Sasha (previously David) Yates, a transgender woman and part-time tennis coach at the Gettysburg Area School District, has recently become the center of controversy following several incidents that raised concerns among students and parents. This dispute has divided the school board over renewing the coach’s contract.
Mr. Yates has been involved with the school’s tennis program since 2018, initially introduced to the community as David. In 2022, news outlets and the school district began referring to him as Sasha. A point of contention exists online, where the school district website lists an email address under Sasha’s name. However, clicking it reveals the name David.
Following two incidents, one in the fall of 2022 and another in the spring of 2023, the school board opted against retaining Mr. Yates for another season. In a surprising turn, David Yates’ name emerged again for potential rehiring in July. A subsequent vote on his rehiring resulted in a 3-3 tie, with one abstention, prompting a scheduled revote on August 21.
Social media has been ablaze with opinions, suggesting that the opposition to rehiring Mr. Yates primarily stems from his transgender identity. However, details from these incidents paint a more complicated picture.
According to a school board member, in the fall of 2022, Mr. Yates entered the girls’ locker room and changed his clothes in front of the girls soccer team, making some students very uncomfortable.
Another incident surfaced in April 2023, when a 16-year-old student claimed to encounter Mr. Yates in the girls’ bathroom. While no physical contact occurred, the teenager felt deeply uncomfortable being alone with the coach in that setting. In a text message to her softball coach, she voiced her discomfort, saying, “Michelle, this damn tennis coach just walked into the girls bathroom… You’re a (expletive) man.”
Addressing these incidents, the student’s father stated, “Now, everybody in this area seems to be crying that it is hate—that nobody wants this guy back because he’s transgender and it’s hate… This has absolutely nothing to do with hate on my part… What’s right is right. What’s wrong is wrong.” He further emphasized his primary concern as a parent is the safety of his child.
Upon investigating the bathroom incident, it was revealed Mr. Yates had been previously reprimanded for similar behavior in the locker room. A solicitor advised the school board against immediate firing to avoid potential litigation, suggesting waiting for the season to end and not rehiring Mr. Yates.
This legal counsel reiterated his warning as the new tennis season approached, emphasizing the risks of potential lawsuits if Mr. Yates wasn’t rehired. The board is currently awaiting paperwork detailing the two incidents before making its final decision.
