Breaking! Justice for Texas Female Athlete, Department of Education Finds San Jose State University Violated Title IX by Allowing Man to Compete on Women’s College Volleyball Team
Austin, TX – January 28, 2026: Today, the U.S. Department of Education determined that San Jose State University violated Title IX of the Civil Rights Act by allowing a male athlete to compete on the college women’s volleyball team and retaliating against female athletes who spoke out about this unfair treatment. Texas based athlete Brooke Slusser was the team captain on the San Jose women’s volleyball team who led the efforts to help her teammates speak out against having to compete against and share private intimate spaces with a man.
Mary Elizabeth Castle, Director of Government Relations for Texas Values said:
“I am pleased that the Department of Education is stating what we know to be true: men do not belong in women’s sports or women’s private spaces. The Department has full authority to hold the coaches and staff accountable for allowing this clear violation of Title IX to take place. Title IX was passed over 50 years ago to guarantee that women can have the equal opportunity to compete in sports and to also feel safe in sex separated locker rooms and sleeping spaces. What Brook Slusser had to go through was unconscionable! Allowing a man to masquerade as a female college athlete caused emotional and physical harm to the female athletes at San Jose State. The mask is off and San Jose State University must face the truth.”
Brooke Slusser has shared her story of competing against and sharing intimate spaces (locker room, hotel room, student housing) with the male student at the Texas Legislature and was a key leader and invited witness for the Texas Women’s Privacy Act that was passed in 2025.
To see more on the decision by the Department of Education, see https://www.ed.gov/about/news/press-release/us-department-of-educations-office-civil-rights-finds-san-jose-state-university-violated-title-ix.
To learn more about the Texas Women’s Privacy Act, visit https://protectwomensprivacytexas.com/.
To learn more about Texas laws to protect college female athletes please visit https://savewomenssportstexas.com/.
Members of Texas Values law and policy team are available for comment. Contact Ashley at media@txvalues.org or 737-314-2450 (m) to schedule an interview.
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About Texas Values
Texas Values is the largest statewide nonprofit organization dedicated to standing for faith, family, and freedom in Texas. More information is available at txvalues.org.