Monroe father sues school district after trans athlete was allowed to play

MONROE, Mich. (FOX 2) - A father in Monroe is suing a Metro Detroit school district over a volleyball game who says his daughter played in it, but parents were not notified about everyone on the court. 

Big picture view:

The 67-page civil rights complaint was filed on Oct. 9 in U.S. District Court in Detroit. It is alleged that Monroe Public Schools, the Michigan High School Athletic Association, and school leaders violated ‘Title 9’ back on Sept. 9, 2025 when Monroe required its varsity girls volleyball team to play against Ann Arbor's Skyline High School, which had a transgender woman on the team.

Another violation, it states, is that Monroe did not tell her parents there was a transgender woman in the game.

Behind the lawsuit is Sean Lechner, who says that his daughter played in the game for Monroe. 

What they're saying:

Attorney Richard Thompson says Lechner believes school officials knew beforehand that there was a transgender woman on Skyline's team in the game and later in the locker room. Thompson said it is the school's responsibility to notify parents before the teams take the court.

"It’s not required by law at this point," said Thompson. "Other than the fact that if you are a athletic director, and you’re going to put your team in a competition, you ought to let your team members know that there’s going to be a male on that team. And there’s injuries that occur. You know documented injuries that occur where females got hit. They have mental problems because of the strength that they get hit with the ball etc. You have an obligation because you are still, you replace the parent."

FOX 2 reached out to Monroe Public Schools, who provided a statement:

"Monroe Public Schools is aware of recent reports regarding an alleged federal lawsuit, though the district has not been served with any lawsuit. We remain steadfast in our commitment to adhering to all state and federal guidelines and laws while upholding student safety. Should legal proceedings be initiated, the district will address the matter through the appropriate legal channels."

The MHSAA also provided a statement:

"For many years, MHSAA policy in this area has been crafted to be fully compliant with federal and state law.  We believe the claims made are legally unsound, and we will defend that position through the legal process. Due to the ongoing litigation, we will have no further comment at this time."

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