Trump Admin Hits University With Title IX Violation Over Male Athlete In Women’s Sports

San Jose State University was hit with a Title IX violation by the United States Department of Education after an investigation found that the school’s women’s volleyball team kept a male player on its roster from 2022 to 2024.

The university is now saying it’s “reviewing” the Education Department’s findings.

In a statement to Fox News, San Jose State University said: “San Jose State, a member of the California State University system, received notification from the federal Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights regarding its investigation into athletics participation on our past women’s volleyball teams. The Department informed the University of the outcome of its investigation and its findings. The University is in the process of reviewing the Department’s findings and proposed resolution agreement. We remain committed to providing a safe, respectful, and inclusive educational environment for all students while complying with applicable laws and regulations.”

The statement comes after the Department of Education concluded its investigation into the school on Wednesday.

“The U.S. Department of Education’s (ED) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) found that San José State University (SJSU) violated Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (Title IX),” the department said in a statement. “OCR concluded that SJSU’s policies allowing males to compete in women’s sports and access female-only facilities deny women equal educational opportunities and benefits.”

Blaire Fleming is a male who played on the women’s volleyball team at San Jose State. Fleming played both indoor and beach volleyball. Fleming’s background became news after multiple outlets reported SJSU allegedly tried to hide Fleming’s sex from teammates, coaches, and opponents.

The Office of Civil Rights said that the cover-up forced female athletes on San Jose’s volleyball team to share locker rooms and hotel rooms with a male.

In addition to the privacy concerns, there were also alarming safety concerns. The investigation alleges that Fleming spiked the ball so hard that it knocked women on the opposing team to the ground. During one season, seven all-women’s teams from other universities forfeited their competitions, accepting a loss rather than competing against a male.

When Fleming’s sex was made known to Brooke Slusser, the teammate of Fleming filed a lawsuit against the school and the NCAA for not informing her or her teammates that Fleming was a male. An assistant coach was suspended and not re-contracted after she filed a Title IX complaint over the school’s handling of the male player.

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Title IX prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in education programs or activities receiving federal financial assistance. United States Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said she will hold San Jose State accountable.

“San José State University caused significant harm to female athletes by allowing a male to compete on the women’s volleyball team— and when female athletes spoke out, SJSU retaliated,” McMahon said.

As a result of the university’s noncompliance, the Department of Education is requiring a list of actions to be taken, including a public statement from SJSU saying the university will adopt biology-based definitions of the words “male” and “female.”  The school will also acknowledge that the sex of a human, male or female, is unchangeable, and send an apology to players who were on the volleyball and beach volleyball teams with Fleming and any players who refused to compete against Fleming. In the apology, the university has to express sincere regret for placing female athletes in that position.

San Jose State University has 10 days to comply or risk “imminent enforcement action.”

“We will not relent until SJSU is held to account for these abuses and commits to upholding Title IX to protect future athletes from the same indignities,” Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Kimberly Richey said.