EXCLUSIVE: Dept. Of Ed. Opens Investigation Into Alleged Sexual Assault By Trans Wrestler During HS Match

OutKick has learned exclusively that on Friday the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) initiated a directed investigation into Puyallup School District in Puyallup, Washington, based on reports that a female wrestler was sexually assaulted by a male competitor during a competition designated as a girls' wrestling event.

The female wrestler, Kallie Keeler, a 16-year-old sophomore at Rogers High School in Puyallup, says the incident occurred during a December 6 girls' wrestling match against Emerald Ridge High School.

Keeler claims that during her match, her opponent "reached between her legs and, very forcefully for several seconds, tried to push her fingers in her vagina."

Keeler immediately told her parents after the match, and two days later, on December 8, they emailed the school's coaches to make sure the complaint was addressed.

"This is a huge issue and something that is 100% not OK," Keeler's mother wrote. "The fact that this was done by a biological male who identifies as a female is an even bigger issue for me. Where do we go from here?"

It was only after unDivided contacted Puyallup School District for comment on Jan. 29, nearly two months after the alleged incident, that the district notified the Pierce County Sheriff's Office on Jan. 30. The Pierce County Sheriff’s Office has since confirmed that it has opened a criminal investigation.

According to media reports, the alleged violations are ongoing and well known to school leaders, with at least a dozen female athletes having complained to administrators about the presence of two males in the girls’ locker room.

OCR will determine whether the District violated Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 by allowing males to compete in female sports, allowing males to access locker rooms designated for use by female students, and failing to adequately respond to allegations of sexual assault.

"The allegations in this case are sickening," said Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Kimberly Richey. "While the District may prioritize ideological agendas over the safety and dignity of its students, the Trump Administration will not tolerate such conduct," 

Richey states her department will continue to enforce Title IX to "ensure that women and girls have safe, equal access to educational programs and opportunities, and that allegations of sexual assault are addressed promptly and fully."

This is an issue that isn't isolated to this particular school district nor wrestling, as OutKick has reported on biological males infiltrating female sports such as track and field in California and volleyball in Michigan.

We will continue to report on the issue of fairness and safety in women's sports and, hopefully, make a positive difference by using our platform to draw attention from the right people to this matter.