NAPERVILLE, Ill. — A Naperville school board meeting spiraled into emotional confrontations Monday night, as community members clashed over the continued inclusion of transgender athletes in girls’ sports. This marks the second consecutive meeting of Naperville Community Unit District 203 overtaken by impassioned protesters on both sides of the issue.
Second Disrupted Meeting Over Same Issue
The controversy stems from a junior high trans athlete who recently won three girls’ track and field events in May — a victory that has drawn both national media attention and local division.
Monday’s board meeting lasted nearly three hours, dominated by fiery public comments. One half of the packed room held transgender pride flags, while the other displayed “Protect Girls Sports” signs. Tensions peaked as speakers on each side alternated turns at the podium, often prompting boisterous cheers, jeers, and lectures that shook the atmosphere of the room.
Activists Speak Out — ‘This Is Nazi Stuff’
During the meeting, Patty Drugan, a pro-trans rights activist, blamed conservative group Awake Illinois for contributing to the mental health crisis among transgender youth in the state.
“You need to take a look at Awake Illinois’ website — these are the reasons children are committing suicide. The shame is on all of you,” she said passionately to the board and crowd.
Another speaker, James Katchmeric, equated the opposition to trans athletes in girls’ sports to historical oppression:
“I learned what happened in World War II. Trans people were attacked first. This is Nazi stuff.”
Pro-trans supporters sitting in the front row turned their backs to opposition speakers throughout the evening in a coordinated silent protest.
Opposition Vows to Defend Title IX Protections
Among those pushing back was Shannon Adcock, founder of Awake Illinois, who wore a shirt from activist sportswear brand XX-XY Athletics. She argued that federal protections under Title IX must prevail over Illinois state laws that allow biological males to participate in girls’ sports.
“We are going to protect these children and Title IX will reign supreme,” Adcock declared. “Federal supremacy exists — state laws cannot overrule federal protections.”
Illinois has allowed trans students to compete in gender-aligned sports since 2006. But after former President Donald Trump’s executive order in February 2025 banning biological males from participating in girls’ sports, Republican lawmakers in Illinois asked the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) to clarify its position.
In response, IHSA reaffirmed that it would continue to follow Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul’s directive — allowing trans inclusion under state law.
Pressure Builds for Federal Intervention
The political debate has escalated. Rep. Mary Miller (R-IL) recently sent letters to the U.S. Department of Education and Department of Justice, asking for federal action and even suggesting withholding federal funds from Illinois.
Her letter specifically cites the Naperville incident as a flashpoint requiring investigation, urging action similar to what has already occurred in Maine and California.
Meanwhile, another federal Title IX complaint is underway in Illinois. Deerfield Public Schools District 109 is being investigated by the Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights after middle school girls were reportedly made to change in front of a trans student in a locker room — an incident that has sparked further outrage among concerned parents.
A Divided Community, A National Debate
As legal and political tensions continue, school board meetings have become battlegrounds for deeply held views on gender identity, youth sports, and parental rights.
Illinois law currently protects trans students’ right to participate in sports aligned with their gender identity. But with pressure mounting from both conservative groups and progressive advocates, the debate is unlikely to settle soon.
What are your thoughts on how Illinois schools are handling gender identity in sports? Should state laws continue to protect trans inclusion, or should federal policies override? Share your perspective with us at ChicagoSuburbanFamily.com.
