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Parents press Wyoming Area School Board over girls wrestling access and resources
Summary
Parents told the Wyoming Area School Board that girls who compete in the district wrestling program lack locker-room access, scales for weigh-ins and recognition as a coed program; the board said it is considering the issue but gave no formal timetable for action.
Tiffany Bonning, a parent from Harding, told the Wyoming Area School Board during public comment on April 29, 2025, that girls who compete in the district wrestling program face unequal treatment and limited resources, and she said she will return to board meetings until the district makes changes.
Bonning said girls lack access to a locker room near the wrestling facility, must wait longer for weigh-ins because they have no dedicated scale and have faced delays getting uniforms. “Every month that passes, our daughters lose opportunities,” Bonning said. “My child's future is more important than anyone's opinion. And if I don't fight for her, who will?”
The issue matters, Bonning told the board, because limited resources affect girls’ ability to compete in girls-only tournaments where college recruiters attend. Bonning said she was told by Dr. Pollard, the district superintendent, that any decision on creating a girls program might not come before the board until July or August, and that adding the matter to a board agenda was uncertain.
During the same public-comment period, a district athletics staff member responded that the district purchased “another scale for the girls” so they no longer needed to use the previous equipment, and said they had not had a sit-down meeting with the Bonning family during the staff member’s 13 years in the role. The staff member also disputed some claims about how uniforms and teams are budgeted and noted that junior-high and junior-varsity classifications differ under PIAA and conference rules.
Board members and staff cautioned speakers to remain professional during the exchange; the board president said the issue is “being considered” but did not announce any formal directive or timeline for a policy change or program creation. No formal motion or vote on girls wrestling was taken at the meeting.
The public discussion drew repeated comment from parents and several contested points about whether the district has taken specific remedial steps. Parents insisted the lack of locker-room access and delayed uniforms are ongoing problems; district staff said some steps (for example, buying a scale) have been taken but that other details were either budgetary decisions by coaches or remain under review.
The board will take no immediate action based on the meeting record; parents said they will continue to press the district at future meetings until formal changes are made.
