Hempfield school district is first to adopt transgender sports policy limiting athletes to sex at birth

• Scott LaMar/WITF
  BioRecent Stories

  

  Scott LaMar was formerly the Host and Executive Producer of The Spark program on WITF-FM, 89.5 & 93.3 in Harrisburg, Pa.
  
  Previously, LaMar was WITF TV’s Sr. Public Affairs producer and produced the station’s award-winning weekly public affairs TV program, Smart Talk.
  
  In addition to his on-air duties, LaMar moderated political candidate debates, including those for candidates running for Pennsylvania governor and the U.S. Senate and was a regular contributor to BBC World News TV before and after the 2020 U.S. Presidential election.
  
  The American Society of Civil Engineers honored LaMar with their national Excellence in Journalism award in 2020. He has been nominated for five Mid-Atlantic Emmy Awards.
  
  LaMar and The Spark have been recognized throughout the Central Pennsylvania community including ADVOZ Lancaster’s “Dignity in Dialogue Award”, the South-Central Assembly’s “Regional Citizen Award” and was named a “Humanitarian Hero” by The Humane Society of the United States/Pennsylvania.
  
  A native of Coatesville, Pa., LaMar has also worked as a broadcast news anchor, sports play-by-play announcer and manager.

 Rick Bowmer / AP Photo

A proposed ban on transgender athletes playing female school sports in Utah would affect transgender girls like this 12-year-old swimmer seen at a pool in Utah on Feb. 22, 2021. She and her family spoke with The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity to avoid outing her publicly.

Airdate: July 20, 2022

The Hempfield School Board in Lancaster County adopted a policy last week that limits a student athlete’s participation to sports teams that align with their sex at birth.

Supporters say those born as males have an unfair advantage over females – even after they transition to female.

Opponents indicate such policies are discriminate against transgender students or athletes.

We hear from both sides of the debate on Wednesday’s Smart Talk.

Appearing on the program are Naiymah Sanchez, Trans Justice Coordinator, American Civil Liberties Union — Pennsylvania and Republican State Senator Kristin Phillips-Hill of York County, one of the co-sponsors of legislati8on that would have restricted athletes to teams that matched their assigned sex at birth. That bill was vetoed by Gov. Tom Wolf.