An anonymous complaint against USD 234 was filed on June 14, 2016, with the U.S. Department of Education, according to the government education website: https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/investigations/open-investigations/tix.html?queries%5Bstate%5D=KS.
“There has been a Title IX complaint against the school district,” USD 234 Superintendent Ted Hessong, said. “There is an investigation currently and the school district is unable to comment more specifically at this time.”
The investigation pending is regarding Title IX Athletics, according to the website.
The Office of Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Education works to ensure equal access to education and resolve complaints of discrimination, according to its’ website https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/howto.html
In June 2018, City Attorney Bob Farmer was asked by the Fort Scott City Commission to send USD 234 a letter to be sent with the school district’s paperwork on the case to the Office of Civil Rights, according to the city commission minutes of June 19, 2018.
In the letter Farmer sent, the city stated it had no plans to build a clubhouse or dressing room at Fisher Park because there is no funding at this time to do so, according to the minutes.
The city owns Fisher Park and allows the USD 234 to use the facilities there for the FSHS girls softball program, Hessong said.
“The OCR wanted a letter from the city stating that the city has no intention of building at Fisher Park,” City Manager Dave Martin said.
“We have been unable to find out who filed the complaint,” Martin said. “The state will not tell the person who turned them in.”
