State Rep. John Carson of East Cobb said he has filed a Title IX sex discrimination complaint against Pope High School’s athletics department for a policy regarding female sports eligibility.
Carson said in a release he filed a complaint with the Atlanta Division of the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights, which enforces Title IX.
That’s a federal education law that bans sex discrimination in educational institutions receiving federal funding.
In his complaint, Carson said that female varsity and junior varsity basketball players were told they could not participate in other sports at the same time, but that male basketball players were not subject to the same policy.
Carson, a Republican who represents District 46 that includes Northeast Cobb, said the policy was implemented in the spring, and that he sent a written complaint to the Cobb County School District in April after hearing from parents.
“This restriction does not apply to their male counterparts, many of whom are allowed to play multiple sports simultaneously and openly without consequence,” Carson said in the release, announcing the complaint, which stems from some of the girls also wanting to play flag football (a sport in which Pope is a current state champion).
“As I said in my letter to the Cobb County School Board, please let the girls play.”
East Cobb News has left a message with the Cobb school district seeking more information, and received this vague response, which didn’t answer any of the issues raised by Carson in his complaint:
“As the school shared with families last year, athletic practices apply to all of our students, both boys and girls.
Schools across the county and metro follow a clear athletic practice: students should finish one sports season before starting another, unless both head coaches and the principal agree to an exception.
This helps protect the health of student athletes by limiting fatigue and preventing injury, especially when sports seasons overlap. Our goal is to support the health, safety, and success of every student-athlete in Cobb.”
Updated: The conservative Cobb Voice website suggested that Carson “may have cried wolf” with his complaint, and included an excerpt from an April message from Pope principal Matthew Bradford saying that female athletes can play basketball and flag football:
“In the same way, both boys and girls have the same opportunity, schedule permitting, to try out and/or play in two sports simultaneously when seasons overlap.”
The Cobb Voice—whose contributors are not identified, opined that:
“Some are asking whether Rep. Carson is truly defending fairness or simply meddling in matters best left to educators. Local athletic policies are developed by coaches, principals, and administrators who work directly with students. By injecting politics into a process governed by local control, Carson risks overstepping his role as a state legislator.
But Cobb Board of Education member John Cristadoro, whose Post 5 in East Cobb includes the Pope cluster, posted on his Facebook page Tuesday that “Given the seriousness of such an allegation, I hope a thorough review was conducted prior to its filing. If any concerns are found to be valid, I trust the district will take the necessary steps to address and resolve them.”
He also said that “From my experience, I also believe our coaches and athletic directors across Cobb County and across Georgia, recognize the unique challenges faced by multi-sport athletes and strive to make roster decisions with student safety in mind. Pope High School has made clear to families that this commitment applies equally to all students—boys and girls alike.”
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