. Former PRJUSD trustee Dorian Baker also came to speak in support of upholding Title IX — a federal civil rights law that prohibits sex-based discrimination in education programs and activities that receive federal funding.
At the end of the meeting, Trustee Kenneth Enney made a motion to return a resolution for discussion to protect Title IX and girls sports. However, with lack of a majority vote the motion failed.
“I’m concerned that we are labeling young ladies who do not like boys in their dressing rooms as haters … just because they disagree does not mean they are lesser,” said Enney.
Trustees Jim Cogan, Nathan Williams, and Joel Peterson voted no, and with Trustee Sondra Williams absent, the motion was at a deadlock, and failed to move forward to be added onto a future agenda.
Later in the meeting came a final move to implement a new cellphone policy throughout the district. Trustees are officially moving forward and implementing a new phone policy throughout the district. Last fall, district staff brought forward an information item related to Assembly Bill 3216, the Phone Free Schools Act. The law mandates that all school districts, charter schools, and county offices of education adopt policies limiting smartphone use by July 1, 2026. These policies must be developed with input and allow exceptions for emergencies, perceived threats, and accommodations based on educational or medical needs.
PRJUSD began its policy revision process in August 2024 with a board presentation and followed up in November with survey results and preliminary recommendations for elementary and high school students. Given the complexity of middle school needs, a committee was formed to address grades 7-8 specifically, which included staff and parents.
A survey distributed to students, staff, and parents came back with varying results. While 80.2% of students said cellphones do not disrupt the school day, 82.1% of staff said yes, and 69.5% of parents also agreed the phones negatively impact the school day. This survey covered students from seventh to 12th grades.
Staff’s policy offers a stricter approach for TK–8 students, prohibiting the use of smartphones entirely during the school day. For high school students (grades 9–12), phone use would be permitted during non-instructional times but prohibited during class unless allowed by staff. This marks a departure from the district’s current policy, which allows phone use during lunch and passing periods across all grade levels.
Trustee Leo Castillo requested that phones also be prohibited during passing periods. However, they can still be used during nutrition and lunch breaks. Upon Trustee Nathan William’s request, the policy will be revised in three years rather than in five years.
According to the new policy, students using mobile devices in unauthorized ways at school or under staff supervision may face disciplinary action, and staff may temporarily confiscate the device. The device must be securely stored until returned or given to the principal. Disciplinary action may also apply for off-campus device use that threatens safety or significantly disrupts school activities.
The new phone policy (Policy 5131.8: Mobile Communication Devices) was approved by the Trustees with a 5-1 vote — Jim Cogan voting no and Sondra Williams absent from the meeting. Cogan has been steadily against implementing the phone policy, seeing it as an overstep and unnecessary.
The approval of the phone policy also led to the approval of purchasing Yondr bags for use at the junior high grades 7-8 at both Lewis Flamson Junior High and Georgia Brown Dual Immersion. Yondr bags have been implemented at other school districts across the state to secure magnetically-locked bags designed to store mobile devices like phones and earbuds, which are primarily used in schools to help create phone-free environments.
The Yondr bags will cost $39,949.88 from the Learning Recovery Emergency Block Grant for the district.
The purchase was again approved with a 5-1 vote — Jim Cogan voting no and Sondra Williams absent from the meeting. The district will begin notifying families of the new policy change as soon as possible.
The next Paso Robles Joint Unified School District board meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, June 10, at 6 p.m.
