.

The district reiterated in the statement that it must abide by California law that prohibits discrimination against students for their gender identity, and by Education Code 221.5 (f), which requires students to be allowed to “participate in athletics” on a team that matches their gender identity. The district noted it has received similar guidance from California Attorney General Rob Bonta and State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond.

“We are proud of our JVHS Jaguars and their willingness to play any team and represent their school and our district with pride,” the district added, saying it is working to reschedule games so the players can have the opportunity to compete.

The forfeits were in addition to an earlier decision by Riverside Poly High School to bow out of a match against Jurupa Valley scheduled for Aug. 15. Parents of girls on the team and a Riverside Unified School District board member told Fox News Digital that the decision was made in response to the team having a transgender player on its roster. Senior AB Hernandez is the transgender player for whom the controversy is centered.

Mother of Trans Player Speaks Amid Heightened Controversy

The transgender girl’s mother, Nereyda Hernandez, released a statement, asking for compassion and understanding in the face of what her daughter and others are going through. “I understand the discomfort some may feel, because I was once there, too. The difference is, I chose to learn, to grow, and to open my heart,” she said.

She also said that her daughter is petite and “looks young for her age,” and that her difference from her teammates “has nothing to do with size or strength.” “This is a child, and I can assure you that she sees your daughters as peers, as teammates, as friends, not through a lens of anything inappropriate,” she continued. Hernandez further said that, to her knowledge, her daughter had not even been aware of the forfeits.

Hernandez was thrust into the national spotlight in the spring when, as part of the track and field season, she took first place at the California state meet in two events: the long jump and triple jump. That also led to controversy, with protests from female athletes and their parents, some of whom wore “Save Girls’ Sports” shirts. Notably, former President Donald Trump also weighed in ahead of the state finals, with a post on his Truth Social account that read in part: “To the great people of California, if a Trans female wants to enter your girls sports events, your schools do not have to let them,” though he did not mention Hernandez by name.

In July, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) sued the California Department of Education and the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF), the state’s governing body for high school sports, over its policies allowing transgender athletes to compete in girls’ sports. This was despite an executive order Trump issued in February that would bar transgender girls and women from competing in women’s and girls’ sports.

Hernandez is a senior and is in the final year of her high school volleyball career. She should be focused on matches, but the season is being defined by forfeits and community conflict instead.

Jurupa Valley parent Maribel Munoz, whose daughter has played for the team with Hernandez for three years, expressed frustration to Fox News Digital with the negative attention on the team and its players. “It makes me feel sad, it makes me feel angry, frustrated, just so many emotions,” she said.

Jurupa Valley parents have butted heads over the issue at Riverside Unified School District board meetings. At a meeting earlier this month, a group of parents either took a stand in support of the Riverside Poly girls for choosing not to play or in support of transgender students being allowed to play sports.