California state superintendent candidate Sonja Shaw was removed from a California Interscholastic Federation Southern Section Council meeting Thursday after delivering an unscheduled speech demanding officials address transgender athlete participation in girls’ sports.
Shaw, the president of the Chino Valley Unified School District Board of Education, told OutKick she was forced to leave the meeting in Long Beach after officials deemed her to be trespassing. Police were called, according to Shaw, but she said the responding officers were “very nice” and did not have to intervene.
Video provided to OutKick showed Shaw standing before the council and challenging its members over the issue.
CALIFORNIA GIRLS’ SPORTS ADVOCATES VOW FIGHT AFTER JUDGE TOSSES TRANS ATHLETE CASE: ‘FAR FROM OVER’
“I’m here on the front lines to protect our girls and their sports,” Shaw said, interrupting the meeting. “I’ve never been able to address you guys as a body.”
The meeting’s published agenda included a public hearing session allowing speakers three minutes each. Shaw said during the confrontation that she arrived at 9:07 a.m. and had repeatedly asked CIF officials to place the participation of transgender athletes on a meeting agenda.
“If you think it’s okay for a boy to play against our girls in sports, which is happening, you’re Southern Section. You are the representatives to stand up and do something,” Shaw said. “You can fight back and stop using the state law. Federal supersedes state law.”
An official then called for a brief recess, but Shaw continued speaking.
“How about any of you that are okay with this sit down? Any of you that want to fight the good fight and protect our girls, stand up,” she said. “Are any of you okay? You guys are all okay with this?”
As officials approached Shaw and repeatedly told her that she had to leave, she called on police to escort her from the room.
“Call the cops, Mike. Let them escort me out,” Shaw said. “No, you know it’s not right to let me get three minutes.”
Shaw continued challenging council members as she was ushered toward the exit and asked those who supported her position to stand.
“So we have one guy in the room that’s willing to fight for our girls,” Shaw said after one attendee apparently rose.
She also accused the organization of ignoring pleas from female athletes who have contacted her for help.
“We begged you to put it on the agenda. Why don’t you tell them the truth? How many times I asked you to put it on the agenda? You have the emails,” Shaw said.
“You guys are [a] CIF organization. You refuse to put it on the agenda and talk about it. … We have girls right now reaching out to me asking for help, and you’re sitting here acting like I’m some crazy lunatic because I’m interrupting a meeting.
“I’m recording because I want people to see that you’re the representatives doing nothing,” Shaw said before leaving. “I don’t care about losing votes. I don’t care about a seat. The point is, none of you are willing to do anything.”
The incident unfolded amid an ongoing clash between California and the federal government over the state’s transgender athlete policies.
California law says students must be permitted to participate in sex-segregated school programs and activities, including athletic teams and competitions, consistent with their gender identity. CIF’s gender-identity participation policy follows that requirement.
The Trump administration has argued that the policy violates Title IX’s protections against sex discrimination. The Justice Department sued the California Department of Education and CIF in July 2025, alleging their rules deny female athletes equal opportunities by allowing biological males to compete in girls’ sports. California officials have defended their policies as consistent with state law.
A federal judge dismissed the Justice Department’s lawsuit against the California Department of Education and CIF on Aug. 31. The court did not decide whether allowing transgender girls to compete in girls’ sports violates Title IX, instead ruling that California lacked clear notice that excluding transgender athletes was a condition of receiving federal education funding. The Justice Department said following the decision that it was evaluating a potential appeal.
The issue received national attention when transgender athlete AB Hernandez competed in the girls’ division at the CIF state track and field championships. CIF introduced a pilot process allowing an additional biological female athlete to advance and receive a medal in events involving a transgender competitor, but critics, including Shaw, argued the accommodation did not resolve the underlying fairness issue.
Shaw has made parental rights and protections for female athletes central parts of her political platform. She advanced from California’s June primary and is facing San Diego Unified School District board member Richard Barrera in November’s election for state superintendent of public instruction.
The CIF has not responded to request for comment.
