Wisconsin school district accused of violating civil rights by permitting male to shower with teenage girls.

The Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty Files Complaint with Department of Education

The Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty (WILL) has taken action by filing a federal complaint with the Department of Education’s civil rights division. This comes after a shocking incident where a teenage girl reported that her school allowed a male who identified as female to shower alongside four teenage girls in a locker room.

Concerns Raised by WILL

WILL, a Wisconsin-based conservative law firm, filed the complaint on behalf of the parents of one of the girls involved. The incident occurred at Sun Prairie East High School (EHS) in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin. The complaint, which can be viewed here, was submitted to the Office of Civil Rights at the Department of Education.

Ensuring Safety and Accountability

Cory Brewer, Associate Counsel at WILL, emphasized the importance of ensuring safety and peace of mind for parents and students. Brewer stated, “The Sun Prairie Area School District has frankly been dismissive in how it has handled the alleged sexual harassment towards these four freshman girls. The Department of Education Office of Civil Rights should promptly investigate the allegations made in this complaint, then act swiftly to remedy unlawful policies and practices.”

Violation of Title IX

The complaint argues that the locker room policy of Sun Prairie Area School District violates Title IX, a policy that prohibits sex and gender discrimination. It asserts that the current policy is harmful to all girls in the school district.

Details of the Incident

According to WILL, the incident took place on March 23 during a swim class. Several girls were showering when an 18-year-old male student entered the shower area and undressed, announcing that he identified as transgender. The girls, feeling uncomfortable, closed their eyes and hurriedly left the showers.

Lack of Action and Transparency

The complaint further reveals that the assistant principal failed to inform a Title IX coordinator about the incident, and the girl involved was never interviewed by the district Title IX coordinator. WILL has been met with resistance from the school in their inquiry, with the school demanding a payment of approximately $11,000 to cover the costs of the organization’s Freedom of Information request.

Call for Action

Dan Lennington, Deputy Counsel at WILL, emphasized the need for a response from the Biden Administration. Lennington stated, “These troubling events are occurring across the country, and what happened in Wisconsin is by no means an isolated incident. It’s imperative that the Biden Administration responds to our complaint — while sending a clear message that common sense and the rule of law will prevail in schools across America.”

Policy Proposals and Statements

The Biden administration has previously proposed expanding Title IX sports protections to include gender identity. However, Education Secretary Miguel Cardona recently expressed support for separate showers for boys and girls, stating, “We absolutely support making sure that boys and girls use different showers. That’s common sense.”