MLSD signs WIAA contract, asks for amendments

MOSES LAKE – The Moses Lake School District signed its 2025-26 membership contract with the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association at the regular school board meeting June 25. However, concerns were brought up about the contract’s language.  

“It's the standard membership form that the WIAA sends out every year,” MLSD Director of Public Relations Ryan Shannon said. “The district has been signing a form or a form similar to that for a number of years.”  

The contract allows students at Moses Lake High School, Columbia Middle School, Endeavor Middle School and Frontier Middle School to participate in WIAA events and competitions. The contract is for both activities and athletics.  

During the meeting, school board member Paul Hill brought up a concern he had regarding one of the paragraphs within the contract. 

“NOW THEREFORE, the board of directors of the following School District or School hereby delegates to the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association the authority to control, supervise and regulate interschool activities consistent with the rules and regulations of WIAA. The Board of Directors retains the right to establish eligibility standards that meet or exceed the rules and regulations of WIAA,” reads one of the final paragraphs of the contract. 

Hill asked for the board to add the following statement after the above paragraph: “The board of Directors hereby notifies WIAA that we strongly urge WIAA to abide by the Federal Title IX rules and regulations.” 

However, board member Amy Breitenstein said she wasn’t sure if they could edit the form. 

Athletic Director Loren Sandhop said that as members of the associations, the district has the opportunity to submit amendments to the handbook. He explained to the board that two proposed amendments were brought forth for vote this school year regarding Title IX and transgender athletes.  

Amendment no. 7 proposed that there would be two distinct groups: 'Boys/Open' and 'Girls.' The policy stipulates that "all student-athletes, regardless of sex, gender identity or gender expression, who meet eligibility criteria are allowed to participate in the ‘Boys/Open Category.’"  

The amendment failed in a 31-22 vote. For an amendment to pass, 60% of voting members are needed; in this case, 32 votes were needed for the amendment to pass.  

Proposed amendment no. 8 specifies that athletic programs would have been structured separately for boys, girls, and an open division, promoting fairness while simultaneously considering the complexities of gender identity and biological sex.   

The amendment failed with a 13-40 vote. For an amendment to pass, 60% of voting members would need to vote in favor of the measure; in this case, 32 votes were needed for the amendment to pass. 

“In essence, it's kind of like a referendum,” Sandhop said. “That message was heard loud and clear from the WIAA and they understand there's a different perspective than the state law perspective, but under the current rules, we're going to follow state law.”  

The board decided to sign the contract, with the stipulation that faculty at MLSD would reach out to WIAA to ask if the district could add the proposed change. 

“I mean, we're going to need to participate, right, in order for our kids to be able to be able to be part of that,” Breitenstein said.  

However, according to Shannon, this change is not feasible.  

“The WIAA does not allow you to edit their actual form, so the form was signed as is,” Shannon said. “The Mead School District was posed with a very similar question at their June 2 board meeting and it was revealed that you could not edit their form and the form had to be returned as is.” 

Shannon said the Mead School District ended up sending in the contract with a letter attached asking for similar changes. 

“I have not heard if our board is going to send a letter yet,” Shannon said.  

    Moses Lake School Board Member Amy Breitenstein said she was unsure if the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association contract could be amended. MLSD Director of Public Relations Ryan Shannon confirmed it could not be.