Last week, a member of an Ohio school board attempted to restrict transgender female athletes from participating in sports and trans youth from using restrooms that correspond to their gender identity.
It wasn’t the first time Darbi Boddy introduced anti-LGBTQ+ controversy at a Lakota School Board meeting. In November, she made headlines in the suburban Cincinnati school district when she attempted to pass a policy barring trans athletes from competition and to have Lakota athletic teams automatically forfeit games if an opposing team has a trans athlete on their roster.
That proposal was defeated 4-1, with Boddy as the only “yes” vote.
OHSAA Membership
Prior to the meeting last week, Boddy posted articles and videos on her Facebook page and videos from conservative media regarding trans youth access to bathrooms. In one example, she shared a video that was created nine years ago by the Pacific Justice Institute—a Southern Poverty Law Center-designated hate group—with the caption, “This ends now at Lakota.”
She also reposted an unsigned letter alleging sexual assault in a Lakota school bathroom. There was no evidence or corroboration connected to the post.
Then, during the April 17 meeting, the Board was asked to vote to affirm Lakota’s membership in the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA). Boddy immediately objected.
“I will not vote to approve a contract with an organization that does not care about our biological female athletes,” Boddy said.
Both the superintendent and the rest of the Lakota School Board attempted to explain the consequences of not affirming OHSAA membership, including the possibility of other schools refusing to play Lakota as there would be no base standard of rules governing athletic play.
“There will be no way for [college recruiters] to see them play and this will jeopardize their college future,” said board member Kelley Casper.
Boddy repeatedly tried to shout and interrupt her colleagues and had to be continuously ruled out of order by Board President Lynda O’Connor.
The board voted 4-1 to affirm OHSAA membership, with Boddy as the sole “no” vote.
Boddy’s Proposal
Boddy then introduced a proposal barring trans female athletes and trans restroom access.
The proposal contained a “Synopsis” that featured multiple examples of anti-transgender language and various chastisements of the Lakota School Board..
“We cannot continue to be so feckless while our children suffer and the liabilities increase,” Boddy said in the proposal.
Casper immediately voted to send Boddy’s proposal to the Board’s Policy Committee for vetting, which she said was standard practice.
“After 15 months on the Board, Mrs. Boddy still doesn’t understand how this works,” Casper said. “[This proposal] has more holes than Swiss cheese.”
Boddy was incensed, interrupting Board members to yell multiple times, insulting their intelligence (“I’m sorry you’re not smart enough to understand this.”), and having to be ruled out of order repeatedly by O’Connor.
“This ends now,” Boddy yelled at one point. “We need a new Board right now.”
Casper was quick to respond to Boddy’s outbursts.
“You’re like a petulant 2-year-old,” Casper said.
The Board voted 4-1 to send Boddy’s proposal to the Policy Committee, with Boddy as the sole “no” vote.
A petition drive is currently underway to remove Boddy from the Lakota School Board. The citizens behind the drive cite a variety of reasons she should be removed, including ethics violations, posting pornographic material on her school board social media page and trespassing on school grounds. 🔥
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