Lawsuit alleges transgender student’s participation in girls’ sports led to injuries and harassment, prompting Title IX claims

A federal civil rights lawsuit filed last week accuses school officials in California of failing to protect female athletes at Jurupa Valley High School after a transgender student began competing on girls’ volleyball and track teams, allegedly contributing to unsafe play and harassment. The suit centers on AB Hernandez, identified by plaintiffs’ counsel as the transgender student, and asks the court to address alleged violations of Title IX protections against sex-based discrimination in schools.

The plaintiffs—Madison McPherson, Alyssa McPherson and Hadeel Hazameh—are current and former Jurupa Valley High School volleyball players who allege that the Jurupa Unified School District, the California Interscholastic Federation and the California Department of Education violated federal law by allowing Hernandez to participate on girls’ teams, access female locker rooms and bathrooms, and engage in harassing conduct toward female athletes. The complaint, filed on the girls’ behalf by Advocates for Faith and Freedom, asserts that the school “failed to protect their female athletes after the trans student joined the volleyball and track teams as a female athlete.”

The suit quotes specific incidents and describes a pattern of behavior that the plaintiffs say created fairness and safety concerns. One section claims Hernandez “laughed at injuring three opponents” during a volleyball match and suggested the player had the strength to hit balls with a force greater than that of most female athletes. The plaintiffs further allege Hernandez “lacked the skill to consistently control” hits and, on multiple occasions, struck opponents in the head with the ball. The lawsuit says that, despite a coaching directive to limit Hernandez to back-row hitting, the student continued to attack from the front row with power described as exceeding “female standards of play.”

The complaint specifies that the injuries occurred during matches in which three female opponents were said to have suffered possible concussions. It asserts that the school, in failing to manage the situation, allowed “unfair athletic competition, safety risks, sexual harassment, and deprivation of equal educational opportunities” for female athletes. The defendants are named as the California Department of Education, the California Interscholastic Federation and the Jurupa Unified School District, with Advocates for Faith and Freedom arguing the case reflects broader concerns about gender identity policies in public schools.

Religious beliefs are interwoven into the plaintiffs’ claims. Madison and Alyssa McPherson identify as practicing Catholics who say they believe God created humanity as male and female and view gender as fixed. Hazameh, a practicing Muslim, has religious requirements regarding modesty and exposure, including restrictions on sharing locker rooms or participating on teams with members of the opposite sex. The suit contends that these sincerely held beliefs justify objections to sharing locker rooms with the opposite sex and to being on athletic teams that include members of the opposite sex, as well as to any unwelcome physical contact with males.

Advocates for Faith and Freedom filed the complaint on behalf of the girls and their families. Robert Tyler, the organization’s president and chief counsel, said in a press release that the plaintiffs are “being denied fair play and subjected to sexual harassment all because California insists on putting radical gender ideology ahead of common sense and safety.” The organization’s backing of the lawsuit underscores a broader national dispute over the participation of transgender student-athletes in gender-segregated public sports programs.

The plaintiffs also describe a broader impact beyond individual incidents. They argue that allowing Hernandez to compete on girls’ teams and access female spaces has affected the educational environment for other female students, citing safety concerns and unequal opportunities. The filing notes that Hernandez has competed in sports “with and against” women since 2022 and points to public discussions surrounding gender identity policies in California, which began allowing transgender students to participate in sex-segregated programs in 2013.

In public statements related to the case, Hernandez has addressed critics and supporters, saying that opponents “see one thing and they’re like, ‘Oh, that’s what you are,’” and describing herself as a “normal kid going to school, playing sports.” Her mother has spoken to media outlets about the family’s perspective and expressed concern about how debates around transgender athletes affect her child’s safety and well-being. The mother said she initially had concerns but ultimately supported her child, noting that the family’s stance has evolved as the situation has unfolded. The defendants have not publicly commented on the specific allegations of the lawsuit, and court records indicate the case is pending.

The case arrives amid ongoing national discussion about transgender participation in women’s sports. Earlier this year, former President Donald Trump criticized California’s policies on transgender athletes and urged state leaders to restrict participation by transgender athletes in girls’ sports, arguing the policy undermines fairness. Supporters of the plaintiffs say the lawsuit seeks to protect female athletes’ safety, privacy and opportunities, while opponents argue the policy allows transgender students to compete in alignment with their gender identity.

Hernandez’s supporters describe the athlete as a committed student who has faced protests and scrutiny since beginning competition on girls’ teams. In interviews, Hernandez has attributed the attention to misperceptions about transgender athletes and has emphasized focusing on school and sport despite public backlash. Family members have described a difficult emotional toll but expressed a desire for understanding and fairness in school sports programs.

The case highlights the tension between inclusive policies for transgender students and concerns raised by some families and advocates about competitive balance, safety and religious beliefs. Legal observers say the outcome could have implications for how districts implement gender-identity policies in athletics and how courts interpret Title IX protections in the context of transgender participation in girls’ sports.

As the lawsuit proceeds, the parties will likely engage in discovery and motion practice to determine the scope of the claims and whether the plaintiffs can demonstrate that the defendants’ actions or inactions violated federal law. The litigation also underscores the continuing national debate about how schools balance student rights with competitive fairness and safety in sex-segregated athletic programs.