NEWS PROVIDED BY
Advocates for Faith & Freedom
Nov. 21, 2024
 
MURRIETA, Calif., Nov. 21, 2024 /Christian Newswire/ -- Two high school female athletes and their families have filed a federal lawsuit against the Riverside Unified School District (RUSD) and school officials at Martin Luther King High School, alleging violations of their First and Fourteenth Amendment rights as well as Title IX protections. The plaintiffs, K.S., a ninth-grade cross-country athlete, and T.S., an eleventh-grade cross-country athlete and team captain, contend that RUSD's policies unfairly restrict their freedom of expression and deny them fair and equal access to athletic opportunities.

The lawsuit stems from incidents where both athletes wore shirts bearing the messages "Save Girls' Sports" and "It's Common Sense. XX ≠ XY" in support of biological standards for female sports. School officials ordered the students to remove or conceal the shirts, claiming they created a "hostile" environment, comparing wearing these shirts to wearing a swastika in front of Jewish students.

In addition to free speech concerns, the complaint highlights RUSD's failure to comply with Title IX, which guarantees equal athletic opportunities based on biological sex. T.S. was ousted from her position on the varsity cross-country team to make room for a biological male transgender athlete who did not consistently attend practices and failed to meet the varsity team's strict qualifying requirements. As a result, T.S. missed opportunities to compete at a high-profile meet, losing valuable chances for college recruitment and recognition.
 
The plaintiffs argue that the school's selective enforcement of dress codes and failure to uphold Title IX policies violate their constitutional rights and place female athletes at an unfair disadvantage. The lawsuit seeks to affirm the students' right to express their views, ensure fair athletic opportunities for female students, and hold RUSD accountable for policies that the plaintiffs allege are discriminatory.
 
The plaintiffs are seeking declaratory and injunctive relief to prevent further suppression of their free speech rights, a judgment affirming Title IX protections for female athletes, and compensation for damages incurred.

"We will not allow boys to take over girls' sports or let woke policies silence young women fighting for fair competition," said Advocates attorney, Julianne Fleischer. "This case is about protecting equal opportunities and the freedom to speak out—values that should be upheld, not suppressed, in our schools."
 
"I'm calling on President Trump and the incoming Congress to restore women's sports and to stop the mockery of women by this radical and ignorant ideology," stated Advocates attorney, Robert Tyler. 

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About Advocates for Faith & Freedom (www.faith-freedom.com):
Advocates for Faith & Freedom safeguards the constitutional liberties that define the United States as a beacon of freedom and prosperity, including religious freedom, free speech, election integrity, parental rights, and the rights of children, both born and unborn.

SOURCE Advocates for Faith & Freedom

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