More details continue to emerge about alleged inappropriate behavior that took place between a biological male member of the Camas High School girls’ cross country team and multiple biological female members of the team during an out-of-town trip to an invitational meet this past weekend.
On Oct. 9-10, the Camas cross country team traveled to Arlington, WA to participate in the Nike Hole in the Wall XC Invitational at Lakewood High School. Clark County Today has learned that the biological male’s behavior on the trip led to multiple complaints by other female members of the girls’ team.
Family members and parents of team members told Clark County Today that the biological male entered a hotel room occupied by three female members of the girls’ team. The transgender athlete and two female members of the team partially undressed, reportedly to underwear and sports bras, and got in an “ice bath’’ in the bathroom of the hotel room. At least one female team member present felt uncomfortable with the behavior. She later made a complaint before leaving the team altogether earlier this week.
“He (the biological male) did enter a family member’s room,’’ a source told Clark County Today. “She (the family member) was rooming with two other girls. He entered with a couple of other girls. My (relationship redacted) didn’t have a choice in the matter. But she was uncomfortable. An ice bath was set up in the room. He proceeded to take an ice bath in the bathroom with two other girls. She left. She was very upset. It was a violation of her privacy.’’
A different parent shared a similar account to the incident which wasn’t the only ice bath that occurred by members of the team that night. However, it is the only one reported to have involved a biological male and biological females.
“(Biological male’s name redacted) entered a hotel room shared by three girls to take an ice bath,’’ the parent said. “The ice bath is a CHS tradition, but it is of course against school policy for boys to enter girls' rooms and vice-versa. Presumably, he stripped down to his shorts and sports bra like the girls do among themselves for the ice bath.’’
Complaints were also made about the behavior of the biological male on the bus the Camas SD chartered for the trip. (The district elected to spend $4,722 for the charter, citing safety concerns, due in part to the recent focus on the team and the presence of the biological male.)
“He was on the bus sitting with a girl, touching her, rubbing her leg,’’ one of the family members told Clark County Today. “He pulled the girl on his lap and said ‘you could make me a lesbian.’ That is inappropriate whether he's trans or not.’’
“Firstly, (name redacted) has a reputation for touching girls,’’ another family member stated. “This behavior predates his decision to declare girlhood and don a sports bra for cross country. On Friday afternoon (Oct. 9) on the bus ride up to Arlington, several athletes witnessed him pawing a girl seated on his lap and heard him say, ‘I am a lesbian for you.’ This type of conduct on a sports trip is against school policy, regardless of whether it is consensual or not. He was also overheard in a graphic sexual conversation with a couple of his girl ‘supporters.’ This is also against school policy. Believe it or not, he has convinced some of the girls (and perhaps himself) that he's a lesbian. No joke. It seems to be part of his MO.’’
Reported behavior leads to complaints
In the time after the team returned to Camas, multiple complaints were made concerning the two incidents.
On Monday (Oct. 12), Camas High School Principal Travis Drake reported there were complaints about incidents that happened on the trip to the Camas Police Department Student Resource Officers assigned to Camas High School. Camas PD Administrative Sergeant Chuck Nadgwick told Clark County Today that it was determined that no crime was committed during the incidents.
The Camas School District is a member of the Southwest Washington Risk Management and Insurance Cooperative (Risk Co-Op). The Risk Co-Op is a public self-insurance pool that supports 30 school districts and Educational Service Districts (ESDs). The Risk Co-Op operates out of Educational Service District 112. One of the services the Risk Co-Op provides to districts is investigation support.
The Camas School District contacted the Risk Co-Op and requested support with an investigation of allegations the school district received. The Risk Co-Op retained an investigator that prepared an investigative report for Camas School District addressing the matters raised in the emails.
The investigator, Dr. Timothy Yeoman, reportedly interviewed eight members of the team. The report did not refute the ice bath incident took place or that there was an incident on the charter bus. The investigator focused on other allegations made in the complaints about inappropriate behavior or interaction – including touching and physical contact – between the biological male and other members of the team during those incidents.
On Friday, the Camas School District provided Clark County Today with a copy of the report’s summary.
“The allegations (regarding inappropriate physical contact) that were brought to the attention of the Camas School District and Camas High School Administration, appear to be false,’’ the investigator wrote. “They were directly refuted by information provided by the alleged victim. No other interviewee could provide information that factually substantiated either of the allegations.”
Again, the investigation did not refute the incidents on the bus and in the hotel room that took place, only that additional claims were not substantiated by the alleged victim.
“Those are things that happened; they are facts,’’ one of the family members said about the incidents. “And no one has done anything about it.’’
Repercussions of the incidents
The Camas High School girls' cross-country team began the season with 45 runners. By the final regular-season meet, seven students had left the team, leaving 38 runners on the roster. Of those seven departures, five occurred after the incidents that took place during the weekend’s trip to Arlington. Twelve girls’ team members refused to run during a dual meet on Tuesday (Oct. 13) between Camas and Battle Ground.
No team members were disciplined for their behavior during the weekend trip or their refusal to run in Tuesday’s race.
Camas High School Athletic Director Stephen Baranowski sent a letter this week to concerned family members this week.
“Thank you for reaching out and sharing your concerns,’’ Baranowski wrote. “I know how important it is to feel confident that your child is safe and supported, and I appreciate you taking the time to bring these concerns to our attention.
“Please know that we take every report of inappropriate behavior seriously,’’ Baranowski stated. “We shared the concerns with law enforcement and contracted with an independent firm to conduct an investigation. Multiple witnesses were interviewed, and the investigator concluded that the allegations were unsubstantiated. Based on these findings, I feel confident in the safety of our athletics program and the care our coaches and staff provide to our student-athletes. Their safety and well-being will always be our priority.
“I understand that these situations can bring up strong feelings and questions,’’ he added. “While we can't share details about individual students, I want to assure you that we remain committed to providing a safe and supportive environment for everyone in our program.’’
Family members not satisfied with district’s response
The district’s response to the controversy surrounding the cross country team has not placated the family members who reached out to Clark County Today.
“There’s been a number of different girls who are very uncomfortable with the unwanted comments and unwanted touches from this kid,’’ one family member told Clark County Today. “Some have spoken up, some have refused to speak up.’’
That same family member was told the investigator repeatedly asked the girls team members is they “hate trans people” or if they were “transphobic.’’
“During the questioning, she was asked if she hates trans people more than once,’’ the family member said. “The investigator started with that and ended with that. It’s more than just the races. It’s about protecting women’s spaces, protecting girls. Just because you are a trans girl it doesn’t mean you can go into other girls’ hotel rooms. This isn’t even a trans issue. This is a protecting girls’ spaces issue. They’re trying to a certain degree but they are not doing a very good job of it. They’re not doing what they should be doing to protect these girls.’’
That claim was also made by another family member who spoke to Clark County Today.
“Students were interviewed by an ‘independent investigator,’ who was apparently a former superintendent of a nearby school district,’’ the family member said. “Not that anyone was surprised, but the line of questioning made it readily apparent that this was going to be a whitewash.
“So the school paid an ‘independent firm’ to say that no one needs to worry about a boy with an obvious fondness for handling girls, who calls himself a lesbian, having access to girls' bathrooms,’’ the family member said. “All of the above violations are grounds for instant dismissal.’’
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