Camas runners forfeit race in protest over eligibility

About a dozen Camas High School girls walked off the course during an October 13 cross-country meet against Battle Ground High School, forfeiting their race in protest after an opposing athlete moved from the boys team to the girls team. The walkout involved roughly half of Camas’s 24 girls, according to reports, and took place as the race began. The athlete had competed in the boys division earlier in the season before switching to girls competition. The Camas School District said it follows Washington law and eligibility rules set by the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA). Those rules allow students to compete in sports consistent with their gender identity, according to accounts of the policy. The protest followed discussions among Camas teammates, several reports said. Holly Burns, one of the runners who walked off, was initially hesitant to make an issue of the decision, her parents, Kevin and Sarah Burns, said. They said she and other athletes chose to act after learning teammates shared their concerns. The girls who continued running made their own decisions, the reports said. Kevin Burns said he and his wife brought signs to the meet and were told...