Briley Lechner and her father filed a federal civil-rights lawsuit Oct. 9 against Monroe Public Schools, the Michigan High School Athletic Association and two district officials, alleging that school administrators concealed a transgender athlete’s participation in a 2025 girls’ volleyball match. The Thomas More Law Center filed the case on behalf of the 16-year-old Monroe High School student and her father, Sean Lechner. Yahoo News reported that the defendants include Superintendent Andrew Shaw and Athletic Director Chet Hesson.
The lawsuit centers on a Sept. 9, 2025, match between Monroe’s varsity girls’ volleyball team and Ann Arbor Skyline High School. According to the complaint as described by the law center, Hesson and school personnel knew the Skyline roster included a transgender female athlete but did not tell Monroe players or their parents before the match. The filing also alleges that players from both teams used the same locker-room facilities. WORLD reported that the plaintiffs are pursuing claims under Title IX and the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment.
The plaintiffs argue that Monroe officials and MHSAA discriminated against female athletes by requiring them to compete against and share facilities with a transgender opponent without notice. The complaint also challenges MHSAA’s eligibility process, which the plaintiffs say gives the association’s executive director broad discretion to approve transgender athletes’ participation based on submitted documentation. Richard Thompson, president and chief counsel of the Thomas More Law Center, said the case concerns whether officials may “knowingly sacrifice the rights of female athletes” and then avoid accountability under federal law and the Constitution. The lawsuit’s allegations and Thompson’s statement were reported by Yahoo News.
The case follows an earlier complaint filed after the match. Michigan Public reported in December 2025 that Sean Lechner submitted a Title IX complaint alleging the opposing school had not obtained the required waiver, that parents were not notified and that the teams shared a locker room. MHSAA spokesperson Geoff Kimmerly said the association had received one waiver request that fall and evaluated transgender-athlete eligibility individually, considering factors including medical records and whether the student had undergone hormone therapy or gender-affirming surgery. Michigan Public reported that Michigan law bars discrimination based on gender identity and that MHSAA said it follows applicable law.
According to the lawsuit’s account, an outside attorney retained by the district found the Lechners’ complaint unsubstantiated. The family appealed, but the school board did not publicly vote on the merits; the district later treated the determination as affirmed because no vote occurred. Monroe Public Schools and Shaw did not respond to Yahoo News’ requests for comment, while Hesson declined comment. Kimmerly said MHSAA had not received notice of the federal case. The lawsuit’s next steps will proceed in federal court, where the plaintiffs’ allegations and requested remedies will be tested against the defendants’ responses. Yahoo News reported the defendants’ responses.