Inside the Dispute Targeting a Transgender Michigan High School Volleyball Player
- Becky Olson
- Dec 9, 2025
- 9 min read
Updated: 2 days ago
The fall 2025 girls' high school volleyball season is clouded by a controversy between Monroe High School and Ann Arbor Skyline High School, resulting in a Title IX complaint by a Monroe parent
Updated January 9, 2025
Some local stories are blown way out of proportion, not because of what happened on the court, but because of the political and media forces surrounding them. A recent controversy involving a transgender high school volleyball player in Michigan shows how a regular athletic season can turn into a national debate.
Between August and December 2025, advocacy efforts, partisan media coverage, and political statements united to place a minor student at the center of a highly charged debate over gender, sports, and civil rights law.
Let us examine how the escalation occurred, what policies govern these situations in Michigan, and why the focus on a small number of students risks undermining Title IX's original purpose of protecting access to education and addressing genuine harassment and abuse.
Quick Review: The Policy Backdrop in Michigan
Michigan updated the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act (ELCRA) in early 2023 to explicitly include protections for LGBTQ residents. For students, this means discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity is prohibited under state law. As a result, Michigan students are protected from categorical bans related to gender identity.
Several state and federal developments have since increased political attention on schools. In early 2025, the Trump administration issued executive orders addressing what it described as “gender ideology extremism” and women’s sports, followed by federal announcements emphasizing Title IX enforcement priorities. While those announcements signaled a shift in federal focus, they did not override Michigan’s civil rights protections under ELCRA.
In February 2025, WZZM-TV reported that the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) averages about two transgender female athletes per year out of approximately 170,000 student-athletes statewide and described the association’s current waiver process. That context is often missing from later coverage.
Warm-Up: "Looks Like MHSAA Needs a FAFO Lesson"
The controversy surrounding Ann Arbor Skyline volleyball did not begin with an on‑court incident. Public social media commentary shows how frustrations over federal and state laws bubbled to a boiling point within the prominent "Let Them Be" Facebook group and other online platforms, leading into the 2025-2026 high school volleyball season:
February 2025: Monroe County mother Holli Hall Vallade posted, "Looks like MHSAA is in need of a FAFO lesson. Too bad it will be at the expense of student athletes." She linked to an article by independent writer Dave Bondy criticizing the MHSAA.
April 5: Vallade posted a video from Monica Yatooma of the Great Education Initiative, in which Linda McMahon discusses her new Title IX Investigations Team. Vallade's caption reads, "The more Title IX complaints we submit from Michigan, the better! Let's put Whitmer, Michigan Dems, and the Elliot Larsen [sic] debacle on blast for the whole country to see."
May - July: The Lechner family posts disparaging comments about Monroe High School's athletic programs and lack of attention to baseball. (Gallery posted beneath the video at the end of this post.)
As the school year began, a transgender student was selected for the Skyline girls’ volleyball team. Her participation complied with Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) and school policies.
September 5: "Outkick" reporter Dan Zaksheske published his first "exclusive" story about the Skyline player. He noted that he attempted to search the player's Instagram profile for photos and videos, but the player subsequently made their profile private. Initial coverage included anonymous sources from Saline and Ann Arbor.
Transphobic organizations "He Cheated" and "ICONS" RT'd the story, adding the player's name and photos, which was RT'd by Walled Lake parent Gabi Tiaga. The post was further amplified by the transphobic clothing brand, XX-XY, and its founder, Jennifer Sey.
September 9: Ann Arbor Skyline played Monroe High School and won in three sets. There were no reported injuries, forfeits, or unusual incidents. At the time, no formal concerns were raised about the match. (Ann Arbor Skyline finished the season with a record of 28-10-4.)
October 14: During the Walled Lake Board of Education meeting, parent Gabi Tiaga spoke out against the Ann Arbor Skyline volleyball player, and Vallade shared the video to Let Them Be.
Tiaga's public comments appeared to coincide with the Lechner family's involvement in the dispute, which did not begin until at least mid-October.
Mid-Season: Outkick's Repetitive Coverage Raised The National Stakes
Founded by a lawyer with family ties to suburban Detroit, "Outkick's" mission is "To provide fearless, unfiltered commentary and challenge perceived liberal bias in mainstream sports journalism, appealing to the 'American sports fan.'" The website was acquired by FOX Corporation in 2021.
Outkick amplifies FOX News’ anti-LGBTQ sports stories, including on former gymnast Jennifer Sey of the XX-XY clothing line. The platform also hosts Riley Gaines' podcast, "Gaines for Girls."
Throughout the season's playoff weeks in November, Dan Zaksheske and Sean Lechner engaged with Outkick content on the matter. In a Facebook post, Lechner stated his intention to make this issue the “NextPlay.”
The girls' high school volleyball playoff bracket eliminated Monroe High School, but Ann Arbor Skyline advanced to the quarterfinals. As attention grew during the playoffs, Skyline’s principal eventually revoked Zaksheske’s press pass to prevent further disruptions across teams and to ensure student safety.
Despite the rejection, Zaksheske posted more videos obtained from spectators and published several more Outkick articles, even claiming he was being "harassed" by fans in a piece published by parent outlet FOX News.
On November 18, the date of the state championship game, State House Representative Gina Johnsen and several colleagues issued an open letter to the MHSAA requesting that the public be allowed to review the medical testing and records or the MHSAA waiver of the Skyline athlete.
No documents were released, but later that evening, Ann Arbor Skyline lost 0-3 in a quarterfinal match against Byron Center at Richland Gull Lake High School.
Season Encore: A Partisan Speaker and Event Inspire Monroe County Republicans
Political candidates, including Laura Perry for State House and Senator Joe Bellino, began to post in support of the Lechner family. Notably, Holli Hall Vallade flagged Senator Bellino in the Let Them Be group for voting in favor of the ELCRA protections passed in 2023. Jim DeSana was also prominently tagged in posts by the Lechners.
On November 23, the Lechners attended and posted about a Monroe County Republican Party event featuring a traveling speaker, Paula Scanlan. Like Riley Gaines, she swam against Lia Thomas. Scanlan is affiliated with Young America's Foundation (YAF), a partner organization of Moms for Liberty and a party organization in their Title IX lawsuits. YAF's website indicates that Paula earns up to $5,000 per speaking engagement.
State News reports about another recent campus talk, "Scanlan initially seemed to have moved on from her time at Penn. Holding a computer science degree from an Ivy League school, Scanlan began working in finance in New York City until, one day, she left it all behind to re-enter the culture war. Now a fully integrated member of the right-wing speaker ecosystem, Scanlan spends her time speaking at college campuses, traveling to Republican events and creating content for her online following."
After the Monroe County event, the Lechners noted, "[Paula] is such a powerful speaker and an incredible influence." Many of the politicians associated with Lechner's December 8 Title IX press conference attended and sponsored the November 23 event.
Editor's note: According to a recent podcast episode by Pablo Torre, Betsy DeVos paid Riley Gaines $100,000 to speak at events opposing Title IX updates and transgender athletes.
The December 8 Title IX Complaint Conference
Before the December 8 conference, Sean Lechner and State House candidate Laura Perry urged supporters to attend and hear their Title IX complaint regarding the September 9 match. The Monroe player’s mother posted that Riley Gaines had even called to offer her support.
Outkick's Dan Zaksheske publicly thanked a visiting FOX colleague for video footage that he posted on X. He also joined colleague Riley Gaines' podcast to discuss the issue and continue pressing it.
Reportedly, after Lechner's press conference, Monroe Public Schools' Board of Education, comprised entirely of officers and fellow members of the Monroe County Republican Party and Moms for Liberty, requested that staff not speak about the issue.
On Friday, December 12, Monroe High School Athletic Director Dr. Chet Hesson was invited to speak on the Uncloseted Media podcast. During his brief appearance, he expressed empathy for Ann Arbor's athlete, who was publicly identified and thrust into the national spotlight. Over the weekend, Monroe High School placed Hesson on administrative leave, pending an investigation.
During the week of January 5, 2026, Sean Lechner posted negative content about Chet Hesson on X, which appeared to threaten his employment. There has been no word from the school district about the Title IX investigation or its timeline.
Transgender athletes' participation in sports is reaching another social fever pitch because the issue will be addressed by the Supreme Court on Tuesday, January 13. Lechner and other parties involved in the Monroe Public Schools complaint are posting their support for participation bans.
At Odds: Title IX's Original Intent vs. Moms for Liberty's Modern Interpretations
Title IX, enacted in 1972, was designed to prevent sex‑based discrimination in federally funded education programs. It is a framework for determining when a student has been denied equal access to education due to severe and pervasive harassment or discrimination, and for guiding institutional responses.
Title IX was never intended to function as a broad enforcement tool for ideological disputes. Its effectiveness depends on careful, fact‑based investigations that prioritize student safety, due process, and educational access.
Advocates for survivors of sexual harassment and assault have warned that politicizing Title IX, by redirecting attention and resources toward symbolic conflicts, risks weakening its capacity to address documented, systemic abuse by peers, educators, coaches, and trainers.
Monroe High School experienced such an issue during the 2023-2024 school year, throughout which a cheerleading coach maintained an inappropriate relationship with a student. The district superintendent commented, "it's hard to hold people accountable on hearsay."
The Trump Administration and Betsy DeVos are widely recognized for setting back victims' rights by severely restricting Title IX to favor the accused.
Women's rights advocates and victim advocates who lobbied for a more supportive Title IX rule initiated the process during the Biden Administration. Hundreds of victims gave testimony on Capitol Hill.
However, in 2024, Moms for Liberty prepared to challenge any Biden updates and preserve Trump's rule. Upon the rule's release, which did not yet include guidance for sports, Moms for Liberty and Young America's Foundation filed immediate lawsuits, citing conflicts with their religious beliefs. Public comments emphasized worries about transgender people rather than any mention of protections for girls and women from harassment, assault, or abuse. The Supreme Court reinstated the Trump-era Title IX rule in January 2025.
Moms for Liberty, Young America's, and athletes like Riley Gaines did not request an opportunity to discuss ways to protect girls and women in public schools or facilities, or to address sports specifically. They filed to strike down the entire rule, including enhanced protections for girls and women.
Policy Gaps Leave All Students in a Vulnerable Position
Civil‑rights protections like ELCRA and Title IX exist to expand access to education and to protect students from real harm. When they are repurposed as tools in partisan battles, their credibility and ability to protect students suffer.
In cases where a Michigan victim's attorney knows a complaint won't meet the restricted Title IX rules, they can opt to try a case under a state's civil rights laws. In one example, an Alpena, Michigan, elementary school-aged girl experienced harassment by a peer. Neither Title IX nor Michigan's Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act applies, leaving the victim defenseless.
The Ann Arbor Skyline dispute is not an isolated event. It reflects a broader pattern in which school‑based conflicts are elevated into political symbols, often detached from evidence and policy realities.
The question facing Michigan schools is not whether to protect students but how.
Will policy debates be grounded in data, proportionality, and student well‑being? Or will schools continue to be drawn into national political disputes that leave fundamental inequities and genuine safety concerns unresolved?
Students deserve learning environments defined by fairness, dignity, and care, not by fear, spectacle, or ideological escalation.
This discussion and resulting solutions will take time, but time is the least we can give to Michigan kids.
Screenshots of Disparaging Public Remarks about Monroe Athletics and Chet Hesson
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