Minneapolis schools agree to resolve Title IX complaints over several girls sports

The Minneapolis school district has entered into an agreement with the federal government to resolve an investigation into the unequal treatment of female athletes — in particular, those participating in high school softball.

Volleyball and badminton, too, came under scrutiny in the probe conducted over the past year and a half by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights under Title IX, the 1972 law that bans sex discrimination in any federally supported school.

The investigation found some girls teams had inferior practice and competitive facilities compared with boys teams, and that in some cases, softball games had been cut short because they extended past 6 p.m. when fields were booked by adult men’s softball leagues.

Participation rates for female athletes also were found to be disproportionately low at Edison, Patrick Henry, North and South high schools.

In a statement this week, Minneapolis Public Schools said that it was “committed to ensuring that all our student athletes have equal opportunity in accordance with Title IX.”

Catherine E. Lhamon, assistant secretary for civil rights for the U.S. Department of Education, said in a news release that the agreement approved by school board members on Tuesday was “robust,” and noted it would cover locker room facilities, too.

The agreement requires the district to form a stakeholder committee including student athletes, parents and community members by Sept. 16, and to undertake a full review of its athletic programs to ensure all high school practice and competitive facilities are equal for boys and girls by the end of the 2026-27 school year.

Plans also must be developed to increase participation rates for female athletes and train athletic directors, principals and coaches on their responsibilities under Title IX.

The investigation first became public nearly 18 months ago after parents alleged that the city had no high-quality diamonds sized and fenced specifically for girls softball and that the lack of proper facilities undermined the players’ statistics and college prospects.

Patrick Henry is the only city high school to have its own baseball diamond, leaving all other district baseball and softball teams to rely on city fields run by the Park Board. Field conditions have been a concern, as has been the lack of adequate outfield fencing for some girls softball games.

The federal investigation found that several of the district’s girls volleyball and badminton teams also were put in the position of having to set up their own nets for practices and competitions.

Female athletes at two high schools reported their locker rooms lacked hot water.

Under the agreement signed this week, the district must attempt to engage girls’ interests in sports, including whether some needs are being unmet, and provide to the office of civil rights a summary of sports, squads and levels of sports that run short of those offered by other schools in the area.

The district also must provide a summary of the number of female athletes cut from each high school team and the reasons they were cut.

The girls softball teams must have equal access to fields by the start of the coming 2024-25 season, under the agreement. So, too, an equal opportunity to finish their games.

In its statement, the district cited the firm timelines and reporting requirements, and increased accountability measures. The work is to be overseen by district athletic director Antony Fisher, who was appointed on Tuesday to the title of Title IX athletics compliance coordinator.

No cost estimates were provided in the board materials.