A girls’ high school volleyball team in California has had two more games scratched from its schedule as opposing schools chose to forfeit their matches, further escalating a controversy that was already roiling in the community over a transgender athlete on the team.

Maribel Munoz, the mother of one of the Jurupa Valley High School girls’ volleyball team’s players, confirmed the forfeits to Fox News Digital on Thursday after the team’s coach, Liana Manu, sent a text to parents of the team’s players. Rim of the World High School, which was scheduled to play against the Jurupa Valley High School team on Aug. 25, was the first to decline, followed by Orange Vista High School, whose match was scheduled for Aug. 29, according to the message sent by Manu.

In a statement to Fox News Digital, Jurupa Valley Unified School District (JUSD) addressed the latest forfeits, saying that it was not a decision made by its own school board or athletic department.

“We understand and acknowledge the disappointment of our Jurupa Valley High School athletes who are ready and prepared to play. Decisions to cancel matches were made by teams in other districts,” the district stated. “We are bound by California law to protect all students from discrimination based on gender identity. Education Code 221.5 (f) requires that school districts allow students to participate on athletic teams consistent with their gender identity. This law has been confirmed by the California Attorney General Rob Bonta and by the State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond.”

“We are proud of our JVHS Jaguars and their willingness to play any team and represent their school and our district with pride,” the district said. “We are working on making up the lost matches so our athletes do not lose out on valuable playing time.”

The two most recent forfeits follow an earlier one on Aug. 15 from Riverside Poly High School. Parents of Riverside Poly High School athletes and a member of the Riverside school board told Fox News Digital the decision to forfeit their Aug. 15 match against Jurupa Valley was made in response to the team’s transgender player, senior AB Hernandez.

In a statement shared with Fox News Digital on Wednesday, Hernandez’s mother, Nereyda Hernandez, called on parents and community members to be more understanding.

“I understand the discomfort some may feel, because I was once there, too. The difference is, I chose to learn, to grow, and to open my heart,” she said.

Hernandez described her daughter as a “small little girl,” and said what makes her daughter different is not her height, strength, or muscle, but rather her ability and knowledge of the game. “This is a child, and I can assure you that she sees your daughters as peers, as teammates, as friends, not through a lens of anything inappropriate,” Hernandez continued. She added that her daughter was unaware of the forfeits when they first happened.

Nereyda Hernandez recently received national attention in the spring when her daughter won two state titles in long jump and triple jump as part of the track and field season, sparking protests from female athletes and their parents, some of whom were wearing “Save Girls’ Sports” shirts. The controversy also led former President Donald Trump to post a message on his Truth Social platform days before the state finals, asking California officials to block a trans girl from competing, though Trump did not specifically mention Hernandez.

In July, the U.S. Department of Justice sued the California Department of Education and the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) for its policy of allowing transgender athletes to participate in girls’ sports despite Trump’s executive order in February to bar such participation.

Hernandez, who is a senior and in her final year of high school volleyball, should be focused on the matches. Instead, her season will be marked by forfeits and community divisions.

Munoz, a parent in the Jurupa Valley school district whose daughter has played alongside Hernandez for three years, expressed frustration at how her daughter’s season has begun. “It makes me feel sad, it makes me feel angry, frustrated, just so many emotions,” Munoz said.

Parents and community members have clashed at Riverside Unified School District board meetings over the issue. At a recent meeting of the Riverside board, some parents spoke in support of Riverside Poly athletes and their decision to boycott playing, while other parents and community members spoke in support of the right of transgender students to participate in sports.

During the meeting, Nereyda Hernandez also criticized a Riverside board member, Amanda Vickers, for speaking to Fox News Digital and describing the circumstances behind the forfeit earlier in August. “You actually entertained and welcomed harassment to my child,” Nereyda Hernandez said, speaking about Vickers. “You are a board member. You have an oath to protect, to support all children, not just the ones that fit your ideas, your beliefs.”

Nereyda Hernandez also said that many parents supporting those who boycotted the game against Jurupa Valley were not focused on fairness or any community standards but were rather being pushed by well-organized religious groups with an agenda. “This has nothing to do with fairness in sports and everything to do with erasing transgender children,” she said.

Parents such as Maria Carrillo, meanwhile, spoke in support of the Riverside Poly girls for standing up for themselves and said parents like Munoz had failed their own children. “Poly girls, we stand with you. Keep fighting, because these parents who support their confused child are the problem,” Carrillo said.