Catholic H.S. Faces Penalty After Fans Jeer Trans Athlete

A girls’ volleyball tournament in California’s Bay Area became the backdrop for anti-trans discrimination by a Catholic school, drawing criticism from state education officials.

The volleyball game took place at Aragon High School in San Mateo on October 12. Half Moon Bay High School, a public school, was facing off against Notre Dame Belmont, an all-girls Catholic school. When a transgender player from Half Moon Bay’s team entered the court, parents and students from Notre Dame Belmont booed the player repeatedly, according to ABC7 News.

The harassment took place after Notre Dame Belmont cancelled a non-league game against Half Moon Bay earlier in the season, citing  the transgender athlete as the reason for the cancellation.

 Email correspondence obtained by ABC7 News, shows that the athletic director of Aragon High School, Steve Sell, expressed concern about the behavior of parents and fans from Notre Dame Belmont, and said that the school may face consequences.

“It’s incredibly scary,” Sell said during an interview with ABC7 News. “I’m frightened for trans girls—not just in our state, but all around the country—who simply want to belong, connect, and compete by playing high school sports. We owe them better than this.”

Following the match, the head of school at Notre Dame Belmont, Meredith Essalat, and the director of athletics, Christina Puno Okubo, wrote a letter addressed to Sell stating they wanted to “sincerely apologize to the entire Aragon High School athletic program for the unsporting behavior exhibited by some Notre Dame Belmont spectators during a varsity volleyball match.” 

The letter further stated:

“The behavior of these spectators does not reflect the mission or core values of our school or athletic program. We have enforced our long-held policy to ban spectators from future games (season and postseason) who harass any individual. Additionally, we are reinforcing the importance of positive, respectful, and empathetic behavior that underscores our values in communications to all parents, student-athletes, and coaches.

“We truly regret and apologize for the inappropriate and unsporting behavior by members of the NDB community at this match. NDB Athletics is dedicated to ensuring that incidents like this never happen again.

In an interview with ABC7 News, Sell further addressed common arguments against transgender athletes, including concerns about physical advantages and safety. While acknowledging that certain scenarios might require additional consideration, he emphasized that inclusion should be the default. “The safety argument to me is not compelling,” he noted, adding that collegiate women’s teams often practice with men for an added challenge without raising similar safety concerns.

Notre Dame Belmont is not the only California religious school that has faced criticism for its treatment of transgender athletes. In Merced, Stone Ridge Christian School also forfeited a state playoff volleyball match against San Francisco’s Waldorf High School, citing the participation of a transgender athlete on the Waldorf team. Stone Ridge released a statement defending their decision, stating, “Our girls should only be competing against girls. We are proud of them for standing up for what is right.”

The Peninsula Athletic League and CIF are now evaluating possible sanctions against Notre Dame Belmont and Stone Ridge Christian for actions that may violate league and federation policies promoting equitable participation. No final decisions have been announced.

When forfeiting games or allowing the harassment of trans people, schools like Notre Dame Belmont are ignoring the values of dignity and respect for all individuals taught by the Catholic faith.The incident at Aragon High School raises important questions about how Catholic schools can reconcile these values with their school policies and the increased need for Catholic schools to be protectors of the marginalized, rather than further marginalize them as Notre Dame Belmont did.

Sell offered the best principles for all schools–especially Catholic ones–to use when dealing with policies for transgender students:

“Trans students deserve the same opportunities to play, grow, and thrive as anyone else. Our role as educators and coaches is to create environments where all students feel they belong.”

—Elsie Carson-Holt, New Ways Ministry, January 16, 2025