Federal Title IX probe rocks Camas School District after trans runner controversy, superintendent pushes back
Not even close.OutKick has learned that the U.S.Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights opened an investigation into Washington state's Camas School District today to determine whether it violated Title IX.A Camas High cross country runner, who switched from the boys team to the girls team midseason, stands at the start line of a girls race in at the Nike Hole in the Wall XC Invitational.
(OutKick)A CROSS COUNTRY RUNNER SWITCHED TO THE GIRLS TEAM MIDSEASON, PARENTS VOICE THEIR DISAPPROVAL AT MEETAs was first reported by 570-KVI, parents and members of the Camas High girls' cross-country team alleged last month that the male runner entered a hotel room occupied by three female runners and took an ice bath in their bathroom while the team was traveling for an invitational meet.There are also allegations that the athlete sexually harassed female teammates, raising concerns about their privacy and safety.Parents also accused the district of mishandling their complaints of sexual harassment.
They alleged that an independent investigator failed to take steps to protect the girls and instead questioned whether they were "transphobic" or "hate trans people."This all comes on the heels of the Camas runner switching from the boys to the girls' team in the middle of the season, which ended Saturday in the state finals.The runner finished 76th in a JV meet in his first race as a boy, but won a varsity meet upon switching to the girls' team and prevented girls from advancing to the regional and state meets.The runner's presence on the girls' team sparked three separate protests from female athletes — including about a dozen of his own teammates — who walked off the starting line after the gun sounded rather than compete against him.
Elise Bierer of Battle Ground High ended her season by walking off the starting line at the district meet.The consequences for Camas School District? They could be significant.According to the DOE, a Title IX violation can result in...