District will draft a sports eligibility policy after Supreme Court ruling

What happened

The district solicitor told the School Committee that a United States Supreme Court decision allows schools to decide athletic eligibility on the basis of biological sex, and advised that matching district policy to the ruling is the safest course. He and Superintendent Mark Garceau said they would revive the earlier policy language and bring a draft back for the committee to consider. No policy has been adopted, and members discussed unresolved questions about how sex would be verified, how the rule would be enforced and how parents would be told.

Why it matters to families

This would change who can try out for which team, and possibly require the district to check students' records to decide. It reopens a question the committee voted down in December 2025.

The evidence

The July 15, 2026 approved minutes record the solicitor's report on the Supreme Court decision, his advice that aligning district policy is the best course, and that the superintendent and solicitor will review and revive prior policy language for committee consideration. No vote was taken at this meeting.

The source