Freedom Updates
Advocates in Action
PRESS RELEASE | CALIFORNIA SCHOOL DISTRICTS URGE SUPREME COURT TO PROTECT FEMALE STUDENTS’ SAFETY AND FAIRNESS IN SPORTS, FACILITIES
ADVOCATES FOR FAITH & FREEDOM
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Monday, SEPTEMBER 22, 2025
CONTACT: LORI SANADA
MEDIA@FAITH-FREEDOM.COM
Murrieta, CA — On Friday, a coalition of California public school districts and charter schools, including John Adams Academies, Chino Valley Unified School District, Temecula Valley Unified School District, Murrieta Valley Unified School District, Perris Union High School District, Placer Union High School, Orange County Board of Education, and Kern County Board of Education filed an amicus curiae brief with the U.S. Supreme Court in support of West Virginia’s laws safeguarding women’s sports and facilities.
Represented by Advocates for Faith & Freedom, Amici urge the Supreme Court to reverse a Fourth Circuit decision in B.P.J. by Jackson v. W. Virginia State Bd. of Educ., 98 F.4th 542 (4th Cir. 2024), which struck down state protections for female athletes. The districts argue that expanding “sex” under Title IX to include gender identity ignores biological realities, endangering female students’ physical safety, psychological well-being, and equal opportunities.
“For nearly forty years Title IX allowed female athletes to thrive in their own competitions and protected girls in their locker rooms and bathrooms,” said Erin Mersino, Vice President and Chief of Supreme Court and Appellate Litigation at Advocates for Faith & Freedom. “Title IX was a hard-won victory for women’s equality, built on recognizing sex-based differences—not erasing them. Our clients have bravely asked the Supreme Court to uphold the original meaning of Title IX and protect the rights of their female students.”
Drawing on both historical and scientific evidence, the brief exposes the harsh realities female students face when required to share spaces with male students, including psychological trauma—such as embarrassment, withdrawal, and fear—as well as physical risks and undeniable athletic disadvantages. California school districts face a legal bind: either comply with the state’s radical gender-identity mandates and violate federal Title IX protections, or defend the rights and safety of young women and face lawsuits from their own state.
The Supreme Court is set to hear arguments in W. Virginia State Bd. of Educ. v. B.P.J. by Jackson (No. 24-43) this term. The case could restore Title IX’s original intent: equal opportunity rooted in reality, not fantasy.
The full brief is available here.
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Advocates for Faith & Freedom is a non-profit law firm dedicated to protecting constitutional and religious liberty in the courts. Our mission is to engage in cases that will uphold our religious liberty and America’s heritage and to educate Americans about our fundamental constitutional rights.
PRESS RELEASE | FEMALE ATHLETES FILE FEDERAL LAWSUIT TO DEFEND FAIRNESS, SAFETY, AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITY IN CALIFORNIA HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS
ADVOCATES FOR FAITH & FREEDOM
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, sEPTEMBER 17, 2025
CONTACT: Lori Sanada
media@FAITH-FREEDOM.COM
Murrieta, CA — Last week, we witnessed the tragic assassination of Charlie Kirk, a fearless advocate for truth and faith. Far from silencing Charlie’s message, his death has ignited a firestorm of resolve, inspiring young people to carry forward his legacy with unwavering courage. In a powerful testament to Charlie’s influence, three brave female athletes from Jurupa Valley High School found the courage to file a federal civil rights lawsuit after enduring approximately three years of competition in girls’ sports with a boy who chose to play volleyball and run track as a girl. Despite the school’s repeated threats of suspension and retaliatory action for speaking up, these young women chose to take a courageous stand for truth in girls’ sports.
The federal lawsuit, filed just one day before Charlie’s assassination, brings federal claims against the California Department of Education, the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF), and Jurupa Unified School District (JUSD), accusing them of systemic violations of Title IX, the Equal Protection Clause, and the First Amendment. The lawsuit addresses the schools’ failure to protect these female athletes, who were forced to share their volleyball court, track, and locker room with a male athlete and endured unwanted physical touching by a male athlete—all while school administrators turned a blind eye after numerous complaints by the girls and their parents. The male athlete has even made mocking comments to the girls, proclaiming he had a “custom coochie” and complaining about having “cramps” and being “on his period.” The lawsuit alleges that defendants’ policies and inaction have created an unsafe and discriminatory environment, robbing female athletes of their right to fair competition and personal dignity. By prioritizing political ideology over the safety and privacy of female students, defendants have violated federal protections designed to ensure equal opportunities in education and athletics.
“Charlie Kirk’s pastor, Rob McCoy, said it best: ‘In the absence of courage, truth is an orphan,’” said Robert Tyler, President and Chief Counsel of Advocates for Faith & Freedom. “These young women embody the living legacy of Charlie Kirk, boldly proclaiming truth in a culture that demands conformity and silence.”
Senior Counsel Julianne Fleischer of Advocates for Faith & Freedom continues, “No woman should be forced to sacrifice her safety, privacy, or dignity to participate in high-school sports. It’s an affront to every woman that our identity is being caricatured and mocked by boys who think they are girls. We will not allow truth to be silenced, nor will we permit the rights of these young women to be trampled by misguided policies rooted in false ideologies.”
Advocates for Faith & Freedom previously filed a landmark lawsuit on behalf of Taylor Starling and Kaitlyn Slavin against Martin Luther King High School for allowing a male athlete to compete as a female with special benefits not afforded to the female athletes. All five girls are available to participate in media to share their common stories of courage and their stand for undeniable truth.
Advocates for Faith & Freedom is unwavering in its commitment to defending the integrity of women’s sports and protecting the fundamental rights of young women to compete without fear of harassment, retaliation, or discrimination. These landmark lawsuits send a resounding message: the voices of these courageous athletes will not be silenced, and the fight for truth and justice will prevail.
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Advocates for Faith & Freedom is a non-profit law firm dedicated to protecting constitutional and religious liberty in the courts. Our mission is to engage in cases that will uphold our religious liberty and America’s heritage and to educate Americans about our fundamental constitutional rights.
PRESS RELEASE | MISSOURI COURT PROTECTS FREE SPEECH IN CHURCH CLASH WITH GENDER IDEOLOGY
ADVOCATES FOR FAITH & FREEDOM
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, sEPTEMBER 4, 2025
CONTACT: Lori Sanada
media@FAITH-FREEDOM.COM
St. Charles, Missouri — Advocates for Faith & Freedom announces today that the St. Charles Circuit Court has granted every motion to dismiss in favor of the Defendants in Roberson v. Grace Church. The Court threw out the Plaintiff’s defamation and conspiracy claims, which the Defendants argued were without merit. The Court’s ruling reaffirms the constitutional protections of Free Speech and Religious Liberty.
The lawsuit, filed by Plaintiff, stated that Plaintiff, born a biological man, wears “masculine and feminine clothing” with “make-up (mascara and eye shadow)” and has a beard or goatee, which was referred to in the legal filings as Plaintiff’s “natural facial hair.” The legal filings describe how plaintiff worked at the public library, which included a rotation in the children’s section of the public library. The Defendants, which included individuals from the community such as Jane Puszkar, Vanessa Hagedorn, and Rachel Homolak, as well as Grace Church advocated for the library to adopt a gender-neutral dress code because the Plaintiff’s gender non-conforming dress created confusion in young children’s minds, as they were not mature or developed enough to process the experience. For voicing concerns about exposing young children to gender ideology, Defendants were sued by Plaintiff for alleged defamation and conspiracy. After careful review of the allegations, however, the Court dismissed each and every claim against the Defendants, finding them legally insufficient.
“This case was built on meritless claims that sought to silence churches and concerned citizens,” said Bob Tyler, President and Chief Counsel of Advocates for Faith & Freedom. “The Court’s decision is more than just a dismissal—it is a resounding victory for Free Speech and Religious Liberty. The First Amendment protects the right of churches and individuals to speak and live out their faith without fear of retaliation through baseless lawsuits.”
With the ruling, Grace Church can focus fully on its mission of serving the St. Charles community and advancing its ministry, and the individual Defendants such as Jane Puszkar, Vanessa Hagedorn, and Rachel Homolak may continue on with their lives without threat of financial ruin. While the Plaintiff may still pursue appeal, the decision marks an important legal affirmation of the First Amendment rights guaranteed to churches and faithful individuals across Missouri and the United States.
“This outcome strengthens the principle that the courts will not be used to punish people of faith for speaking openly and truthfully,” added Erin Mersino of Advocates for Faith & Freedom. “The Court found that the allegations against our Clients were legally insufficient on their face and dismissed them at the earliest possible time. And even though we believe that this case should never have been brought in the first place, our clients’ response has been inspiring. They faced this unjust lawsuit with courage, strength, and resolve. We celebrate this victory with them.”
The St. Charles Circuit Court Opinion is available here.
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Advocates for Faith & Freedom is a non-profit law firm dedicated to protecting constitutional and religious liberty in the courts. Our mission is to engage in cases that will uphold our religious liberty and America’s heritage and to educate Americans about our fundamental constitutional rights.