The controversy over San Jose State University (SJSU) women's volleyball player Blaire Fleming, who is a biological male, continues to escalate as the school's Associate Head Coach of the women's team has filed a Title IX complaint against SJSU, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the Mountain West Conference.
According to Quillette, Melissa Batie-Smoose filed a 33 page sworn declaration earlier this week asking officials with these bodies to investigate what she calls overt favoritism and an aggressive inclusion policy that is creating a toxic environment for her female athletes.
Batie-Smoose alleges that the behavior of school officials, including her boss, Spartans Head Coach Todd Kress, may be in violation of Title IX-the civil rights law that prohibits sex-based discrimination in federally-funded programs.
One of the claims that Batie-Smoose makes in her complaint is that Kress originally shared her concerns over whether it was appropriate for a biological male to be competing against female athletes but that Kress's attitude changed abruptly after being given strict orders from the school's athletic department.
A name that appears regularly in Batie-Smoose's Title IX complaint is Laura Alexander, the Assistant Director of Student Wellness at SJSU with jurisdiction over the school's volleyball program.
Quillette reports that Batie-Smoose was told by Kress that Alexander had told him that anyone opposed to Fleming's presence on the team should leave the school and "seek therapy."
The complaint also claims that Kress began applying double standards to accommodate Fleming, including taking liberties with the team's dress code and practice schedule as well as the behavioral standards to which the team members are held.
Kress is accused of intimidating members of the women's volleyball team who disagreed with having a male playing alongside them by comparing their hesitation to homophobia and racism.
Batie-Smoose says she began to wonder if Fleming's presence on the court wasn't just unfair to the female athletes but also potentially dangerous.
Officials from SJSU, the NCAA and Mountain West Conference have yet to weigh in on the Title IX complaint but the situation warrants a closer look, if only to dispel the idea that Blaire Fleming is the only possible victim in this scenario.