Michigan Parent Files Title IX Complaint With DOE Over Transgender Volleyball Player
Monroe parent Sean Lechner says his daughter faced a trans-identifying male athlete in competition and was forced to share a locker room.
A Michigan parent filed a Title IX complaint with the Department of Education over the presence of a trans-identifying biological male player on the Ann Arbor Skyline girls' volleyball team. OutKick obtained a copy of the official complaint, filed with the Department of Education on Dec. 5, 2025.
Sean Lechner, whose daughter competed on the Monroe High School volleyball team, said his daughter was forced to compete against, and change in the same locker room, as the biological male.
"Ann Arbor Skyline played Monroe High School and won. Both schools failed to ensure fair competition, provide a safe environment and equal opportunity to participate in sex-separated athletic programs," the complaint letter alleges.
"My daughter was forced to share a locker room, where females undressed, with the male athlete. The presence of a male in the girls’ locker room was not disclosed prior to the match, constituting a violation of privacy and bodily integrity protections under Title IX," the complaint continues.
During a press conference held in Monroe on Monday, Lechner's daughter Briley spoke about the incident.
"We found out… weeks after that there was [a] male in the same locker room as us as we were changing and also playing against us. It caught everyone off guard… because nobody would have expected that," Lechner said. "As I was looking at this person, admiring how amazing they were, admiring how high they could jump, I was kinda getting down on myself [wondering] why I'm not capable of that."
Controversy Around Ann Arbor Skyline High School
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.
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.
A Michigan parent filed a formal complaint with the Department of Education over a trans-identifying biological male on the Ann Arbor Skyline's girls' volleyball team.
(Getty Images)
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.
Lechner wants that to change, which is why he filed his complaint.
Allegations of Athletic Director Hiding Information
Lechner accused the Monroe athletic director, Chet Hesson, of lying about his awareness of a transgender player on Skyline's team prior to Monroe's match against them.
"Hesson claimed in writing that he did not have prior knowledge of the athlete’s sex or gender identity. This was false, as confirmed by a staff member of the athletic community at Monroe High who came forward and provided information to Tom Heck, President of the Monroe Public School Board, in a statement that Chet knew the day before the match," the complaint continues.
OutKick reached out to Hesson after the Sept. 9 match to ask if Skyline made him aware that the school rostered a trans-identifying biological male.
"Prior to the match on Tuesday, I was informed that a news outlet may attend the match, as a courtesy from the visiting team in case media presence might cause a distraction. I did not receive any disclosure from the visiting team about the gender identity of any individual athlete or athletes," Hesson wrote in an email to OutKick on September 15.
OutKick followed up with Hesson, asking if he pressed the Skyline AD further after being told national media might be in attendance for a regular season girls' high school volleyball match.
"I did speak with the AD, she shared that there was a news outlet that was concerned about trans-athletes in sport," Hesson said in an email on Sept. 16.
A Michigan parent filed a Title IX complaint after Skyline fielded a trans-identified athlete; the complaint alleges privacy and fairness violations and questions MHSAA compliance.
(OutKick)
Lechner claims that Hesson knew that Skyline had a trans-identifying player and chose not to share the information with Monroe's players or parents.
"By withholding this information, Hesson denied female athletes the opportunity to make informed decisions about their participation and privacy, violating Title IX’s protection against sex-based discrimination," the complaint said.
The Michigan Department of Education told OutKick that it "received the complaint and is reviewing it."
The Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA), Ann Arbor Public Schools and Monroe Public Schools did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
However, OutKick obtained an internal email sent to staff by Monroe Public Schools Superintendent Andrew Shaw. In the email, Shaw said the district received a Title IX complaint Dec. 5 and has hired a third party to investigate, instructing staff not to comment until the review is complete.
What's Next?
As for Lechner's ultimate goal in filing the complaint, he asked that the school district:
- Ban biological males from competing in female sports.
- Ban biological males from entering female locker rooms during athletic competitions.
- Conduct a full investigation into actions and communications of Ann Arbor Public Schools/Skyline High and Monroe Public Schools/Monroe High School/athletic director Chet Hesson, including potential Title IX violations.
- Review compliance with MHSAA rules regarding participation of transgender athletes.
- Establish and enforce clear protocols for:Locker room access and privacyParental notification for all matchesCompetitive safety when playing against male athletesTransparent communication between athletic administrators, coaching staff, and parents
- Locker room access and privacy
- Parental notification for all matches
- Competitive safety when playing against male athletes
- Transparent communication between athletic administrators, coaching staff, and parents
- Provide a written report detailing findings, Title IX implications, and corrective measures
"Parents must have confidence that school administrators prioritize the safety, privacy, equitable treatment, and fairness of female athletes. The events of September 9th and October 25th, combined with the publicly reported impact of the Skyline male athlete, demonstrate administrative failures at both Skyline High and Monroe High that violate Title IX and MHSAA regulations and require immediate action," the letter concludes.
Lechner, other parents and young girls are asking for the bare minimum: follow Title IX and keep girls’ sports safe and fair. If even that is too much, we have lost the plot as a society.
Note: This story has been updated with additional information since original publication.