California schools refuse to ban transgender athletes from girls’ sports

• California education officials rejected federal demands to ban transgender girls from girls’ sports, risking federal funding cuts.
• The Trump administration argues transgender participation violates Title IX by undermining fairness for biological girls.
• California insists on transgender-inclusive policies, defying federal rulings and triggering potential legal action.
• Republicans accuse Gov. Newsom of hypocrisy, citing his past admission that trans participation is unfair.
• The Department of Education may escalate enforcement, mirroring recent cases like Lia Thomas’ revoked medals.

California education officials have openly defied the Trump administration’s demand to ban transgender girls from competing in girls’ school sports, escalating a bitter legal and ideological battle that threatens to strip the state of federal funding. The California Department of Education (CDE) and the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) refused to sign a proposed resolution agreement that would have forced schools to adopt biology-based gender definitions, revoke titles earned by transgender athletes, and apologize to female athletes for alleged Title IX violations.

The standoff, announced Monday, sets the stage for a high-stakes legal clash as Education Secretary Linda McMahon vowed enforcement action, warning that California’s refusal could trigger Justice Department intervention. Attorney General Pam Bondi is expected to pursue legal remedies, potentially stripping California schools of federal funding in a move President Trump has repeatedly threatened.

Eroding fairness for biological girls

The Trump administration has aggressively enforced its interpretation of Title IX, arguing that allowing biological males to compete in female sports discriminates against women and endangers their safety. In February, Trump signed an executive order barring transgender athletes from women’s teams, declaring that women’s sports cannot be ruined by unfair competition. Despite this, California lawmakers have doubled down on radical trans-inclusive policies, prioritizing gender ideology over the rights of biological girls.

Highlighting the hypocrisy, Republican lawmakers blasted Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) for paying lip service to fairness while allowing transgender athletes to dominate female competitions. Newsom previously admitted that trans participation in girls’ sports was “deeply unfair” but refused to act. Rep. Kevin Kiley (R-CA) condemned the state’s defiance as “a clear violation of federal law and common sense,” warning that California politicians were abandoning female athletes to advance “a radical agenda.”

Federal crackdown imminent

The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) ruled last month that California violated Title IX by permitting transgender athletes to compete against biological females. The agency demanded the state amend its policies or face consequences, including potential funding cuts. California’s response was defiant. “The CDE respectfully disagrees with OCR’s analysis, and it will not sign the Proposed Resolution Agreement,” wrote Len Garfinkel, the department’s general counsel.

McMahon responded on X, accusing Newsom of “empty political grandstanding” and signaling imminent legal retaliation. The proposed resolution would have forced California schools to enforce sex-based distinctions in sports and intimate facilities, overturning the state’s 2013 trans-inclusive policy.

Meanwhile, the University of Pennsylvania recently caved to federal pressure, stripping transgender swimmer Lia Thomas of records and medals after the OCR ruled in favor of protecting biological female athletes. California’s refusal to follow suit underscores its commitment to progressive extremism—even when it comes at the expense of women’s rights.

California’s refusal to protect female athletes exposes a disturbing reality: The radical left will sacrifice fairness and safety to advance a transgender agenda. As Biden-appointed bureaucrats quietly sabotage Title IX protections, Trump’s administration remains the last line of defense for biological women. With the Justice Department now poised to intervene, this fight could reshape the future of youth sports and determine whether girls’ competitions will remain fair or become yet another casualty of woke ideology.

Sources for this article include:

TheHill.com

FoxNews.com

LATimes.com

NBCNews.com