# Former SJSU Coach Files Lawsuit Alleging Retaliation Over Transgender Athlete Inclusion A legal battle unfolds regarding Title IX compliance, religious beliefs, and workplace discrimination claims. - **Source:** [HR Dive](https://www.hrdive.com) - **Published:** 2026-10-19 - **Topic:** [People & Culture](https://brifing.si/c/people) - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/330560ee-4a60-415e-9c5e-ebd59b3ca4ba ## Legal Action Against SJSU A former assistant volleyball coach at San José State University, Batie-Smoose, filed a renewed lawsuit alleging sex discrimination and constitutional violations. The plaintiff claims her dismissal resulted from raising concerns regarding a transgender athlete's inclusion on the team roster. She asserts that her termination constitutes retaliation for exercising her First and Fourteenth Amendment rights. ## Conflict Over Team Inclusion The plaintiff, who holds sincere religious beliefs, opposed the inclusion of a transgender player on the team. After learning of the player's status in 2023, she was allegedly warned by the head coach against disclosing this information. She subsequently filed a formal Title IX complaint with university officials during the 2024 academic year. ## Allegations of Workplace Monitoring Following media coverage of the player in April 2024, the plaintiff claims SJSU assigned an assistant athletic director to monitor her activities. She alleges this surveillance was discriminatory, as similar measures were not imposed on other coaching staff. This monitoring preceded her suspension and the eventual decision not to renew her coaching contract in 2025. ## University Defense and FERPA SJSU maintains that the suspension was not retaliatory but based on legitimate non-discriminatory motives. The university argues the plaintiff violated the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 by disclosing personally identifiable information about the student. The plaintiff disputes this, claiming the information shared was already public or based on personal knowledge. ## Federal Findings on Discrimination In January 2026, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights concluded that SJSU violated Title IX. The report highlighted disparate treatment, noting that the university suspended the plaintiff for alleged FERPA violations while failing to take similar action against the head coach, who also discussed the matter with the media outlets. ## Broader Legal and Federal Context This case is part of a wider legal saga involving the California State University system and federal authorities. The CSU system is currently challenging threats to withhold federal funding related to transgender athlete policies. These developments reflect ongoing federal shifts regarding the intersection of religious beliefs and gender identity protections within public employment settings. ## Shifting Regulatory Interpretations The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is currently navigating evolving standards regarding workplace accommodations. Recent guidance indicates a shift in how conduct is classified compared to previous years, specifically concerning interactions between employees with religious objections and transgender individuals. This creates a complex environment for HR departments managing diverse workforce perspectives and legal requirements. ## Implications for Institutional Policy The ongoing litigation underscores the high stakes for universities managing Title IX compliance and employee relations. As federal investigations continue to scrutinize institutional responses, organizations face pressure to balance privacy laws like FERPA with anti-discrimination mandates. The outcome of this case may set significant precedents for how public institutions handle internal conflicts involving protected identities. ## Sources covering this story - https://www.hrdive.com/news/volleyball-coach-opposed-transgender-player-claims-retaliation/833326/ — --- _Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._