Student trap shooter says Ankeny Centennial coaches discriminated against her

A former Ankeny Centennial High School student has sued Ankeny Community School District over discrimination she faced while a member of the school's trap shooting team

Raylee Bishop alleges then-Centennial’s Jaguar Trap Shooting Team head coach Matthew Deutsch, a district employee, and volunteer assistant coach Curtis Block limited her opportunities to compete during shooting competitions because of her sex, a lawsuit filed Thursday in Iowa District Court for Polk County states.

Deutsch no longer works for the district.

Bishop grew up shooting guns for sport with her father and earned many accolades from participating in competitions, the lawsuit states. She currently participates “in the shooting sports in college on a partial scholarship.”

During the 2020-21 school year, Bishop, then a senior, was one of five female students on the trap shooting team, the lawsuit states. Additionally, the team had more than “20 male student-athletes.” Bishop was considered a top athlete on the team who “consistently received high scores” at local and national events.

“Despite her objective excellence in trap shooting” coaches Deutsch and Block “ostracized her” from male members of the team, the suit alleges. Bishop was passed over for “competitive athletic opportunities” in favor of “less-skilled male” teammates.

Allegedly, she was excluded from team events and communications, practice opportunities, and she was not chosen often for the school’s top squads. At a July 2020 competition, she was the only female on the 10-member team and coaches chose her for only one top squad. Bishop felt she was passed over in favor of less-skilled male teammates.

Bishop and her father spoke with then-athletic director Scott Garvis and Deutsch on Sept. 11, 2020, about what they saw as unfair treatment due to her sex.

“Head Coach Deutsch told Raylee that decisions about top squads were made based on team ‘cohesiveness’ and ‘chemistry,’” the lawsuit states. After the meeting, Bishop continued to feel isolated.

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Next, Bishop approached Jen Lindaman, then-interim superintendent and chief officer of academic services, about the “ongoing discrimination and retaliation,” according to the suit.

Lindaman allegedly told her “nothing could be done.”

When a male teammate's parent complained to a coach about how Bishop was treated, the teammate was moved to a lower-ranked squad, the lawsuit states. Bishop eventually transferred to another team.

On April 28, 2021, Bishop filed “charges of educational discrimination based on sex” with the Iowa Civil Rights Commission. Feb. 4, 2022, she filed additional charges of educational discrimination and retaliation against the district. The commission later “issued right-to-sue letters.”

Bishop claims her treatment while on the team caused her emotional distress, affected her grades and impacted her college opportunities due to her switching teams.

"At this time, the district is reviewing the lawsuit with its counsel and preparing to respond appropriately," said Samantha Aukes, Ankeny Community School District spokesperson, when asked about the lawsuit.

Bishop's attorneys did not return a call for comment at press time.

Bishop is asking for unspecified compensation and for the school district to cover court costs. No future court dates have been scheduled.

Samantha Hernandez covers education for the Register. Reach her at (515) 851-0982 or svhernandez@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter at @svhernandez or Facebook at facebook.com/svhernandezreporter.