You don't want to miss this. August 30, 2023 Frank M. Ruff, Jr. 15th District Senate of Virginia  HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS Dear John, As our students are returning to classrooms, some are practicing various sports for their school and their personal satisfaction. This is a tradition that all of us grew up with. Thanks to the Virginia High School League, things are changing. Recently, the leadership met and decided that they would not change their current rules that allow student athletes to play on teams of their preferred gender, not the gender they were born. Their decision defies all logic for these reasons. 1. Males tend to be larger and have greater body mass than females. That size difference has proven dangerous for some young ladies. Volleyball games in North Carolina and the Midwest have resulted in those girls with bad bruises and worse. True female swimmers at several college meets in the last two years have lost to transgender males. Girls who have practiced for years to be the best in their field are now coming second, losing chances at lucrative endorsements. 2. Most schools lack the resources to have multiple dressing rooms. They have one room for the home team and another for the visiting team. This leaves young ladies forced to dress and undress in an extremely uncomfortable situation.  3. The federal government fifty years ago understood that if we want young ladies to participate in sports, it is imperative that they be given equal chances by having separate teams from boys. Schools are required to not just have teams, but rather a comparable number of opportunities. TIME FOR A SECOND OVERSIGHT LEAGUE Governor Youngkin’s administration has directed school systems to do the opposite of what the League has voted to do. He directed schools to not allow transgender boys on girls’ teams. Several school systems are openly defying his guidance. Those in Northern Virginia are leading the way, but others, such as Richmond City, are likely to follow suit. These are the schools that have the greatest influence over the League. Maybe now is the time for the school systems in the state to divide into two leagues. One that protects women’s sports and players, and one that bends to the whim of the latest fads. It is very unfair for our teams to work hard all season, successfully making it to regional or state playoffs, and then must compete against a team that fields transgender players. IT COULD BE WORSE A new district handout titled “Portland Public Schools Equitable Grading Practices Summary” highlights the district’s “rationale” for implementing a so-called “equitable” approach to grading students’ class performance. In Portland, Oregon, teachers have been instructed to grade students to achieve equity. They are to never penalize students for not turning in assignments. Likewise, they are to never give zeros for anything, even if caught cheating. Additionally, to combat educators’ “implicit bias”, homework will not be graded. Teachers cannot penalize late work or provide extra credit. Students will be allowed the opportunity to retake tests and redo assignments. “Non-academic factors,” including attendance, performance, effort, attitude, and behavior will also not be included in students’ grades. Once upon a time, schools were about educating our young people, hopefully, those days will return. WE LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU! We love to hear from you! You can reach us at [email protected], 434-374-5129 or P.O. Box 332, Clarksville, VA 23927.  JOKE OF THE WEEK An older farmer decided it was time to buy some life insurance, but since he was in his seventies, he had to take a rigorous physical. “Ever have any serious illnesses?” the doctor asked. “Nope.” “What about accidents?” “Nope.” “Wait, you mean to tell me you’ve never had an accident in your life?” “Nope.” “Didn’t I see you in Doc Jacob’s getting your leg set last year?” “Yup.” “What happened to it?” “Bull tossed me over the fence.” “Well, that was an accident wasn’t it?” “Nope, he did it on purpose!” Register Here!  Warmest regards, Frank Frank M. Ruff, Jr. 15th District Senate of Virginia Authorized and paid for by Ruff for Senate Visit our website Contribute to my campaign Sign Up For My Newsletter ‌ Office of Senator Frank Ruff | P.O. Box 332, Clarksville, VA 23927 Unsubscribe [email protected] Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice Sent by [email protected] powered by Try email marketing for free today!