Washington School District Responds to Supreme Court Injunction Request in Trans Athlete Case

The Puyallup School District in Washington state has stated it will respond to the U.S. Supreme Court if the court requests further information regarding an emergency injunction application. The application was filed on behalf of a Rogers High School wrestler, Kallie Keeler, whose family seeks assurances that she will not be matched against a transgender opponent without warning and will have the option to forfeit matches without penalty this season.

Keeler's family, represented by Alliance Defending Freedom, filed the request with Justice Elena Kagan. They are seeking an injunction to prevent Keeler from being paired against male athletes or, at a minimum, to receive advance notice and the ability to opt out of matches without penalty. These requests have thus far been denied.

The incident at the center of the case occurred at the Dec. 6, 2025, Lady Jag Kickoff wrestling event, where Keeler, competing for Rogers High School, was matched against an opponent from Emerald Ridge High School, also within the Puyallup School District. Keeler has since transferred to a different school within the district, while her former opponent remains enrolled and eligible for girls' wrestling.

A federal judge initially denied a preliminary injunction on August 23, and the Ninth Circuit refused an injunction pending appeal on September 25. The high school wrestling season is scheduled to begin in mid-November.

Both the Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) and the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) have indicated they will continue to adhere to Washington's gender-identity participation law unless the law itself changes. OSPI, responsible for enforcing state law on extracurricular activities, stated it will uphold current state policy. The WIAA reaffirmed its commitment to allowing student-athletes to participate in sports consistent with their gender identity, noting that it would adjust policies only if state law is amended.

Keeler, who has wrestled since she was four years old, left the team in January following the Lady Jag Kickoff. She has expressed uncertainty about returning to wrestling if she continues to face the possibility of being paired against a male athlete without advance notice. The district had previously informed her mother that forfeiture was the available remedy and that advance notice would not be provided.