Tempers flared at a Chino Valley Unified School District board meeting in San Bernardino County, California, Thursday night, as protesters supporting transgender athletes in girls’ sports disrupted proceedings with loud chants of "Hail Satan!"

The meeting quickly became a battleground for two deeply divided groups. On one side, supporters of trans athlete inclusion made their voices heard—sometimes literally, with shouts and chants. On the other, parents and board members pushed for resolutions they say protect girls’ sports and uphold parental rights. The tension was so high that police had to escort out a woman who cited the Bible in her opposition to trans inclusion.

The school district confirmed that, yes, protesters did in fact chant "Hail Satan," a moment that definitely raised eyebrows—especially since it happened in front of families and children. Board President Sonja Shaw spoke out forcefully against the protest tactics, calling the demonstrators "outside agitators," and describing the incident as an attempted bullying of the local community. Despite the noise, the board passed resolutions aimed at protecting girls’ sports and reinforcing parents’ roles in their children’s education.

Shaw also revealed she received a violent and graphic death threat via email in the days leading up to the meeting. "No threat, no mob and no political machine will scare me into silence," she said. That’s the kind of grit you see in small-town politics, even when things get a little wild.

Parents who attended described the atmosphere as unsettling, with some adults behaving "in a sadistic and hateful way, all in the name of equality." According to Christina Salazar, her daughter’s speech was interrupted by the chants. Another mother, Nichole Vicario, claimed some protesters openly identified as Satanists, and noted the use of vulgar and aggressive language—even with children present.

Despite all the chaos, the board remained composed and committed to their agenda, saying their actions were not just for Chino Valley, but for girls' sports across California and maybe even the country.

Incidents like this aren’t new in California. Just the day before, at a Lucia Mar Unified School District board meeting, a high school junior broke down in tears while describing her discomfort about changing in front of a trans athlete. Her emotional speech was cut off by the board president, only to be met by roaring applause from the audience. It’s safe to say that school board meetings in the Golden State are anything but boring these days.

Back in December, another district’s board meeting made headlines when pro-trans activists allegedly harassed a women’s prayer group. Reports from that night included yelling at young girls and disrupting prayers—again, not exactly the ideal after-school activity.

Amid all this, a new bipartisan survey by the Public Policy Institute of California found that a majority of state residents—including more than 70% of school parents—oppose biological male trans athletes competing in girls’ sports. Two-thirds of adults and likely voters favor requiring athletes to compete based on their sex assigned at birth, not their gender identity, according to the poll.

As the debate rages on, California’s school board meetings have become a flashpoint for national culture wars. One thing’s certain: the drama in these districts is showing no signs of cooling off.

Culture Wars News

California School Board Meeting Erupts as Pro-Trans Protesters Chant 'Hail Satan!' During Girls' Sports Debate