🎯IMPACT: The investigation could lead to consequences for the school district if Title IX violations are confirmed, potentially affecting policies on sports participation and locker room access.
The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights has opened an investigation into the Puyallup School District following allegations that a female high school wrestler was sexually assaulted by a trans-identified male competitor during a match in Washington state. Federal officials said the district may have violated Title IX by allowing males to compete in female sports, permitting males access to girls’ locker rooms, and failing to properly respond to reports of sexual assault. According to the department, “the alleged violations are ongoing and well known to school leaders, with at least a dozen female athletes having complained to administrators about the presence of two males in the girls’ locker room.”
The incident under review took place on December 6 during a wrestling match involving 16-year-old Kallie Keeler. Keeler alleges that during the bout, her opponent put his fingers in her vagina. Video recorded by her mother and later obtained by journalist Brandi Kruse reportedly shows Keeler visibly distressed. She ended the match by allowing her opponent to pin her and later said she was “really shocked” to learn afterward that her opponent was transgender.
Keeler’s parents contacted her coaches two days later seeking answers. One coach replied, “I most certainly would not put Kallie on the mat if I thought she was competing with a male,” and indicated the matter would be investigated. However, the family says they received no further follow-up. The district acknowledged an investigation only after Kruse inquired about the case weeks later.
The Pierce County Sheriff’s Office has reviewed footage of the match and confirmed its School Resource Officer is following up with Keeler. The investigation remains active.
The case comes amid ongoing national disputes over transgender participation in girls’ sports. The U.S. Department of Justice has challenged some state policies allowing biological males to compete in female divisions, and President Donald J. Trump has issued directives aimed at restricting such participation.
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