The mother of a transgender high school volleyball player has publicly condemned California school officials for fostering harassment against her daughter, AB Hernandez, after an opposing team refused to compete against her. AB, a student at Jurupa Valley High School, was set to play against Riverside Poly High School’s girls’ volleyball team on August 15.
The anticipated match was canceled, and Riverside Poly issued a statement expressing disappointment for their athletes, families, and supporters. The school emphasized their commitment to maintaining a safe and positive environment for all student-athletes throughout the season.
According to Fox Digital, several parents revealed that the forfeit was due to AB Hernandez’s inclusion as a transgender athlete on the Jurupa Valley team. They clarified that the decision was not made by the players themselves but by school authorities.
Amanda Vickers, a Riverside Unified School District board member, spoke to Fox Digital about the incident. She referenced Payton McNabb, a former volleyball player who sustained permanent brain damage in 2022 after being struck by a spike from a transgender athlete.
Vickers’ comments drew sharp criticism from AB’s mother, Nereyda Hernandez, who addressed a Riverside Unified School District board meeting on August 21. Nereyda accused Vickers of encouraging harassment against her daughter by making public statements to the media.
Nereyda passionately defended her daughter, stating, “My daughter is not the problem.” She argued that the issue stemmed from coordinated external efforts to spread fear and division among parents, often using religion as a pretext for discrimination.
She further asserted that the controversy had little to do with fairness in sports. Instead, Nereyda claimed it was part of a broader agenda to marginalize and erase transgender children from athletic participation.
The forfeited volleyball match is not the first time AB Hernandez has faced public scrutiny. Earlier incidents have placed her at the center of debates about transgender athletes in school sports.
In May, AB competed at a track meet at Yorba Linda High School, where she was heckled by approximately 30 adults, including three local school board members, according to Capital and Main. The disruption reportedly caused a false start in one of her races.
Reflecting on the experience, AB told Capital and Main, “There’s nothing I can do about people’s actions, just focus on my own.” She highlighted the immaturity of adults behaving disruptively while she competed.
AB also noted the contrast between her critics’ behavior and their age, saying, “I’m still a child, you’re an adult, and for you to act like a child shows how you are as a person.” Her resilience has been tested repeatedly in competitive settings.
At postseason meets, AB’s participation has drawn protests from female athletes and their families, who often wear “Save Girls Sports” T-shirts. A lawsuit claims school officials compared these shirts to swastikas, escalating tensions.
The controversy surrounding AB Hernandez has caught the attention of former President Donald Trump, who referenced the situation in a post on his Truth Social platform on August 21.
Trump wrote, “Any California school district that doesn’t adhere to our Transgender policies, will not be funded. Thank you for your attention to this matter!” His statement aligns with his ongoing opposition to transgender rights in sports.
In July, the Trump administration filed a lawsuit against the California Department of Education and the California Interscholastic Federation, challenging their policy allowing transgender athletes to compete in girls’ sports.
The lawsuit argued that the policy violates federal anti-discrimination laws, citing concerns about fairness and safety for cisgender female athletes in school sports programs.
In February, Trump signed a directive to withhold federal funding from schools permitting transgender women or girls to participate in female sports, framing it as a measure to protect women’s athletic opportunities.
The directive stated, “It is the policy of the United States to rescind all funds from educational programs that deprive women and girls of fair athletic opportunities, which results in the endangerment, humiliation, and silencing of women and girls.”
It further emphasized opposition to male participation in women’s sports, citing safety, fairness, dignity, and truth as guiding principles. Trump declared that the “war on women’s sports is over” upon signing the order.
Nereyda Hernandez’s remarks at the school board meeting underscored her frustration with external groups traveling from district to district to incite fear and division among parents and communities.
She accused these groups of manipulating religious beliefs to justify discriminatory practices, urging school officials to uphold their oath to protect all students, not just those aligning with their personal views.
The situation highlights ongoing tensions surrounding transgender inclusion in school sports, with AB Hernandez and her family navigating significant public and political backlash.
For those affected by these issues, the LGBT National Hotline (888-843-4564) offers confidential support Monday through Friday from 4 PM to 12 AM ET and Saturdays from 12 PM to 5 PM ET.
The debate over transgender athletes in California schools continues to spark heated discussions, with both sides citing fairness, safety, and inclusion as core concerns in this complex and evolving issue.