After a contentious interchange during its regular meeting held July 20, the Prior Lake-Savage Area School Board voted to continue the district’s membership with the Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL).
Membership with the organization allows the district’s students to participate in sports and activities with students from over 500 other high schools throughout the state. There are no other leagues that offer similar opportunities for students to participate in interscholastic competitions and fine arts programs.
The resolution to continue the MSHSL membership was brought up for a vote during the regular board meeting. After some confusion about whether board chair Amy Bullyan opened the vote up for discussion, board member Lisa Atkinson proposed an amendment to the resolution.
The amendment included an additional statement that stipulated that Prior Lake High School would only continue its membership if MSHSL altered its policies in regards to transgender athletes. Part of the proposed statement said that members would only be required to follow the leagues provisions “to the extent that such provisions are consistent with and do not conflict with applicable federal law.”
Board member Jessica Mason seconded the motion for the amendment, saying, “I highly urge MSHSL to review their student eligibility policies and that they follow federal law.” She added, “I believe it’s extremely important to preserve the safety of females and the fairness and opportunity that our athletics offers them.”
Board member Mary Frantz pointed out that the membership document belongs to MSHSL, not the district, so the board had no authority to make changes.
“We’re joining an organization; we don’t control the organization,” Frantz said. “It’s a yes or no. We either join it or we don’t.”
Frantz also stated that there is no federal law about transgender athletes and that the Supreme Court ruling on the matter said that it was up to the states to either update or maintain their current laws.
Superintendent Jim Wagner pointed out that the district currently has no transgender athletes participating in sports.
“School districts have to deal with politics. We don’t make politics,” Wagner said, adding that students would not have the ability to participate in any sport or activity unless the district joins the MSHSL. “The bottom line is we have to look at what’s best for our students so they can participate.”
The amendment Atkinson proposed failed in a 3-4 vote. Atkinson, Mason and board member Charles Johnson voted for the amendment. Frantz was joined by Bullyan, Dustin Smith and Jessica Olstad in voting against the proposed alternative.
During the discussion period prior the membership vote, Atkinson once again stated her concerns that the MSHSL have not changed their policies regarding transgender athletes in female sports. Smith referred to the statement as “political grandstanding.” Bullyan reminded the board to maintain decorum and allow each other to speak without interruption.
The motion to approve the 2026-27 membership to the MSHSL as it was written was passed by the board following a 6-1 vote. Atkinson was the only no vote.
