{"id":5225,"date":"2023-08-29T12:30:32","date_gmt":"2023-08-29T17:30:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nakedpolitics.net\/?p=5225"},"modified":"2023-08-29T12:30:34","modified_gmt":"2023-08-29T17:30:34","slug":"exclusive-trans-identified-male-coach-used-girls-locker-room-to-undress-multiple-times-incidents-kept-quiet-by-pennsylvania-school-district","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nakedpolitics.net\/?p=5225","title":{"rendered":"EXCLUSIVE: Trans-Identified Male Coach Used Girls\u2019 Locker Room to Undress Multiple Times, Incidents Kept Quiet by Pennsylvania School District"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A Gettysburg, Pennsylvania High School is making headlines over the school board\u2019s debate on whether or not to re-hire a trans-identified male coach for the school\u2019s female tennis team. Sasha Yates, born David, has reportedly been subject to complaint after he frequented the girls\u2019 locker rooms and bathrooms on several occasions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reduxx<\/em> spoke directly to board member Michelle Smyers, who reviewed the reprimand against Yates for the first time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The reprimand outlined two separate incidents in September of 2022 involving Yates undressing in the girls\u2019 locker room.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While a previous report by the Epoch Times<\/em> had made the public aware of two of the occurrences, Smyers revealed that there were in fact three: twice in September of last year, and once again this past April. While using the girls\u2019 locker rooms and restrooms, Yates sparked fear and discomfort from female students in addition to concern from their parents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yates had initially been hired by Gettysburg Area School District in 2018 while still identifying as a male, but in 2022, he began using the name Sasha after he declared that he was transgender. Reduxx<\/em> learned that he had two children who appear to live in the United Kingdom with their mother.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the fall of 2022, shortly after Yates began \u201cidentifying\u201d as female and using women\u2019s facilities, he stripped down to \u201ca bra and panties\u201d in the girls\u2019 locker room where the teen soccer team was changing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A board member with the district told The Epoch Times<\/em> in their exclusive that the female students reported<\/a> that \u201cit was clear from what they saw that Mr. Yates was still fully a man.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Two members of the school board have daughters playing on the soccer team, one of whom was present when the incident took place. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But a third incident has now been brought to light after Smyers and other board members were finally granted access to the administration\u2019s reprimand against him from last fall. To their shock, not one, but two instances were outlined in September. Smyers said she believes that Yates released the same document to the Gettysburg Times<\/em> upon knowing that it was finally revealed to the board.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Smyers confirmed that the first incident did involve Yates undressing down to his \u201cbra and panties,\u201d as previously reported. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the reprimand issued to Yates, many of the female students said they were uncomfortable with the man\u2019s presence in the facility, as well as with the comments he made to the girls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI was too busy picking my jaw up off the floor when I read it,\u201d Smyers said. \u201cBecause the second incident outlined where he\u2019d gone into the same locker room and was discussing with the girls in there \u2014 talking to them about their menstrual cycles and what type of panties they like to wear.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Smyers expressed that she was incredulous at the revelations, which went far beyond Yates simply using the changing area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cJerry Sandusky was from Pennsylvania, for crying out loud. Didn\u2019t we learn anything from Jerry Sandusky? You know? Adults don\u2019t belong in the locker room while kids are in there dressing,\u201d Smyers remarked, referring to the notorious serial child molester who sexually abused at least eight young boys at Central Mountain High School while working as a football coach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Smyers also questioned why Yates had been undressing in the first place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s tennis\u2026 why are you changing? You\u2019re a part-time coach, you didn\u2019t come to practice ready to coach?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On April 12, months after his initial reprimand was issued by the school, Yates still took the liberty of using the girls\u2019 restroom while one 16-year-old student was already inside. He followed the girl into the bathroom and \u201ctried to strike up a conversation\u201d with the minor, but she walked out of the facilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The girl texted her softball coach while she was still inside the restroom and expressed her concern for her safety. Her father, Steve Carbaugh, told The Epoch Times <\/em>that this made his daughter very uncomfortable as it was just her and Yates alone in the bathroom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Carbaugh said, \u201cMy job as a parent is to protect my child. And he had no business going into that bathroom, and his actions proved that he cannot be trusted. He went into a girls\u2019 locker room and changed while the girls varsity soccer team was in there. They talked to him about it. And he went into a girls\u2019 restroom facility. When is enough enough? He is not being penalized because of what he calls himself. He needs to be penalized because of his actions and the fact that he can\u2019t follow directions. This is a grown man, going into a bathroom with a juvenile female. That\u2019s a problem. That\u2019s a huge problem.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Carbaugh was told that month that Mr. Yates would not return as the tennis coach for the following season, so he decided to let the matter go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yates provided Gettysburg Times<\/em> with the reprimand letter<\/a> that Smyers reviewed, but denied having the conversation with the teens about menstruation cycles, saying he didn\u2019t recall it. Yates did admit that the other incidents occurred, \u201cbut not in the way that has been previously reported.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He also revealed that after the reprimand was issued, he was given a key to use a single-stall restroom that sports personnel, such as referees, are designated to use, but asserted that federal law allows him to use \u201cany bathroom.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite the complaints from parents and students, Dr. Leigh Dalton, a solicitor for the school, \u201cconvinced\u201d members of the board not to fire Yates immediately, and instead insisted the school simply decline to re-hire him for the following season due to concerns about litigation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But Yates\u2019 name reappeared in July on the hiring list for the coaching post. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Smyers told Reduxx<\/em> that when she saw the name \u201cSasha,\u201d she initially thought she was reviewing whether or not they\u2019d be hiring a new female coach. She had only learned about Yates\u2019 identity \u201cas a woman\u201d last fall but had been told after the bathroom incident that \u201cthe issue was being taken care of,\u201d and that Yates would not be brought back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Earlier this month, on August 7, the school board held a vote on whether or not Yates should be rehired. The vote was 3-3, with one person abstaining from voting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dalton then allegedly issued a warning \u201curging the board to rehire Mr. Yates to avoid the risk of litigation.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The next meeting, which was held August 21, had Yates\u2019 employment on its agenda to be voted on by board members once again. The agenda noted Yates\u2019 coaching salary as $2,682. The day of the second board meeting, America First Legal revealed they were representing Smyers<\/a> due to concerns that Yates may take legal action against her or the district in the event they voted against re-hiring him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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