Rep. John Carson Files Title IX Complaint Regarding Pope High School’s New Policies for Girls’ Varsity Basketball Team

ATLANTA - State Representative John Carson (R-Marietta) recently filed a Title IX gender discrimination complaint with the United States Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights Atlanta Division against Pope High School's athletic department regarding the alleged inequitable treatment of female multi-sport athletes. Specifically, the complaint alleges gender-based discrimination by Pope High School girls' varsity basketball coach and administration after a rule was reimplemented from last spring prohibiting girls' varsity and junior varsity basketball team members from participating in other sports simultaneously.

"Over the last several months, I have heard from numerous constituents regarding troubling allegations of gender-based discrimination against female athletes at Pope High School, specifically regarding the girls' basketball program." said Rep. Carson. "Specifically, multi-sport female athletes have reportedly been prohibited from participating on the girls' varsity and junior varsity basketball teams while participating in other sports simultaneously. This restriction does not apply equally to their male counterparts, many of whom are allowed to play multiple sports simultaneously and openly without consequence. As a result, my office has filed a Title IX violation complaint with the U.S. Dept of Education's Office of Civil Rights to ensure that these allegations are thoroughly investigated. As I said in my letter to the Cobb County School Board, please let the girls play."

In the spring of 2025, Rep. Carson heard from numerous constituents regarding a newly implemented rule that prohibited Pope High School female multi-sport athletes from participating in the girls' basketball program at the same time they competed on other Pope athletic teams. These new rules were not subsequently instated for the boys' basketball program or other athletic teams/programs at Pope. In response, Rep. Carson filed a written complaint with the Cobb County School System on April 28, 2025, and recently filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights regarding alleged gender discrimination of girls' basketball players who are multi-sport athletes at Pope High School.

Rep. Carson requests that this new rule be reversed and that these multi-sport female athletes be allowed to fully participate in the girls' basketball program while playing other sports, as is allowed for many male athletes.

Representative John Carson represents the citizens of District 46, which includes portions of Cherokee and Cobb counties. He was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2011 and currently serves as Chairman of the Retirement Committee. He also serves on the Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Energy, Utilities & Telecommunications, Insurance, Rules, Transportation and Ways & Means committees.

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