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The U.S. Department of Education has found that the University of Pennsylvania violated Title IX by allowing trans athlete Leah Thomas to compete on the women's swimming team, it announced Monday.
A pair of former Upenn female swimmers who have experienced sharing a pool and locker room with Thomas revealed that a recent declaration by President Donald Trump's administration means to them.
Conservative influencer Paula Scanlan, who was one of Thomas' first teammates, was one of the school's opposing teammates, who told Fox News Digital that the news “excited” her, but she was skeptical of the impact.
“I was excited to hear that the Department of Education is cracking down on the University of Pennsylvania, but in the end I am skeptical that my alma mater will take meaningful actions.
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University of Pennsylvania swimmer Leah Thomas, Left, Kentucky swimmer Riley Gaines responded after finishing fifth in the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championship at the McAuley Aquatic Center in Atlanta on March 18, 2022. (Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Former Upenn female swimmer Grace Estabrook told Fox News Digital she hopes more serious actions are being taken.
“I am grateful to this administration for their leadership on these issues and I want to see accountability immediately for everyone who stood up, while male athletes deprived our female athletes of our opportunities and violated our rights in our locker rooms.
“We are grateful that Penn violated Title IX. Just as the federal government said it required Penn to shower with men in the 2021-2022 season, government discovery of sexism by Penn is an important first step, but protection for female athletes must be stopped here.
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“A future generation of girls and women must be protected against the horrifying emotional and sexual harassment my teammates and I endured in Pennsylvania. The current policy that Penn and the NCAA are currently trying to use to cover the tracks is trying to impose this issue behind it. Half measures that cannot fully protect women.”
The Department of Education's Civil Rights Office said it would give the university 10 days to comply with the risks facing a criminal referral to the Title IX or the Department of Justice. Compliance involves issuing a statement of intent to follow Title IX along with two other important actions.
“We restore all female athletes to similar recognitions for Division I swimming competitions misused by male athletes competing in all individual athletic records, titles, honors, awards or women's categories.
“Send a letter to each female athlete whose individual awareness has been restored to express an apology on behalf of the university in order to allow sexism to undermine their educational experience in athletics.”
Fox News Digital reached the University of Pennsylvania for comment.
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The university is currently being sued by Estabrook and other former teammates, Margot Kakorowski and Ellen Holmquist, in the situation with Thomas.
The lawsuit also names the Ivy League and the NCAA, citing their experience with Thomas and their handling of the situation. The lawsuit also aims to revoke all of Thomas' praise in the women's category.
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