SJSU and CSU suing federal government over Title IX investigation into transgender volleyball scandal

Fox News Digital questioned San Jose State Athletic Director Jeff Konya on the controversial 2024 volleyball season that included a lawsuit over a trans athlete, but he ended the interview after about just five minutes and walked away.

San Jose State University President Cynthia Teniente-Matson announced Friday that the school and the California State University (CSU) system are suing the federal government to challenge the U.S. Department of Education's recent determination that SJSU violated Title IX in its handling of a transgender volleyball player. 

The department's Office of Civil Rights (OCR) announced at the end of January that an investigation into the university for its handling of a trans athlete and other players concluded that the school violated Title IX and gave the school an ultimatum to resolve the violation by agreeing to a series of conditions. 

But now, instead of complying like the University of Pennsylvania did last summer related to its handling of trans swimmer Lia Thomas, SJSU and CSU are suing to prevent potential federal funding cuts. 

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Blaire Fleming of the San Jose State Spartans during the third set against the Air Force Falcons at Falcon Court at East Gym Oct. 19, 2024, in Colorado Springs, Colo.  (Andrew Wevers/Getty Images)

"Because we believe OCR’s findings aren’t grounded in the facts or the law, SJSU and the CSU filed a lawsuit today against the federal government to challenge those findings and prevent the federal government from taking punitive action against the university, including the potential withholding of critical federal funding," Teniente-Matson said Friday.

"This is not a step we take lightly. However, we have a