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Former high school coach says First Amendment rights were violated in his fight to protect women's sports

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Attorneys representing John Parks, a track and field coach in Oregon, filed a lawsuit on Thursday against the school district where he previously worked. 

The Lake Oswego School District, which oversees Lake Oswego High School, and the Lake Oswego School Board fired Parks last month after he sent a letter to state officials about laws related to transgender athletes.

Parks spoke to Fox News Digital about his decision to pursue legal action and what outcome he hopes to see. 

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John Parks coached girls track and field at Lake Oswego High School in Oregon. (C. Morgan Engel/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)

"The main point of [filing the lawsuit] is to drive home the point that we need protection for female athletes, that's first and foremost. I think we have to force action at the state level. So, in cases like this, we will get guidance from the International Olympic Committee and the other international sports federations, and our U.S. track and field federations [etc.] can offer [direction as well]," Parks said.

"And the other is: I want my job. I didn't do anything wrong."

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Parks added that those involved in the decision to remove him from his coaching position rushed to judgment.

Former Oregon high school track coach John Parks (OutKick)

"They didn't consider that you can't have arguments on this kind of issue with only one side of political speech, as the Supreme Court has ruled many times," Parks said. "I have to be able to be free to argue for female athletes because that's something I'm dedicated to because I lost a sister a

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Morgan Engel

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