Latest news with #ChamplinParkHighSchool
Fox News
27-06-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
New Title IX investigation opened in Minnesota after trans pitcher wins girls' softball championship
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has launched a Title IX investigation into the state of Minnesota after a transgender pitcher led Champlin Park High School to a state championship earlier this month. HHS announced the investigation on Thursday, directly citing the controversial softball situation. "The male athlete's participation was instrumental, leading the team to win the state title," the announcement read. HHS's Office of Civil Rights Paula M. Stannard insisted that the state must follow federal law, and not its current state laws that permit trans inclusion in girls' sports. "Females cannot be relegated to the sidelines under Title IX," Stannard said in the announcement. "As a recipient of Federal funds, Title IX requires Minnesota to ensure fair and safe opportunities for females to compete on sex-segregated teams – regardless of state law obligations." The state is already under investigation by the U.S. Department of Education for its state laws that allow biological males in girls' sports and defy President Donald Trump's "Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports" executive order. That investigation was elevated to the federal Title IX investigation team, which operates in conjunction with the Department of Justice, on June 12. The state is also engaged in a pair of lawsuits over the issue, one filed by state Attorney General Keith Ellison against the Trump administration, and another filed by three anonymous girls softball players against Ellison and the state over having to compete with a trans athlete. The state also failed to pass a bill that would have barred biological males from girls' and women's sports in early March after Democrats in the state's legislature voted against it. This allowed the trans pitcher, junior Marissa Rothenberger, to have a dominant playoff run for Champlin Park. Rothenberger threw a complete-game shutout, allowing just three hits and striking out six in the championship game Friday, capping off a run that saw Rothenberger pitch all 21 innings across three state tournament games, giving up just two runs. The organization representing the plaintiffs suing the state over its policies, Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), previously provided a statement from one of the female players about her experience facing the trans athlete. "Hitting against him is not only a physical challenge but a mental, too. It's a mental battle knowing that he has an advantage in the sport that I grew up playing, making it hard to even want to hit against him. His ability to get outs and spin the ball is a strong advantage, but like I said, it's also incredibly mentally challenging knowing that you're competing against someone who has unfair advantages leaving you with little to no confidence," the player said. "This issue has affected me in ways that I never imagined. It's simply unfair, and I hate that nothing is happening to change that. Boys should not be able to take girls' spots on teams just because they are capable of doing so. I hope that more girls affected by this issue will stand up against this." The anonymous player also called out Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison for aggressively defending trans inclusion in girls' sports in the state. Ellison has filed a lawsuit against President Donald Trump and the U.S. Department of Justice over Trump's "Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports" executive order. "It's really upsetting to know that [Ellison] isn't taking rights of girls and women seriously. He is allowing boys to compete with girls, and it is not safe and completely unfair. To know that AG Ellison is in complete support of letting boys and men take advantage of females in sports is absolutely disgusting and wrong," the player added. Champlin Park's school district provided a statement to Fox News Digital defending the decision to allow the athlete to compete on the softball team. "Throughout the entire season, and as the Rebels advance to the state tournament, it is important to note that all of the student athletes participating for the Champlin Park Softball team are eligible to compete in compliance with Minnesota State High School League rules and applicable state law. Due to data privacy laws, the District is not able to provide public comment regarding a specific student athlete," a statement from the Anoka-Hennepin School District stated. "In addition, the District is named in an active lawsuit which limits what information can be shared." Ellison's office previously released a statement responding to the lawsuit against the state over Rothenberger's participation in the girls' softball season. "In addition to getting exercise and the fun of competition, playing sports comes with so many benefits for young people. You build friendships that can last a lifetime, you learn how to work as part of a team, and you get to feel like you belong," Ellison said. "I believe it is wrong to single out one group of students, who already face higher levels of bullying and harassment, and tell these kids they cannot be on the team because of who they are. I will continue to defend the rights of all students to play sports with their friends and peers." Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Time of India
23-06-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Simone Biles deletes X account after backlash over transgender athlete debate with Riley Gaines
Simone Biles (via Getty Images) Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles has deleted her X (formerly Twitter) account amid mass backlash after she rallied behind a transgender high school sports star during a heated exchange with former swimmer and women's sport activist Riley Gaines. Simone Biles, who is universally acclaimed around the world for her historic gymnastics legacy, broke the notion that sport can be either competitive fairness or direct inclusion of all. Her position, however, spurred polarized responses on social media platforms, specifically on X, where she had almost two million followers, when suddenly her account disappeared. Simone Biles and Riley Gaines clash over trans athlete's victory at high school championship The row began earlier in June when Simone Biles spoke out strongly in defense of Riley Gaines' attack on transgender softball player Marissa Rothenberger, who helped Minnesota's Champlin Park High School to a state championship. Riley Gaines had referred to the win as 'expected when your star player is a boy,' causing fresh controversy surrounding transgender sport and school sports. Following a public outcry, Simone Biles issued a public apology on X, saying she intended to support equity and inclusion but accepted that her language towards Riley Gaines was too personal. 'I wanted to follow up on my last tweets. I've always believed competitive equity & inclusivity are both essential in sport. The current system doesn't adequately balance these important principles, which often leads to frustration and heated exchanges, and it didn't help for me to get personal with Riley, which I apologize for,' Simone Biles wrote. 'We all want a future for sport that is fair, inclusive, and respectful. Olympian accuses Simone Biles of bullying her 'many times' There was still backlash, however, as other sporting personalities chimed in, including MyKayla Skinner and Danica Patrick. Some denounced Biles for quashing dissent by deactivating her account, while others defended her move as a boundary-setting gesture against cyberbullying. Riley Gaines made a public reply to the deletion. "Sad to see such a phenom go down like this.' Also read: Simone Biles thanks Cecile Landi with a surprise luxury tequila during her Olympic break While Simone Biles herself has not spoken on the removal of her X account, her Instagram account of over 12 million followers remains active. Whether or not this is an ongoing reprieve or ultimate goodbye to the platform, the action has been what spurred a broader conversation on the boundaries of online speech and the expectation that public figures must assume when battling for representation in sport. For real-time updates, scores, and highlights, follow our live coverage of the India vs England Test match here . Game On Season 1 kicks off with Sakshi Malik's inspiring story. Watch Episode 1 here
New York Post
12-06-2025
- Politics
- New York Post
Education Department tags in DOJ to probe Minnesota after trans athlete helps girls' softball team win title
WASHINGTON — The Education Department has looped in the Department of Justice on its investigation of Minnesota's State High School League (MSHL) after a transgender athlete led the girls' softball team at Champlin Park High School to its first-ever state championship last week. Transgender pitcher Marissa Rothenberger caused rivals to cry foul after she pitched five games in a row — including all three in the Class 4A tournament — and only gave up one run in 35 innings. In the title game against Bloomington Jefferson, Rothenberger pitched a complete game shutout, striking out six and surrendering just three hits and no walks. Three female softball players from Maple Grove High School and Farmington High School have filed a lawsuit against Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, arguing that Champlin Park gained an unfair advantage with Rothenberger able to shoulder the pitching load in a way that a biological female could not. Advertisement The investigation of the MSHL and the Minnesota Education Department will be carried out by a newly established Title IX Special Investigations Team, comprised of both Education Departmetn and Justice Department personnel and meant to enforce President Trump's February executive order to 'keep men out of women's sports.' If found to be noncompliant, both organizations risk losing all federal funding. 3 Linda McMahon, Secretary of The Department of Education, testifies in front of the House Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies in Washington, D.C., on May 21, 2025. Jack Gruber-USA TODAY via Imagn Images Advertisement 'Minnesota's continued indifference to females' civil rights is completely unacceptable,' Education Secretary Linda McMahon said in a statement announcing the elevated investigation. 'We must ensure women and girls are not stripped of their hard-earned accolades or subjected to the danger and indignity of unfair competitions, and we will fight to restore antidiscrimination protections under Title IX to the fullest extent of the law.' 3 Attorney General Pam Bondi speaks during a meeting with President Donald Trump and the Fraternal Order of Police in the State Dinning Room of the White House, Thursday, June 5, 2025, in Washington. AP 3 Champlin Park High School in Minnesota. Google Maps Advertisement But supporters of including trans athletes in women's sports point to the MSHL allowing their inclusion since 2014. Minnesota Democratic Gov. Tim Walz has stood behind transgender competition in girls' sports, telling the Independent last month 'it's a mistake' for the party to abandon the issue. 'Here's the thing,' he said, 'we need to tell people your cost of eggs, your health care being denied, your homeowner's insurance, your lack of getting warning on tornadoes coming has nothing to do with someone's gender.' The MSHL and the Minnesota Education Department did not immediately respond to inquiries from The Post.
Yahoo
07-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Simone Biles rails against ‘sore loser' conservative activist over trans athletes
Olympian gymnast Simone Biles on Friday night clashed with conservative activist Riley Gaines over a transgender athlete's participation on a Minnesota high school's softball team. Gaines railed against a post on social platform X from the Minnesota State High School League that celebrated Champlin Park High School's first softball state championship win. 'Comments off lol,' Gaines wrote, referencing MSHSL's X settings. 'To be expected when your star player is a boy.' The pitcher on Champlin Park's team identifies as transgender and pitched a shutout, delivering a 6-0 win over Bloomington Jefferson High School on Friday. 'You're truly sick, all of this campaigning because you lost a race,' Biles responded to Gaines, a former collegiate swimmer, calling her a 'bully' and a 'straight up sore loser.' Gaines, a student athlete turned political pundit, has become a vocal critic against the participation of transgender athletes in girls and women's sports. Her rise on the right came after tying for fifth place in the 2022 NCAA Championships with transgender swimmer and LGBTQ advocate Lia Thomas. 'You should be uplifting the trans community and perhaps finding a way to make sports inclusive OR creating a new avenue where trans feel safe in sport,' Biles continued in her thread on Friday. 'Maybe a transgender category IN ALL sports!! Earlier this year, Gaines joined President Trump at the White House when he signed an executive order barring the participation of trans athletes in sports that align with their gender identity. This order prompted an investigation into the Minnesota high school sports governing body and the state's federal funding, which the North Star State is fighting in court. The former University of Kentucky swimmer responded to the 11-time Olympic medalist's defense of the young athlete, calling her remarks 'disappointing.' 'It's not my job or the job of any woman to figure out how to include men in our spaces,' Gaines wrote on X. 'You can uplift men stealing championships in women's sports with YOUR platform.' 'Men don't belong in women's sports and I say that with my full chest,' she added. Last month, a conservative group on behalf of three softball players sued the North Star State over its 2015 transgender athlete policy, local outlets reported. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
New York Post
07-06-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
Riley Gaines issues vile response to Olympian Simone Biles' critique of Minn. trans athlete
She pulled no punches. Conservative anti-trans activist Riley Gaines couldn't resist going for the low blow in her ongoing online spat with gold medal-winning gymnast Simone Biles. In her latest reply in the back-and-forth between the pair, Gaines referenced convicted sexual predator Larry Nassar — the former Team USA doctor who abused the Olympic legend and other females gymnasts. Advertisement 'All the horrific sexual abuse @Simone_Biles witnessed and spoke out against caused by one man, yet [she] believes women should be forced to strip naked in front of men to validate the man's feelings,' the former collegiate swimmer posted to X. 'You know how many gold medals you'd have if your 'inclusive' dream came true? Zero.' 3 Simone Biles is an Olympic legend with a ton of gold medals. Getty Images Advertisement Nassar is serving 40 to 175 years in prison for sexually abusing hundreds of gymnasts, including Olympians Biles, Aly Raisman, and Gabby Douglas. Biles blasted Gaines on X for criticizing a Minnesota softball team that included transgender player Marissa Rothenberger. 3 Riley Gaines has been a staunch anti-trans activist for years. Getty Images The pitcher threw a shutout and helped bring a state championship home to Champlin Park High School. Advertisement 'To be expected when your star player is a boy,' Gaines wrote in response to a photo of the team celebrating the winning season. Biles, a seven-time Olympic gold medalist, told Gaines she was 'truly sick.' 'All of this campaigning because you lost a race. Straight up sore loser,' Biles wrote to Gaines, who competed against trans swimmer Lia Thomas in 2022. 'You should be uplifting the trans community and perhaps finding a way to make sports inclusive OR creating a new avenue where trans feel safe in sports. Maybe a transgender category IN ALL sports!! But instead… You bully them… One things for sure is no one in sports is safe with you around!!!!!' Advertisement In another post, Biles added, 'bully someone your own size, which would ironically be a male.' 3 Larry Nassar will spend the rest of his natural life in prison. AP Gaines called the dig 'disappointing,' and added, 'It's not my job or the job of any woman to figure out how to include men in our spaces. You can uplift men stealing championships in women's sports with YOUR platform. Men don't belong in women's sports and I say that with my full chest.' Gaines added in a separate post, 'My take is the least controversial take on the planet,' and accused Biles of 'being a male-apologist at the expense of young girls' dreams.' With Post wires
