San Jose State University President Cynthia Teniente-Matson announced Friday that the school and the California State University (CSU) system are suing the federal government to challenge the U.S. Department of Education’s recent determination that SJSU violated Title IX in its handling of a transgender volleyball player. The department’s Office of Civil Rights (OCR) announced at the end of January that an investigation into the university for its handling of a trans athlete and other players concluded that the school violated Title IX and gave the school an ultimatum to resolve the violation by agreeing to a series of conditions. But now, instead of complying like the University of Pennsylvania did last summer related to its handling of trans swimmer Lia Thomas, SJSU and CSU are suing to prevent potential federal funding cuts. CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM”Because we believe OCR’s findings aren’t grounded in the facts or the law, SJSU and the CSU filed a lawsuit today against the federal government to challenge those findings and prevent the federal government from taking punitive action against the university, including the potential withholding of critical federal funding,” Teniente-Matson said Friday.”This is not a step we take lightly. However, we have a responsibility to defend the integrity of our institution and the rule of law, while ensuring that every member of our community is treated fairly and in accordance with the law. Our position is simple: We have followed the law and cannot be punished for doing so.”The school is also requesting that OCR rescind its findings and close its investigation. Fox News Digital has reached out to the Department of Education for a response. Teniente-Matson affirmed the university’s commitment to defending the LGBTQ community in the announcement.”Our support for the LGBTQ members of our community, who have experienced threats and harms over the last several years, remains unwavering. We know the attention the university has received around this issue and the investigative process that followed have been unsettling for many in our community,” the president said. “We’ve heard the fear and anxiety that it has created and recognize that waiting for the university’s response has been difficult at a time already filled with uncertainty.” The university and its volleyball program were thrust into the national spotlight in 2024 after it was revealed the team rostered trans athlete Blaire Fleming since 2022. Former SJSU co-captain Brooke Slusser joined a lawsuit and led her own, alleging she was never told Fleming was a biological male when she joined the team and shared bedrooms and changing spaces with Fleming without that knowledge.Slusser has responded to SJSU and CSU’s decision to sue in a statement to Fox News Digital. “It makes me so mad that SJSU still refuses to see that everything they did is wrong. I think they’re just too scared to admit it and face the repercus
SJSU and CSU suing federal government over Title IX investigation into transgender volleyball scandal
