Camas cross-country girls runner forced to bunk with trans-identified male student during away meet

This took place during Camas High School’s trip to the Nike Hole in the Wall Invitational in Arlington, which took place on October 10. Per Clark County Today, members of the cross-country team were lodged in a hotel at the expense of the school district. The biological male running of the girls’ team, Logan Mihailoff, shared a hotel room with a female member of the Camas team.

Camas School District Communications and Media Manager Doreen McKercher told the outlet, “Coaching staff coordinate room assignments for overnight athletic trips and may consider student-athletes' preferences. We can confirm that no student was required to share a room with someone they were uncomfortable rooming with. To protect student privacy, we will not discuss individual room assignments or accommodations.”

At the October 10 meet, nearly half of the girls’ cross-country team for Camas chose to walk off the course in protest of competing against the male instead of running. As the starting gun was fired and athletes took off from the starting line, a large group of girls was seen stepping off the starting line and leaving the field.

Mihailoff began the season with a 76th-place finish in a boys’ JV race at the September 5 Ultimook meet. He switched to the girls’ division later in the month, finishing second among 195 girls at the September 26 Nike Portland XC Invitational, then won the September 29 girls’ varsity race against Union High School.

At the October 10 meet, Mihailoff finished 39th among 135 runners in the girls’ elite 5K. Mihailoff ran 18:36.8. If he was still competing in the boys’ division, he would have placed dead last.

A source involved in the situation told Clark County Today that at least one team member quit after the Arlington track meet, while others have left throughout the season. McKercher said that no athlete has been removed from the team by school staff.

“No student has been dismissed or removed from the cross-country team by coaching staff or school administration. Some students have left the team voluntarily. We will not discuss individual students' decisions or circumstances,” she said.

Students also refused to run against the male in a Tuesday dual meet with Battle Ground, with 12 members of the girls’ team walking off the course. McKercher said that none of the runners who refused to run in Tuesday’s race would be disciplined.

“Students have the right to express their views through peaceful protest. Students who chose to walk off the course during the October 13 meet will not face disciplinary consequences,” she said.

Clark County Today also reported that Camas High School Principal Travis Drake reported an unspecified incident that took place during the weekend trip to the Camas Police Department officer assigned to Camas High School. Camas PD Administrative Sergeant Chuck Nadgwick said that Drake made a third-party complaint involving two other individuals to Camas High School Student Resource Officers. It was determined that no crime was committed.