Deerfield Public Schools District 109 has responded to a federal Title IX investigation that was launched over allegations of administrators forcing middle school girls to change in the same locker room as a transgender student. 

The district provided a statement to Fox News Digital insisting that its actions were rooted in Illinois state law.

“Deerfield Public Schools District 109 complies with state law. The Illinois Human Rights Act prohibits all public school districts from discriminating on the basis of sex, including gender identity, and mandates that students must be permitted access to the locker room and bathroom that aligns with their gender identity,” the statement read.

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“We are sensitive to the privacy needs of all of our middle school students and ensure that no student is required to change into a gym uniform for physical education class in front of others.  When both our middle schools were renovated in 2017, we added five private changing stations within each locker room that are available to all students. All students also have multiple options to change in a private location separate from the locker room if they wish.”

The district also says it will work with local families to determine next steps.

“The District and the Board are united with our leaders and educators on this issue and have a shared commitment to upholding the law,” the statement continued.

“The District and the Board call upon all of those expressing concerns or perspectives on this issue with our staff and educators to do so in a respectful and civil manner. We are glad to work with families to address any individual concerns and determine appropriate next steps to support your child’s well-being and participation.”

MAINE RESPONDS TO TRUMP ADMIN’S DECLARATION STATE VIOLATED TITLE IX BY ALLOWING TRANSGENDERS IN GIRLS SPORTS

The U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights announced on Thursday that it is launching an investigation into the Illinois Department of Education, the Chicago Public School District 299 and Deerfield Public Schools District 109 over reported Title IX violations. 

Illinois mother Nicole Georgas brought the situation to light when she filed a civil rights complaint with the U.S. Department of Justice after alleging that school administrators had attempted to force her 13-year-old daughter to change in front of a transgender student in the girls’ locker room last month.

She revealed the complaint during a Board of Education meeting for Deerfield Public School District 109 last week, claiming the incident had taken place last month after her daughter had refused to change into her uniform during physical education because a biological male student had been present at the time.

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“The girls want their locker rooms and bathrooms back. They want their privacy back. This is why I’m here tonight. My 13-year-old daughter’s well-being, mental health and privacy are at stake,” Georgas said during her speech at the board meeting on Thursday.

Georgas then raised the issue to the school’s administration, noting to them that she believed it was a direct violation of President Donald Trump’s Keeping Men out of Women’s Sports executive order. She said in her speech that the school administration had informed her that, under the direction of its legal counsel, the transgender student was free to use both the girls’ bathroom and the girls’ locker room.

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COLUMBIA, S.C. — Indiana women’s basketball guard Shay Ciezki had never made the NCAA Tournament until this year, and when she got her chance, she took full advantage.

Ciezki put up 16 points as the No. 9-seeded Hoosiers beat the No. 8 Utah Utes in the first round of March Madness on Friday, winning 76-68.

“(It’s) such a surreal moment,” Ciezki said before Friday’s game. “When you’re a kid you dream of playing in March, and the last two seasons I wasn’t able to get there.”

The junior, who is from Buffalo, N.Y., and was a three-year captain in high school, transferred to Indiana from Penn State last offseason, putting trust in Hoosiers coach Teri Moren and her new team. Ciezki was a key piece for the Hoosiers during the regular season, averaging 11.6 points per game and shooting 37.7% from 3-point range. 

“The whole culture is different (in Bloomington) than where she came from,” her mother, Lisa Ciezki, who was in the stands for Friday’s win, said of her daughter’s new college team. “They just embrace women’s basketball so much.”

The team captain’s impact ranged far beyond the statsheet against Utah, as she was constantly making hustle plays, communicating with her teammates and conducting the offense.

In addition to her 16 points, she added three assists and two rebounds.

Ciezki’s Hoosiers will face the winner of No. 1 South Carolina and No. 16 Tennessee Tech on Sunday afternoon at Colonial Life Arena.

Carter Braun is a student in the University of Georgia’s Sports Media Certificate program.

The No. 5 Kansas State Wildcats (26-7) meet the No. 12 Fairfield Stags (28-4) in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday, starting at 2:30 p.m. ET.

Kansas State heads into this contest following a 73-69 loss to West Virginia on Friday. Fairfield won its most recent matchup 76-53 against Quinnipiac on Saturday. Kennedy Taylor scored a team-best 21 points for Kansas State in the loss. Meghan Andersen scored a team-best 27 points for Fairfield in the victory.

Kansas State vs. Fairfield TV channel NCAA Tournament

• Location: Memorial Coliseum in Lexington-Fayette, Kentucky
• Date: Friday, March 21, 2025
• Time: 2:30 p.m. ET
• TV channel: ESPNews (watch on Fubo)
• Stream: Fubo

What time is Kansas State vs. Fairfield basketball today?

Kansas State and Fairfield take the court at 2:30 p.m. ET.

Watch Fairfield vs. Kansas State with Fubo

Kansas State vs. Fairfield odds, lines, spread

• Spread: Kansas State -16.5
• Total: 135.5
• Moneyline: Kansas State -2500, Fairfield +1127

Kansas State’s offense has been much less productive over its last 10 games, putting up 72.2 points a contest compared to the 79.3 it has averaged this year. Over its previous 10 games, Fairfield is putting up 68.9 points per contest, four fewer points than its season average (72.9).

March Madness First Round schedule

• Michigan Wolverines (6) vs. Iowa State Cyclones (11): Friday, 11:30 a.m. ET on ESPN2
• Kentucky Wildcats (4) vs. Liberty Lady Flames (13): Friday, 12 p.m. ET on ESPN
• Utah Utes (8) vs. Indiana Hoosiers (9): Friday, 1:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2
• Notre Dame Fighting Irish (3) vs. Stephen F. Austin Ladyjacks (14): Friday, 2 p.m. ET on ESPN
• Kansas State Wildcats (5) vs. Fairfield Stags (12): Friday, 2:30 p.m. ET on ESPNews
• Baylor Bears (4) vs. Grand Canyon Antelopes (13): Friday, 3:30 p.m. ET on ESPNU
• TCU Horned Frogs (2) vs. Fairleigh Dickinson Knights (15): Friday, 3:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2
• South Carolina Gamecocks (1) vs. Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles (16): Friday, 4 p.m. ET on ESPN
• Vanderbilt Commodores (7) vs. Oregon Ducks (10): Friday, 5:30 p.m. ET on ESPNews
• Ohio State Buckeyes (4) vs. Montana State Bobcats (13): Friday, 5:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2
• Louisville Cardinals (7) vs. Nebraska Cornhuskers (10): Friday, 6 p.m. ET on ESPN
• Ole Miss Rebels (5) vs. Ball State Cardinals (12): Friday, 6 p.m. ET on ESPNU
• Richmond Spiders (8) vs. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (9): Friday, 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPNews
• Duke Blue Devils (2) vs. Lehigh Mountain Hawks (15): Friday, 8 p.m. ET on ESPNU
• Tennessee Volunteers (5) vs. South Florida Bulls (12): Friday, 8 p.m. ET on ESPN
• UCLA Bruins (1) vs. Southern Jaguars (16): Friday, 10 p.m. ET on ESPN
• Iowa Hawkeyes (6) vs. Murray State Racers (11): Saturday, 12 p.m. ET on ESPN
• UConn Huskies (2) vs. Arkansas State Red Wolves (15): Saturday, 1 p.m. ET on ABC
• Alabama Crimson Tide (5) vs. Green Bay Phoenix (12): Saturday, 1:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2
• NC State Wolfpack (2) vs. Vermont Catamounts (15): Saturday, 2 p.m. ET on ESPN
• Oklahoma Sooners (3) vs. Florida Gulf Coast Eagles (14): Saturday, 2:30 p.m. ET on ESPNU
• USC Trojans (1) vs. UNC Greensboro Spartans (16): Saturday, 3 p.m. ET on ABC
• Oklahoma State Cowgirls (7) vs. South Dakota State Jackrabbits (10): Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2
• Maryland Terrapins (4) vs. Norfolk State Spartans (13): Saturday, 4 p.m. ET on ESPN
• North Carolina Tar Heels (3) vs. Oregon State Beavers (14): Saturday, 4:30 p.m. ET on ESPNU
• Michigan State Spartans (7) vs. Harvard Crimson (10): Saturday, 4:30 p.m. ET on ESPNews
• California Golden Bears (8) vs. Mississippi State Bulldogs (9): Saturday, 5:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2
• Illinois Fighting Illini (8) vs. Creighton Bluejays (9): Saturday, 7:15 p.m. ET on ESPNews
• Florida State Seminoles (6) vs. George Mason Patriots (11): Saturday, 7:45 p.m. ET on ESPN2
• LSU Tigers (3) vs. San Diego State Aztecs (14): Saturday, 10:15 p.m. ET on ESPN

Kansas State Wildcats basketball schedule

Fairfield Stags basketball schedule

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