Horne cheers Supreme Court ruling, will protect Arizona girls’ sports

Superintendent was lone defender of AZ law

PHOENIX – Today’s U.S. Supreme Court rulings on Little v. Hecox and West Virginia v. B.P.J. are being cheered as a victory for protecting girls’ sports in all states, including Arizona, according to State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne.

Arizona has a law protecting girl sports from biological males. Two large New York law firms sued to declare it unconstitutional. Four defendants were named, including Horne. The other three conceded. Horne was the only defendant who carried the fight forward to keep biological boys out of girls’ sports. Because the state Attorney General refused to participate, Horne defended the Arizona law out of the Department of Education budget.

Horne stated, “The news has been full of stories about girls who worked hard on their sports, hoping to make the team, or even earn a college scholarship or qualify for the Olympics. But then they had to compete against biological boys and their advantages in birth in size, speed and strength. The girls’ dreams were shattered and they were devastated.“

Horne added: “Girls have also been injured, including a brain injury, from having to compete against larger and stronger males. I am committed to making sure that Arizona schools follow state law protecting girl sports.”