Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-casd-3_07-cv-00049/USCOURTS-casd-3_07-cv-00049-1/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 890
Nature of Suit: Other Statutory Actions
Cause of Action: 28:1331 Fed. Question

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1 07cv00049 W (CAB)

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

KAREN R. HESS, et al., Civil No. 07cv00049 W (CAB)

Plaintiffs,

MAGISTRATE JUDGE’S

RECOMMENDATION REGARDING

IMPLEMENTATION OF INJUNCTIVE

RELIEF

v.

RAMONA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT, et

al.,

Defendants.

The undersigned, after consultation with the parties and review of numerous proposals, issues the

following Recommendation regarding the implementation of injunctive relief in this case. The parties

will submit their comments on the Recommendation separately. 

BACKGROUND

On July 26, 2007, the Court granted Plaintiffs’ motion for a preliminary injunction. United

States District Judge Thomas Whelan found that Plaintiffs established a likelihood of success on the

merits of their Title IX claim against Defendant, the Ramona Unified School District (“the District”). 

The injunction requires that the District provide facilities for the Ramona High School Girls’ Softball

teams on the Ramona High School campus of equal quality to that of the fields the Ramona High School

Boys’ Baseball teams have on campus.

Specifically, the Court required the District provide the Softball teams with facilities that give the

girls’ teams the same benefits the boys’ teams have enjoyed for years, including access to locker rooms,

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1

 District has committed that the dedicated Girls’ Varsity Softball field, regardless of the proposal

adopted, will be equal in amenities and field quality to the dedicated Boys’ Varsity Baseball field,

including an electronic scoreboard, sound system, covered masonry dugouts with storage, batting cages,

bullpens, and adequate spectator seating. 

2

 The orientation of the Varsity Baseball field, with home plate in the southwest corner with the

batter looking northeast has been represented as the optimal orientation.

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medical and training services, and playing fields of equal quality starting with the 2008 season. The

Court ordered the parties work together in good faith to arrive at a plan to remedy the situation and

submit a joint proposal, or separate proposals as necessary, to the Court by September 14, 2007.

The parties enlisted the assistance of the undersigned Magistrate Judge to mediate the process of

generating a joint proposal. Both parties participated in good faith. A number of plans and alternatives

were generated, recognizing certain physical space limitations and other constraints. As part of the

process, the undersigned met with the parties at Ramona High School on August 24, 2007, for an on-site

evaluation of the alternative proposals. It was the goal of the parties, and the undersigned, to formulate a

plan that complies with the Court’s order, provides for the District’s competing needs for use of the

campus land, creates a safe environment for the student athletes and spectators, and offers a long-term

solution. 

DISCUSSION

Proposal One

The first proposal was to construct three new playing fields on the campus grounds immediately

north of the high school buildings and east of the dedicated Boys’ Varsity Baseball field. This plan

would provide a new dedicated field for the Varsity Girls’ Softball team, equivalent to the Varsity Boys’

Baseball field1 on the site of the current JV/Freshman Boys’ Baseball field, oriented however in the same

direction as the Varsity Baseball field.2 A new JV/Freshman Boys’ Baseball field and a new

JV/Freshman Girls’ Softball field would be constructed in the remaining open area. The plan

contemplated both the JV/Freshman fields being constructed in a manner and orientation that would

allow the land to be used by other athletic teams and physical education classes when not in use by the

softball and baseball teams. During the site inspection, it became apparent that this configuration,

although feasible on paper, posed numerous safety issues as the fields would be very close together with

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3

 The Court understands that currently there is no Freshman Girls’ Softball Team at Ramona

High. It is anticipated that under this third proposal, any future Girls’ Freshman team would share the

dedicated Varsity Softball field with the Varsity and JV teams, as the proposal suggests the Boys’

Baseball teams will be required to do, until such time as new fields may be constructed. 

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the potential for long-hit or foul balls encroaching on school grounds and other playing fields

endangering players, students and spectators. Also the proposed orientation of the Boys’ JV/Freshman

Baseball field, designed to preserve open space, raised concerns about visual interference by the sun

causing a danger for players. 

Proposal Two

The second proposal was to construct the dedicated Girls’ Varsity Softball field on the site of the

Boys’ JV/Freshman Baseball field, identical to Proposal One. A new JV/Freshman Baseball field would

be constructed to the east of the new Girl’s Varsity field, also identical to Proposal One. The alternative

was to renovate the field on the neighboring Olive Pierce Middle School Campus (“OPMS field”) for the

JV/Freshman Softball teams to use. The OPMS field, although not on the High School campus, is a

short walk from the high school locker facilities and medical service center (less than 5 minutes). This

proposal alleviated some of the safety concerns of crowding the three new fields onto the available high

school campus land, but not entirely. There were still safety concerns regarding the orientation of the

proposed new JV/Freshman Baseball field. As with Proposal One, in order to preserve open land, the

field orientation has sun interference issues as well as the potential for long-hit and foul balls

encroaching on school grounds.

Proposal Three

The District proposed a third alternative - to construct a dedicated Girls’ Softball field on the site

of the current JV/Freshman Baseball field, with no additional field construction. The Boys’ Varsity, JV,

and Freshman Baseball teams would share the current dedicated Boys’ Varsity Baseball field. The Girls’

Varsity and JV Softball teams3 would share the new dedicated Girls’ Varsity Softball field. 

This proposal contemplates constructing the new Softball field on the existing JV Baseball field

using the same orientation of the existing field. The District represents that renovation of the existing

field from a baseball to softball field and adding the required amenities would not require approval from

the Division of State Architects and would therefore save valuable time allowing completion of the

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project by the start of the 2008 season. It would also save District resources that could be used in the 

future for field construction should other land (the 40 acres) become available, and preserve existing

open land for other athletic teams and physical educations needs. 

The proposed orientation for the Girls’ Varsity field in Proposal Three is not the optimal layout

for the dedicated Girls’ Softball field, described in Proposal One. Further, Plaintiffs expressed concern

that the proposed plan to rotate use of the fields by Varsity, JV, and Freshmen teams is not feasible. 

Plaintiffs contend that a program requiring shared facilities will disadvantage the Girls’ Softball program

and Boys’ Freshmen Baseball. 

Proposal Four

The Plaintiffs in response to Proposal Three, offered a fourth proposal. First, the Plaintiffs do not

want to compromise on the construction of the new dedicated Girls’ Varsity Softball field. 

Consequently, Plaintiffs state they are willing to use alternate accommodations if construction of the

new dedicated field is not completed by February 2008, the start of the softball season, rather than adopt

Proposal Three’s plan to renovate the existing Boys’ JV Baseball field. 

Plaintiffs contend that the Girls’ Softball program operates in such a manner that Proposal

Three’s plan for the Girls’ Varsity and JV Softball teams to share a playing/practice field is

impracticable, if not impossible. Consequently, the Plaintiffs propose that the District go forward with

the renovation of the neighboring OPMS field for the Girls’ JV Softball team to use. (Further, the

Varsity team is willing to use that location until the dedicated Varsity Softball field on the high school

campus is completed.)

Plaintiffs are also concerned that Proposal Three, requiring the Boys’ Varsity, JV, and Freshman

Baseball teams share the dedicated Boys’ Varsity Baseball field, will hurt the Freshman baseball

program. Although it appears feasible for the Boys’ Varsity and JV teams to share a field, with perhaps

some minor inconvenience, the Plaintiffs believe it will severely disadvantage the Boys’ Freshman

Baseball program. Consequently, Proposal Four contemplates the current Boys’ JV/Freshman Baseball

field remain in place, and the new dedicated Girls’ Varsity Softball field be constructed to the east of

that existing field in the optimal orientation.

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Proposal Four provides the Girls’ Varsity Softball team with a dedicated field on campus equal in

all ways to that of the Boys’ Varsity Baseball field. The Girls’ JV Softball team will get a renovated

field within a short walking distance of the high school athletic amenities. The Boys’ JV/Freshmen

Baseball teams will not be disadvantaged by the construction of fields for the Girls’ Softball program. 

Adoption of this plan, however, would impair the District’s ability to accommodate other athletic

programs and the physical education program. Construction of the dedicated Girls’ Varsity Softball field

directly to the east of the existing Boys’ JV/Freshman field, oriented with home plate located in the

southwest corner, places permanent structures (fencing, dugouts, etc.) in the middle of what is now open

space used by other athletic teams and the high school physical education program. This would render

the remaining open space of extremely limited value even when softball is not in season.

RECOMMENDATION

Time constraints, space limitations and competing interests do not allow the District to construct

the perfect solution to this problem. The Court has ordered the District to remedy the disparity in

treatment the Girls’ Softball Program has endured for some years, before the start of the 2008 season. It

does not, however, seem to be in the best interests of the softball program to compromise the

construction and layout of this long-anticipated, dedicated Girls’ Varsity Softball field, simply to meet

the 2008 season start. Best efforts should be employed to have a field ready for the season opener, but in

the long-term interests of the program, building it right is more important than building it fast. 

Additionally, construction of the new fields should not be at the sacrifice of other Ramona High school

athletic and physical education programs.

Consequently, it is the recommendation of the undersigned that the Court adopt the following

plan to implement the injunctive relief ordered by the Court:

1. The District construct a dedicated Girls’ Varsity Softball field, in the current location of the

Boys’ JV/Freshman Baseball field, oriented in the same direction as the dedicated Boys’ Varsity

Baseball field and with all the comparable amenities as the Boys’ Varsity Baseball field. Said

construction to be completed as soon as possible. Varsity Girls’ Softball will be played on the

OPMS field until the dedicated field is completed.

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2. The District renovate the OPMS field, resolving the drainage, grading and irrigation problems,

and install a Girls’ Softball field, with at least one batting cage, at that location for the Girls’

JV/Freshman Softball program. Said renovation to be completed by February 2008.

3. The Boys’ Varsity and JV Baseball teams share the dedicated Boys’ Varsity Baseball field until

such time as the District can construct a new JV field on the 40 acres held by the District. At the

option of the District, it may proceed with its plan to rotate the Boys’ Freshman Baseball Team

into the shared program with Varsity and JV. Alternatively, the District may find other

accommodations for the Boys’ Freshman Baseball team, which may include construction of a

non-dedicated field in the northeast corner of the campus property or off-site accommodations

until additional fields can be constructed. 

4. The District provide a timeline for completion of the project and monthly reports to Plaintiffs and

the undersigned, so construction progress can be monitored and any issues addressed

expediently.

DATED: September 13, 2007

CATHY ANN BENCIVENGO

United States Magistrate Judge

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