On Thursday, parents suing Oak Ridge Schools claimed that the softball teams are not treated equally to the baseball teams.
The lawsuit claims the softball teams do not receive equal funding, equipment, travel, game schedules, practice times, locker rooms, facilities for practice and competition or publicity.
Oak Ridge Schools officials allow more funds to go to boys’ sports compared the girls’ sports, according to the suit.
Parents of softball team members also must purchase the necessary supplies, including uniforms. The lawsuit claims that the baseball program receives more and higher quality pitching screens, fielding screens and a ball cart.
The baseball team also has two mobile batting practice cages while the plaintiffs claimed the softball team has none.
The lawsuit stated that the softball team also does not receive equal funding as the girls must provide their own transportation and pre-game meals.
“The imbalance in the treatment of female and male athletes at Oak Ridge Schools… demonstrates Oak Ridge Schools’ intention and conscious failure to comply with Title IX,” the lawsuit said, referring to the federal requirement that schools do not discriminate against students based on gender.
The parents asked for Oak Ridge Schools to acknowledge the unequal treatment in violation of Title IX and provide girls’ sports programs with equal treatment.
Please click here for a link to download the complaint : https://www.scribd.com/document/672938634/Oak-Ridge-Complaint
Story courtesy of WVLT
