Mt. Diablo school district settles Title IX lawsuit over fairness in girls' sports

Mt. Diablo USD settles Title IX lawsuit over fairness in girls' sports

The Mt. Diablo Unified School District has settled a sex discrimination lawsuit brought by former student athletes at College Park High School in Pleasant Hill. The plaintiffs say girls had to play softball on an overgrown, uneven field--while the boys' baseball team enjoyed a pristine facility. They argued this was the most visible example of gender inequality in sports at the school. Now, district officials say they are taking full responsibility--and making changes.�

PLEASANT HILL, Calif. - The Mt. Diablo Unified School District has settled a sex discrimination lawsuit brought by former student athletes at College Park High School in Pleasant Hill. 

The plaintiffs say girls had to play softball on an overgrown, uneven field, while the boys' baseball team enjoyed a pristine facility. They argued this was the most visible example of gender inequality in sports at the school. 

Now, district officials say they are taking full responsibility--and making changes. 

Softball field at the center of a lawsuit

At College Park High School, it's a tale of two fields.

What they're saying:

"The boys' baseball field is pristine," said TIffiny Leftwich-Barraco, a parent whose daughter played softball at the school.

The baseball field is well-maintained, with a big scoreboard, amenities like a batting cage and bullpen, and more seating for fans. 

Next door, the girls' softball field is more basic, worn out in spots, with a small scoreboard and limited seating. 

"You just kind of go, ‘Wow, this is our field?’" said Leftwich-Barraco.

These fields were at the center of a Title IX lawsuit filed in early 2024 by three then-softball players and their parents--including Leftwich-Barraco and her daughter--against the Mt. Diablo Unified School District. Back then, they say the field was even worse--overgrown and uneven, with gopher holes. 

"I think they started to kind of see that the girls weren't as important, maybe, as the boys," said Leftwich-Barraco. 

The lawsuit noted various disparities facing female athletes at the school--from equipment to coaching to opportunities. 

"People understand that girls and boys should have equity, but they don't quite know what that looks like," said Julianna Gesiotto, a staff attorney with the California Women's Law Center. 

Superintendent pledges to ‘right this wrong’

A settlement in that suit, approved last week, does not award money to the athletes, but instead pushes the school to take steps to level the playing field. 

"We were more than willing to come to the table to negotiate and to try to come to a reasonable decision," said Mt. Diablo Unified School District Superintendent Dr. Adam Clark. 

The district agreed to make improvements to facilities, as well as growing participation opportunities for female athletes, inventorying uniforms and equipment, and equitably distributing fundraising dollars. 

"We take full responsibility," said Clark. 

Clark says he regrets that it took a lawsuit to resolve this, but is glad students raised the issue. 

"This is ongoing. This is not just a quick fix, but this is a long-term commitment to really right this wrong," said Clark.

Leftwich-Barraco says she's already seen improvements. 

"It started early on, where they fenced in the softball field. We were able to get dirt added in," said Leftwich-Barraco. "It still has a long ways to go, but we're optimistic."

What's next:

Clark says the district has already hired a Title IX coordinator, and is making changes at all five of its high schools. Clark says all this will take a couple of years to implement, but he says he is committed to fairness for all athletes.