The mother of controversial transgender athlete AB Hernandez delivered an impassioned defense of her daughter during a tense and emotional school board meeting in California on Thursday night, insisting that “my daughter is not the problem” as parents clashed bitterly over the teen’s participation in girls’ sports.
Heated Meeting After High-Profile Forfeit
The debate erupted at the Riverside Unified School District board meeting just a week after the Riverside Poly High School girls’ volleyball team pulled out of a scheduled match against Hernandez’s team, Jurupa Valley. Though officials did not explicitly state the reason for the forfeit, board member Amanda Vickers later told Fox News that it was because Hernandez, a transgender athlete, was on the Jurupa Valley roster.
The incident, which drew widespread media attention, came on the heels of Hernandez dominating several girls’ track and field events earlier this year despite mounting protests and political pressure — including an executive order by former President Donald Trump to “Keep Men Out of Women’s Sports.”
Mother’s Emotional Plea
On Thursday, Hernandez’s mother, Nereyda Hernandez, confronted board members directly. Addressing Vickers, she accused school officials of enabling a hostile environment for her daughter.
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“You actually entertained and welcomed harassment to my child,” she declared. “You are a board member. You have an oath to protect, to support all children, not just the ones that fit your ideas, your beliefs.”
She went on to condemn what she described as “coordinated external efforts” to stir fear, weaponize religion, and pit parents against each other. “This has nothing to do with fairness in sports and everything to do with erasing transgender children,” she said. “My daughter is a student, an athlete, and a mami. She deserves the same protections and dignity as every other child.”
Hernandez also claimed her daughter has been “stalked and followed” in recent months, warning that officials were failing their moral duty by tolerating targeted harassment and false narratives.
Parents Divided
Not all attendees shared her view. Some parents voiced staunch support for the Riverside Poly athletes who refused to compete, arguing that girls’ sports should remain exclusively for biological females.
Parent Maria Correo said bluntly: “Poly girls, we stand with you. Keep fighting, because these parents that support their confused child are the problem.” Drawing a controversial analogy, she added: “If my child was on drugs, I would love him, but guess what? I would tell him the truth: drugs are bad for you. I would not feed him more drugs.”
Others accused the board of “gross negligence” for failing to protect student-athletes from what they view as unfair competition, citing the case of Payton McNabb, a former volleyball player in North Carolina who suffered long-term injuries after being struck by a ball anthem by a transgender opponent.
Hernandez’s Athletic Rise
AB Hernandez, who has been at the center of the debate, has built a reputation as a dominant competitor. Representing Jurupa Valley, she claimed gold in the high jump and triple jump at the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) state finals and previously helped the Jurupa Valley Lady Jags to an undefeated volleyball season and a league championship.
That success, however, has been accompanied by relentless controversy. In May, amid growing backlash, CIF implemented a new policy allowing an additional student to medal in events where Hernandez qualified, a compromise designed to quell anger without barring her from competition.
National Political Fallout
The Hernandez case has become a flashpoint in the national debate over transgender athletes. Former President Trump has repeatedly condemned California’s handling of the situation, threatening to withhold federal funding and accusing Governor Gavin Newsom of “ILLEGALLY allowing men to play in women’s sports.” The Department of Justice later filed a lawsuit against California’s Department of Education and CIF, escalating the political and legal battle.
What Comes Next
As Hernandez prepares for another season with Jurupa Valley, the tension shows no sign of easing. Parents remain deeply divided — some calling for compassion and equal protection for transgender students, others insisting fairness and safety for girls must come first.
But for Nereyda Hernandez, the message could not be clearer. “My daughter is not the problem,” she told the board. “The problem is the people who refuse to see her for who she is.”
The post Mother of Embattled Transgender Teen Athlete Defends Daughter in Fiery School Board Clash That Spirals Into Chaos appeared first on TMSPN.
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