The Department of Education (ED) stated on Wednesday that San Jose State University (SJSU) has breached Title IX by permitting men who identify as transgender to join women’s sports and spaces.
The Office of Civil Rights (OCR) of the department initiated an investigation into SJSU in February 2025, prompted by claims that the university allowed men to participate in the women’s indoor volleyball team and retaliated against female students and assistant coaches who disagreed with the institution’s “gender identity” policies.
“SJSU has done a significant disservice to female athletes,” said Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Kimberly Ritchie. “By allowing men to compete on the women’s volleyball team, it has created unfair competition, jeopardized safety, and limited opportunities for women, including in terms of scholarships and playing time. Importantly, when female athletes voiced their concerns, they faced retaliation, with one even facing a Title IX complaint for ‘misgendering’ a male athlete.”
Ritchie added, “We will not stop until SJSU is held accountable for these violations and commits to upholding Title IX to protect future athletes from similar experiences.”
The ED indicated that its investigation revealed SJSU has been actively recruiting male players for the women’s indoor and beach volleyball teams since 2022, and, allegedly, instructed coaches not to inform female athletes about the male players’ identities.
The ED further asserted, “The presence of male athletes raised safety concerns and gave the SJSU team an unfair physical advantage. There were instances where a male athlete spiked the ball with such intensity that it knocked female players from opposing teams to the ground. In one season, seven women’s teams from other universities chose to withdraw from competitions rather than face SJSU’s teams.”
Moreover, OCR concluded that SJSU failed to adequately investigate complaints from female players regarding the male athletes and took steps that hindered women’s participation in the Title IX process. Title IX prohibits sex discrimination in educational programs and activities, which is crucial for receiving federal funding.
In a separate incident, just days after SJSU women’s volleyball players filed a Title IX lawsuit against the NCAA, ED reported discovering that male students plotted to have a member of the opposing team strike a male player during an upcoming match. SJSU, however, did not investigate the conspiracy but instead focused on the female athlete regarding charges of ‘misgendering’ during discussions of the incident.
OCR has proposed a resolution agreement for SJSU to willingly address the Title IX violations.
An SJSU spokesperson informed that the agency is aware of the OCR’s conclusions and is currently reviewing the findings and resolution agreement. The spokesperson emphasized, “We remain dedicated to ensuring a safe, respectful, and inclusive educational environment for all students while adhering to relevant laws and regulations.”
