Trump Administration Investigates San Jose State for Title IX Violations

Wed Feb 04 2026 02:58:20 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

The U.S. Education Department has accused San Jose State University of discrimination against female athletes for allowing a transgender player on their women's volleyball team. A resolution deal is on the table.

In a move stirring significant debate, the Trump administration's Education Department has accused San Jose State University of Title IX violations after it allowed a transgender athlete to compete on its women's volleyball team. The proposed resolution includes accepting the administration's gender definitions and providing apologies to affected athletes. The university faces potential legal action and funding issues if it rejects the deal.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration has concluded that San Jose State University discriminated against women by allowing a transgender athlete to play on the women’s volleyball team, according to a statement from the U.S. Education Department.

The department has offered San Jose State a deal aimed at resolving the case, demanding the university accept the administration's definitions of 'male' and 'female', restore titles misappropriated by male athletes and issue apologies to female athletes affected by the decisions.

San Jose State has not publicly commented on the matter.

The Education Department has taken consistent action against various states and institutions permitting transgender athletes to compete, aligning with President Donald Trump's position on this contentious issue. If the university declines the offered deal, it risks facing a lawsuit from the Justice Department and potential loss of federal funding.

The inquiry into San Jose State follows similar investigations into other institutions, including the University of Pennsylvania, which has agreed to modify records and issue apologies to its athletes.

Education Department officials indicated that San Jose State's actions constituted a violation of Title IX, which protects against gender discrimination in educational institutions. Allegations suggest the university also retaliated against players who protested the inclusion of a transgender athlete on the team.

“We will not relent until SJSU is held accountable for these abuses and commits to upholding Title IX,” said Kimberly Richey, assistant secretary for civil rights at the Education Department.

Attention has grown regarding the SJSU volleyball team's situation, as nine student athletes from the Mountain West Conference filed a lawsuit against the league for the policy allowing transgender competitors, claiming it creates an unfair landscape and poses safety concerns.

Several teams declined to play against San Jose State, resulting in automatic losses for those games.

The resolution demanded by the Education Department includes sending personalized apologies to all female athletes who participated in the women's indoor volleyball team from 2022 to 2024, as well as the 2023 beach volleyball team, and to any woman who forfeited matches against San Jose State.