A school district in Pennsylvania has reversed its decision to deny a female student from being on the junior high wrestling team.
Katalyna Borreli is in 7th grade at Tulpehocken Middle School, and she loves wrestling. But when she went to sign up for the school’s team, she was told she wasn’t allowed to join because of her gender, as the district has a policy that prohibits co-ed competition in contact sports.
"Today, we did get a call from the superintendent telling us that they are allowing her to wrestle," Naida Borreli, Katalyna's mother told WFMZ-TV.
Katalyna is no stranger to wrestling. She's wrestled boys 20 pounds above her weight class.
"It's very not fair and also it's 2019 so they should get a hold of themselves," Katalyna said of the Tulpehocken School Board.
WFMZ reached out to the superintendent of the school who said Katalyna would be permitted to wrestle, and he wished her success.
Title IX states, ""No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance."
"There should not be another kid that is denied and has to feel the way my child felt when she was told she couldn't wrestle and that look in her face that I had to see. No parent should have to endure that," Naida said.
The family will attend upcoming school board meeting and urge members to make policy changes.
