BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — Two members on the Kern High School Board are facing recall following a heated vote last month about transgender athletes in sports.
During a Board meeting Oct. 6, the Board approved a resolution saying transgender athletes create unfairness in women’s competitive sports.
Trustees David Manriquez and Steven Rodrigue voted against the resolution condemning transgender athletes.
The other three — J. Bryan Batey, Kathy Scrivner and Derek Tisinger — voted in support of the resolution, resulting in Board approval.
Penny Lepisto, who lost to Manriquez for the KHSD Board’s Area 3 Trustee seat in the 2024 election, served a notice to recall Manriquez and Rodrigue during the Board meeting Monday.
“Trustee Manriquez and Rodrigue broke public trust by voting to allow biological males to participate in high school female sports teams,” the notice read.
“Biological differences between male and female athletes create inherent advantages in competitive sports. Trustee Manriquez and Rodrigue, by their votes, fail to provide protection for biological female athletes and subject them to loss of fairness and competition, loss of earned success, loss of scholarships and loss of safety.”
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Lepisto said she collected the required 30 signatures from registered voters in each area represented by Manriquez and Rodrigue — areas 3 and 2, respectively.
According to Lepisto, the notice was submitted to the Kern County Elections Office on Tuesday.
While this could lead to Manriquez and Rodrigue getting recalled, Lepisto said the immediate next step is to wait for a response or no response from Manriquez and Rodrigue.
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