Oregon prep softball team files Title IX lawsuit against district

An Oregon prep softball team has filed a Title IX lawsuit against the school district, alleging that the program does not receive the same treatment as the baseball team.

The Lake Oswego High School softball team outlined a handful of grievances, including inequity in facilities, training and funding. In the lawsuit, the program said a written complaint was sent to the superintendent along with school and athletic department leaders, but it never received a response.

From KGW-TV in Portland:

Among the complaints of the plaintiffs, 10 softball players, is the lack of a hitting facility. They say the baseball team has an on-campus, enclosed hitting facility but the softball team does not. In addition, plans for a softball team hitting facility, which the lawsuit says secured funding from a large donation, were scrapped in early February. The school district said, “the hitting facility would not be constructed unless or until the Lake Oswego High School softball team ‘wins a state championship,’” according to the lawsuit. The players say the donation was then used for another sport.

The softball team also cites field disadvantages. The baseball team plays on an on-campus, artificial turf playing field that allows for play in all conditions while the softball team plays on a dirt field at the junior high that has drainage problems, which has led to the cancelation of practices and games, according to the lawsuit. The players say they are not allowed to practice on the baseball or football teams’ artificial turf fields.

The school district released a statement, saying that several improvements have been made to the team’s facilities and more upgrades are in the works. It expected some of those to be completed in the coming weeks.

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