What We Know, And Don’t Know, About Skyline’s Transgender Athlete Waiver And Title IX Fight

A Michigan parent’s Title IX complaint over a trans-identifying biological male on the Ann Arbor Skyline girls’ volleyball team just collided with the first concrete number we’ve been able to pry out of the state’s governing body.

After months of dodges and "we’ll release it after the season," the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) finally told OutKick one transgender athlete eligibility waiver was approved for the 2025–26 fall season. The confirmation came from MHSAA communications director Geoff Kimmerly, who confirmed the approval in a Dec. 9 email to OutKick. He would not say which sport or which school, and declined to provide a request date or an approval date, citing student privacy.

We now know the MHSAA approved one transgender athlete eligibility waiver for the fall, but we still don't know if that waiver applies to Skyline. If it was Skyline's request, we don't know if the school applied for the waiver in time (MHSAA requires waiver applications to be submitted 30 days before the opt-out date, which was Oct. 9 for girls' volleyball), or when the MHSAA approved the waiver, which would have had to happen prior to Skyline competing in the District 15 tournament that it ultimately won. 

As OutKick previously reported exclusively, the Skyline girls' volleyball team had a trans-identifying biological male (who OutKick is not naming because the person is believed to be a minor) in its starting lineup. The team reached the Michigan Division 1 state quarterfinals before losing to Byron Center, but the athlete earned First Team All-Conference honors.

Title IX Complaint Filed Over Skyline Trans Athlete

On Dec. 5, Monroe parent Sean Lechner filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education alleging Title IX and privacy violations tied to Skyline’s rostering of a biological male. Lechner says his daughter’s team was forced to share a girls’ locker room with Skyline at Monroe on Sept. 9, and that the girls weren’t told in advance. He also alleges the same athlete competed against Monroe on Oct. 25 at Skyline.

In a statement on Dec. 8, Monroe Public Schools Superintendent Andrew Shaw said the district has retained a third party to investigate and will make no further comment while that review is underway.

Kimmerly told OutKick: "One waiver for eligibility was granted under our transgender student policy for the 2025–26 fall sports season" and added the waiver was granted "in compliance with applicable state and federal law."

MHSAA confirmed one transgender eligibility waiver for 2025–26 fall sports after a Michigan parent filed a Title IX complaint over Skyline girls’ volleyball, but key questions remain unanswered.

(OutKick & Fox News/Josh Nelson)

MHSAA also says it has been in contact with lawmakers from both parties this fall and will "rely upon the legislature or the courts to provide clarity" when state and federal guidance conflict.

RELATED: OutKick Reporter Harassed Covering Girls Volleyball, Trans Player, As Principal Does Nothing

The status of transgender athletes in Michigan is in legislative limbo. Although the Republican-controlled Michigan House of Representatives has passed two bills to prohibit transgender participation in girls' and women's sports, the Democrat-controlled state Senate has said it won't even consider a ban on transgender athletes in girls' and women's sports.

While Michigan does not explicitly ban transgender participation in girls' and women's sports, President Donald Trump signed an executive order that effectively does. As a public high school, Skyline could be subjected to a loss of federal funding if found to be in violation of that executive order.

Several schools, districts and athletic associations across the country are currently under investigation by the Department of Education for Title IX violations related to transgender athletes, but none are in the state of Michigan.

Questions Remain 

Ann Arbor Public Schools (AAPS), Skyline's district, also wouldn't confirm if it applied for, or approved, a transgender athlete eligibility waiver. AAPS spokesperson Andrew Cluley told OutKick on Sept. 4 that their high schools "follow all of the MHSAA guidelines and regulations" and the district does not share information about its students. 

OutKick did not ask for information about a specific student, simply whether the school applied for any transgender athlete eligibility waivers, but AAPS continued to hide behind privacy policy that doesn't apply to the situation or our request. 

The key here is that parents, female athletes and the media aren’t asking for medical files or names. We just want to know whether the rules were followed. Now we know one waiver existed somewhere in Michigan this fall. If it belonged to Skyline, there’s a straightforward way to say so without identifying anyone. The fact that the MHSAA, AAPS and Skyline continue to obfuscate on the issue only raises more questions about the legitimacy of the process. 

Until the MHSAA and Skyline provide proof, not vague responses hidden behind inapplicable privacy laws, the core issue remains unresolved.