Northern Wisconsin School Facing Gender Discrimination Complaint

The Superior School District is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Education after a Title IX complaint.

Title IX bans gender discrimination in any educational programs or activities that receive federal funding. The Office of Civil Rights launched an investigation into possible discrimination within Superior School District athletics this fall.

Superintendent Janna Stevens said she believes the district is complying with the federal law.

“We have nothing to hide,” she said. “If we do find there’s something we should adjust or fix, we’d be more than happy to do that,” Stevens said.

OCR investigators toured facilities and interviewed coaches and students. A spokesman for the U.S. Department of Education said further details won’t be released until the investigation is complete. Findings are expected early next year.

The Office of Civil Rights has investigated around 400 complaints in the last six years at Wisconsin K-12 schools and related institutions across all issues it enforces, including Title IX.