AB Hernandez mother blasts critics during heated Riverside Unified school board meeting over transgender athlete debate

AB Hernandez, the 16-year-old transgender athlete from Jurupa Valley High School in Riverside County, became the centre of a stormful school board meeting on August 2025. Her mother, Nereyda Hernandez, stood up in front of the school board and told them, “my daughter is not the problem,” as tensions ran high over her participation on the girls’ volleyball team.

The meeting followed a forfeit by Riverside Poly High School’s girls’ volleyball team, who refused to play Jurupa Valley, making national headlines.

AB Hernandez’s mom Nereyda Hernandez speaks out at Riverside school board meeting

At the Riverside Unified School District board meeting, on August 2025, Nereyda made her voice very clear. She turned to board member Amanda Vickers and accused her of a “moral failure” and of “welcoming harassment.” She said, “You actually entertained and welcomed harassment to my child … you have an oath to protect, to support all children, not just the ones that fit your ideas, your beliefs.”

She added: “When you allow or tolerate targeted harassment … you are only failing morally.” She made it firm: “My daughter is not the problem,” and blamed “coordinated external efforts… to spread fear and pit parents against each other using religion as a shield for discrimination.”Another parent at the meeting accused the board of “gross negligence” and said AB had been “stalked” and “followed.” Meanwhile, others spoke for the Riverside Poly athletes, like Maria Correo, who said, “Poly girls, we stand with you. Keep fighting, because these parents that support their confused child are the problem.”

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AB Hernandez, school forfeit, state titles and broader controversy

Earlier in mid-August 2025, Riverside Poly High School forfeited its scheduled girls’ volleyball match against Jurupa Valley. Officially, the school said they wanted a “safe, positive environment for all student-athletes.” But many believed the forfeit protested Hernandez’s inclusion on the team. Some parents spoke out, saying trans people “have no right to play sports against the opposite sex.”AB Hernandez had already won state titles in triple jump and high jump and placed second in long jump at the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) state championships. Amid fierce protests and attacks from national figures like former President Trump, CIF introduced a rule so that girls who finished behind Hernandez could also receive medals, offering a compromise.AB stayed focused: she said, “I know how hard I’ve worked. That’s what matters.” Her mother, once a Trump supporter, now defends her daughter publicly and urges others to choose love over politics or religion.