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LAYTON — A federal judge on Thursday ordered that a 15-year-old girl be allowed to wrestle on her junior high school's all-male team while she brings her civil rights case before the court.
In a lawsuit filed by 15-year-old Kathleen Janis and her mother, the ninth-grader at Central Davis Junior High says she has been denied membership on the wrestling team because of her gender, even though the Davis School District offers co-ed wrestling at the high school level.
If Kathleen wants to compete, she must do so on the older team while her male classmates get to choose which group they want to participate in.
U.S. District Judge Robert Shelby heard arguments Wednesday on Kathleen's request for an injunction allowing her to join the team now as the season begins while her lawsuit remains in court. He granted the injunction Thursday, in time for the school's wrestling tryouts on Friday.
"(Kathleen) is forced to wrestle at the high school level instead of the junior high level. But her male peers can make this choice freely in consultation with their parents after considering their school schedules, athletic abilities and goals, and personal preferences," Shelby wrote in his decision.
Kathleen began wrestling in seventh grade, an experience that she said has healed her of fear, bullying and self-esteem problems. She currently participates with a club program, the Crushers, where she regularly wrestles both boys and girls.
A hearing on the injunction is set for Feb. 10.
