Fri Jul 04 01:50:00 UTC 2025: Here’s a summary and a rewritten news article:
**Summary:**
The University of Pennsylvania has reached a settlement with the U.S. Education Department over a civil rights case concerning transgender swimmer Lia Thomas’s participation on the women’s team. Penn will modify school records, restore titles to female athletes who lost to Thomas, and issue apology letters. The university will also adopt biology-based definitions of male and female and bar males from competing in women’s athletic programs. The settlement follows an Education Department investigation that concluded Penn violated Title IX, the federal law prohibiting sex discrimination in education. The NCAA and NFSHSA are also asked to restore titles, awards and records that have been allegedly misappropriated.
**News Article:**
**Penn Modifies Records, Apologizes to Female Athletes in Lia Thomas Settlement**
**WASHINGTON** – The University of Pennsylvania has reached an agreement with the U.S. Education Department to resolve a federal civil rights case stemming from the participation of transgender swimmer Lia Thomas on the women’s team. As part of the settlement, Penn will modify school records, restore titles to female athletes who were defeated by Thomas, and issue personalized apology letters.
The agreement follows an Education Department investigation that concluded the university violated Title IX, a federal law prohibiting sex discrimination in education. The investigation, which began under the Trump administration, focused on the 2021-2022 season when Thomas became the first openly transgender athlete to win an NCAA Division I title.
Penn’s website has already been updated to reflect these changes, annotating Thomas’s previous records with a statement acknowledging that “some student-athletes were disadvantaged by these rules.”
“While Penn’s policies during the 2021-2022 swim season were in accordance with NCAA eligibility rules at the time, we acknowledge that some student-athletes were disadvantaged by these rules,” said Penn President J. Larry Jameson. “We recognize this and will apologize to those who experienced a competitive disadvantage or experienced anxiety because of the policies in effect at the time.”
The agreement also mandates that Penn adopt biology-based definitions of male and female and will not allow males to compete in female athletic programs. Education Secretary Linda McMahon hailed the settlement as “a victory for women and girls.”
The Education Department has further requested the NCAA and the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFSHSA) restore titles, awards and records it says have been misappropriated by biological males competing in female categories.
The settlement has drawn varied reactions. Former University of Kentucky swimmer Riley Gaines, a vocal critic of transgender athletes competing in women’s sports, thanked former President Donald Trump for his help. The NCAA has not responded to the federal government’s request.
First Piper 