Bias claim against CdA schools revived

A complaint accusing the Coeur d’Alene School District of discriminating against girls in sports has been given new life by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights.

Originally filed in April, the complaint accused the district of “a historical and callous practice of denying civil rights of the underrepresented gender” by failing to provide athletic opportunities for girls equal to those of boys as required by Title IX, the federal law that mandates equality in sports.

The Office of Civil Rights in Seattle initially found no violations and closed the case. But the complainant, whose identity isn’t being released by the agency, provided more information and asked the office to reconsider. The office reopened the case on Aug. 30, according to Jim Bradshaw, spokesman for the U.S. Department of Education.

He wouldn’t say what that information was.

“We pretty much keep a lid on the details of our investigations,” Bradshaw said.

Kelly Ostrom, the school district’s Title IX coordinator and human resources director, said the district is not violating the law.

“Our athletic directors are all very knowledgeable on Title IX, and they don’t believe we have an issue, either,” Ostrom said.

The complaint consists of three allegations: That the “interests and abilities” of girls aren’t given equal treatment, that coaching staffs are unequal and that the district failed to designate a Title IX coordinator.

District Superintendent Harry Amend said he’s confident the district will be found in compliance with the law.

“We would not knowingly be operating in violation of any Title IX regulations. If we were, it’d be a surprise to me,” he said.

The Office of Civil Rights investigated similar complaints against the Post Falls School District last spring and found no wrongdoing.