Staff Reports
A school district in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania is facing a controversial decision regarding the rehiring of a transgender tennis coach who allegedly changed clothes in the women’s locker room in front of high school girls. David “Sasha” Yates, who identifies as transgender, has been the boys’ and girls’ tennis coach at Gettysburg Area High School since 2018. However, after several incidents involving the coach, one school board member initiated a motion to not renew his position.
At a recent school board meeting, a parent named Steve Carbaugh shared an incident involving his daughter. Carbaugh stated that his daughter encountered Yates in the women’s facilities when she went to the restroom before a sporting event. Carbaugh expressed concern about a 16-year-old female running into an adult in the restroom of her high school.
A vote to rehire or not rehire Yates was deadlocked at 3-3 with one abstention. The school board member familiar with the situation revealed that Yates had changed clothes in the girls’ locker room in the presence of the girls he coached. According to students, it was evident that Yates was still a man despite identifying as transgender. Some school board members had students on the soccer team who witnessed this incident.
David Yates became a coach for the Gettysburg School District (PA) in 2018. In less than 3 years, he suddenly announced he was Sasha Yates and began undressing in the girls locker room. The school asked him to please use the private restrooms designated for teachers.
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— Two Genders One Truth (@2genders1truth) August 23, 2023
After Carbaugh reported his daughter’s encounter with Yates in the women’s restroom, school officials informed him that Yates would not be rehired as a tennis coach for another season. Carbaugh clarified that his opposition to rehiring Yates had nothing to do with hate but with ensuring the safety and privacy of his child. He believed that Yates had breached boundaries by entering a girls’ locker room and restroom.
This news story brings attention to the ongoing debate surrounding transgender individuals using facilities that align with their gender identity. Conservatives argue that it raises concerns about privacy, safety, and the protection of young girls. They believe that allowing such access can compromise the privacy and well-being of students who may feel uncomfortable sharing locker rooms and restrooms with transgender individuals.
