Latest news with #SchoolSuccessandOpportunityAct
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Trump — not trans athletes — is the real threat to women's sports
Despite what you may hear in conservative media or from the White House, it's Donald Trump — not transgender athletes — who poses a true threat to women's sports. Trump, who threatened to 'protect' women 'whether the women like it or not,' has weaponized hatred toward transgender people for political gain, borrowing a bigoted strategy used by other extremist movements (like Nazi Germany, for example). And this week, Trump threatened to withhold federal funding from the state of California because it's allowing a trans woman to participate in high school track-and-field finals. Trump has also announced a Title IX probe into the state for allowing trans participation in sports more broadly. As NBC 4 Los Angeles reported: The U.S. Department of Justice on Wednesday announced an investigation into whether a California law that allows transgender athletes to compete in girls high school sports violates the landmark Title IX federal civil rights law. The DOJ said it sent letters of legal notice to California Attorney General Rob Bonta, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond and the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF), the state's high school sports governing body, and the Jurupa Unified School District, which the agency said is a target of the investigation. The investigation will determine whether California's School Success and Opportunity Act, or AB 1266, conflicts with Title IX, the federal law that bans sex discrimination in schools or educational programs that receive funding from the U.S. government. For the record, Trump and the Republican Party's insistence that trans women's participation in women's sports constitutes a threat to the sanctity of women's sports is not supported by reputable science. Back in 2022, I wrote about a Harvard University panel that featured multiple experts on women's sports, who all pointed to things like patriarchal leadership structures, poor equipment and lack of media coverage as the real source of woe for women's sports programs and athletes. None of them mentioned trans competitors as a concern. So there's a deep irony in Trump using Title IX rules, which are designed to prohibit gender-based discrimination, to crusade against trans athletes. That's because, as ESPN reported in March, Trump's attempts to close down the Department of Education threatens the existence of the very sports he's claiming to defend. Specifically, the outlet reported, the closure threatens the department's Office for Civil Rights, with a purview that includes enforcing Title IX rules that provide support for girls' and women's sports programs: The Office for Civil Rights determines how K-12 schools and colleges and universities are supposed to provide equal opportunities for female athletes, which includes equitable financial aid, promotion, coaching salaries, equipment and travel, among other factors. The Trump administration has shut down the Education Department's regional Office of Civil Rights in California and fired all of its staff. Attorneys who remain at the agency have complained about their office being used as a weapon to wage right-wing culture wars. If one were truly concerned about making sure women's sports programs survive and thrive, it simply doesn't make much sense to fire the officials whose jobs are dedicated, in part, to that goal. Nonetheless, Trump's gutting of the Department of Education undermines the federal agency most responsible for supporting women's sports programs — all while he launches bogus investigations that allow him to pay lip service to defending women. This article was originally published on
USA Today
4 days ago
- Politics
- USA Today
DOJ probes California over transgender athletes after Trump threatens funding
DOJ probes California over transgender athletes after Trump threatens funding Show Caption Hide Caption Justice Department sues Maine over transgender athletes Attorney General Pam Bondi announced a lawsuit against Maine's Department of Education over the state's refusal to ban transgender athletes. PALM SPRINGS, CA — The U.S. Department of Justice announced that it will investigate whether a California law is violating Title IX after a transgender high school athlete won track events to qualify for the state track and field championships. In a May 28 news release, the Justice Department said it had sent legal notices to state officials, saying it is opening an investigation to determine whether Title IX is being violated by California's School Success and Opportunity Act, or AB 1266. The announcement came just a day after President Donald Trump warned he would cut federal funding to the state for allowing transgender athletes to compete in women's sports. The state law requires that students be allowed to participate in sex-segregated school programs like sports teams and competitions consistent with their gender identity, regardless of their gender listed on their records. Title IX is a federal law that prohibits sex-based discrimination in educational programs and activities that receive federal financial assistance, according to the Education Department. The letters were sent to California Attorney General Rob Bonta, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, and the California Interscholastic Federation, the Justice Department said. In a clarification issued on May 28, the department said the Jurupa Unified School District is a "target of this investigation" and was sent a letter of notice about the Title IX probe. 4 tell their stories in their own words: Transgender athletes face growing hostility Jurupa Unified School District did not immediately respond to the Desert Sun's, part of the USA TODAY Network, request for comment. The California Department of Education cannot comment on a pending investigation, said public information officer Scott Roark. "We remain committed to defending and upholding California laws and all additional laws which ensure the rights of students, including transgender students, to be free from discrimination and harassment," the state attorney general's press office said in a statement to the Desert Sun. "We will continue to closely monitor the Trump Administration's actions in this space." According to the Justice Department, the investigation will also determine whether California and its "senior legal, educational, and athletic organizations, and the school district" are "engaging in a pattern or practice of discrimination on the basis of sex." Earlier this year, the Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights announced it would investigate the California Interscholastic Federation about transgender student athletes participating in women's and girls' sports. What did Trump say about transgender student athletes in California? Trump said in a May 27 post on Truth Social that he planned to speak with California Gov. Gavin Newsom, whom he accused of "continuing to ILLEGALLY allow 'MEN TO PLAY IN WOMEN'S SPORTS.'" The post referred to the California Interscholastic Federation Southern Section Masters Meet, where a transgender athlete won the girls' triple jump and long jump competitions, advancing to the state finals set for May 30 and 31. Trump added that "large scale Federal Funding will be held back, maybe permanently" if an executive order he signed Feb. 5 seeking to bar transgender student athletes from playing women's sports is not followed. He did not specify which funding streams he would target. 'In the meantime, I am ordering local authorities, if necessary, not to allow the transitioned person to compete in the State Finals,' Trump said in the post. 'This is a totally ridiculous situation!!!' Controversial T-shirt ban: Ban on 'only two genders' shirt remains after Supreme Court declines case USA TODAY reported in February that the executive order directs the Department of Education to pursue "enforcement actions" under Title IX. But some legal experts question whether the Trump administration's interpretation of the law would hold sway in court. The Justice Department said in a news release that it has filed a statement of interest in support of a lawsuit challenging AB 1266, which was passed in 2013. "The letters of legal notice were sent at the time the Justice Department filed a statement of interest in federal court in support of a lawsuit filed by and on behalf of girls' athletes to advance the appropriate interpretation of Title IX to ensure equal educational opportunities and prevent discrimination based on sex in federally funded schools and athletic programs," the news release states. California Interscholastic Federation announced changes to upcoming state championships The California Interscholastic Federation announced on May 27 that it's implementing a pilot entry process for the upcoming 2025 CIF State Track and Field Championships held in Clovis, a city in Fresno County. 'Under this pilot entry process, any biological female student-athlete who would have earned the next qualifying mark for one of their Section's automatic qualifying entries in the CIF State meet, and did not achieve the CIF State at-large mark in the finals at their Section meet, was extended an opportunity to participate in the 2025 CIF State Track and Field Championships,' according to the announcement shared on social media. While the California Interscholastic Federation did not directly respond to a request for comment regarding the investigation from the Justice Department, the Desert Sun was provided with a follow-up statement about the pilot entry process. What does the 'T' in LGBTQ+ mean? Transgender, nonbinary communities explained. According to the news release, 'a biological female student athlete who would have earned the next qualifying mark will also be advanced to the finals' in the high jump, triple jump, and long jump qualifying events at the 2025 CIF State Track and Field Championships, if necessary. 'Additionally, if necessary, in the high jump, triple jump and long jump events at the 2025 CIF State Track and Field Championships, a biological female student-athlete who would have earned a specific placement on the podium will also be awarded the medal for that place and the results will be reflected in the recording of the event. 'The CIF values all of our student-athletes and we will continue to uphold our mission of providing students with the opportunity to belong, connect, and compete while complying with California law and Education Code,' the news release added. Contributing: Joey Garrison, USA TODAY
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Newsom calls biological men in women's sports 'deeply unfair' in podcast with conservative activist
California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom put distance between himself and his party, and found common ground with influential conservative activist and commentator Charlie Kirk, when the term-limited governor and possible 2028 presidential contender agreed that biological men in women's sports is "deeply unfair." "The young man who's about to win the state championship in the long jump in female sports, that shouldn't happen," Kirk said California on Newsom's debut episode on his new podcast, "This is Gavin Newsom." Kirk, a MAGA world rock star and ally of President Donald Trump and Donald Trump Jr. who leads the powerful Turning Point USA youth organization, asked Newsom, "You, as the governor, should step out and say no. Would you do something like that? Would you say no men in female sports?" "Well, I think it's an issue of fairness," Newsom replied. "I completely agree with you on that. It's deeply unfair." Gavin Newsom Asks Charlie Kirk To Give His Party 'Advice' In One-on-one Podcast Interview Kirk further pressed Newsom on whether he would condemn the recent victory of a transgender track athlete with a more than 40-foot jump at Jurupa Valley High School in Southern California. Read On The Fox News App Newsom — who has long backed LGBTQ causes and who was ahead of many in his party when, two decades ago, as San Francisco mayor, he defied existing state laws and issued marriage licenses to same-sex couples — didn't directly address the win, but said "it's a fairness issue." The student, AB Hernandez, won an invitational meet on Feb. 22, booting out a female runner-up who had jumped just over 32 feet in their competition category. Hernandez also took first place in two other events at the meet. "So that's easy to call out the unfairness of that," Newsom, a Democratic Party torchbearer, said. "There's also a humility and a grace… these poor people are more likely to commit suicide, have anxiety and depression, and the way that people talk down to vulnerable communities is an issue that I have a hard time with as well." "So both things I can hold in my hand," the governor continued. "How can we address this issue with the kind of decency that I think you know is inherent in you, but not always expressed on the issue?" Karoline Leavitt Addresses Democrats Defying Trans Athlete Ban Demand: 'Can't Say You Are The Party Of Women' Transgender athletes in California have long been protected prior to Newsom's administration under AB 1266, also known as the School Success and Opportunity Act. The law was signed by Gov. Jerry Brown, a Democrat, in August 2013. However, Senate Bill 132, also known as the Transgender Respect, Agency and Dignity Act, allows inmates to request cells and searches that align with their gender identity, which Newsom signed in September 2020. Newsom's comments in California came as Senate Democrats in Washington D.C. earlier this week voted unanimously to block a GOP-led bill that would prohibit federally funded schools from allowing transgender athletes from participating in women's sports. Title IX government protections — which cover schools — prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex in education programs or activities that receive funding from the federal government. Democrats argue that policies to restrict transgender athletes' participation in team sports are a form of discrimination. There are relatively few transgender athletes competing at the collegiate level. Regardless, Republicans have spotlighted in recent years that transgender women playing in female sports hold an unfair physical advantage. And the GOP attacked Democrats over transgender issues up and down the ballot on the campaign trail last year. That included a politically cutting ad from Trump's campaign that spotlighted then-Vice President Kamala Harris' support for taxpayer-funded gender transition-related medical care for federal prisoners and detained immigrants. "It was a great ad," Newsom said in the podcast. "She didn't even react to it, which was even more devastating." Trump signed an executive order titled "Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports" in February, which said transgender athletes in women sports is "demeaning, unfair, and dangerous to women and girls." The order requires institutions receiving federal funding to abide by Title IX and follow the definitions of biological sex. A day later the NCAA, which oversees college sports, instituted a ban. And more than two dozen states now prevent transgender athletes from school sports. Newsom noted he has four children, including two daughters, and highlighted that both he and his wife played college-level sports. "I revere sports, so the issue of fairness is completely legit," Newsom said. And pointing to Kirk's efforts on the campaign trail, he emphasized the right was "able to weaponize that issue at another level." Newsom noted that Republicans have been successful in portraying Democrats as out of step with most Americans on the issue. "We're getting crushed on it. Crushed. Crushed," he said. Newsom isn't the first Democratic Party politician in the wake of last November's election setbacks to soften their stance on the lighting rod issue. Rep. Seth Moulton of Massachusetts made headlines and stirred controversy with similar comments late last year. But Newsom is the most high-profile Democrat, to date, to speak out. Some Golden State leaders from the left and the right were critical of the governor's comments. The California Legislative LGBTQ Caucus, in a statement on social media, charged that "sometimes Gavin Newsom goes for the Profile in Courage, sometimes not. We woke up profoundly sickened and frustrated by these remarks. All students deserve the academic and health benefits of sports activity, and until Donald Trump began obsessing about it, playing on a team consistent with one's gender has not been a problem since the standard was passed in 2013." And Will O'Neil, chair of the Orange County Republican Party, took to social media to claim "the difference between "redefining Newsom" and actual Newsom policies is going to get exposed in these podcasts." "Entertainment is one thing, governing is different," he added. Newsom's conversation with the often-controversial Kirk isn't the first time he's mixed it up with a high-profile Republican. He's been an occasional guest of Fox News' primetime host Sean Hannity, and he debated Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on 'Hannity' in 2023, as the 2024 presidential race was heating up. Fox News' Lee Ross contributed to this article source: Newsom calls biological men in women's sports 'deeply unfair' in podcast with conservative activist
Fox News
06-03-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Newsom calls biological men in women's sports 'deeply unfair' in podcast with conservative activist
California Gov. Gavin Newsom found common ground with Turning Point USA founder and conservative activist Charlie Kirk when the liberal governor – who has been rumored to be eyeing a 2028 presidential run – agreed that biological men in women's sports is "deeply unfair." "The young man who's about to win the state championship in the long jump in female sports, that shouldn't happen," Kirk said on Newsom's debut episode on his new podcast, "This is Gavin Newsom," on Thursday. "You, as the governor, should step out and say no. Would you do something like that? Would you say no men in female sports?" "Well, I think it's an issue of fairness," Newsom replied. "I completely agree with you on that. It's deeply unfair." Kirk further pressed Newsom on whether he would condemn the recent victory of a transgender track athlete with a more than 40-foot jump at Jurupa Valley High School in Southern California. Newsom didn't directly address the win, but said "it's a fairness issue." "So that's easy to call out the unfairness of that," Newsom, the Democratic Party's torchbearer, said. "There's also a humility and a grace… these poor people are more likely to commit suicide, have anxiety and depression, and the way that people talk down to vulnerable communities is an issue that I have a hard time with as well." "So both things I can hold in my hand," the governor continued. "How can we address this issue with the kind of decency that I think you know is inherent in you, but not always expressed on the issue?" Transgender athletes in California have long been protected prior to Newsom's administration under AB 1266, also known as the School Success and Opportunity Act. The law was signed by Gov. Jerry Brown, a Democrat, in August 2013. However, Senate Bill 132, also known as the Transgender Respect, Agency and Dignity Act, allows inmates to request cells and searches that align with their gender identity, which Newsom signed in September 2020. Newsom agreed that trans issues are something his party is "getting crushed on," which Kirk said he should express "compassion" about while calling out cases like the recent incident in Jurupa Valley High School as "not fair." The portion of the conversation came up after Kirk told Newsom to "get better ideas" if Democrats want to make a comeback among the younger generation. The student, AB Hernandez, won an invitational meet on Feb. 22, booting out a female runner-up who had jumped just over 32 feet in their competition category. Hernandez also took first place in two other events at the meet. The wins come as all Senate Democrats voted against a bill that would ban transgender women from women's sports nationwide last month. The bill failed to meet the 60-vote threshold needed in the upper chamber, with lawmakers voting along party lines 51-45. President Donald Trump signed an executive order titled, "Keeping Men Out of Women's Sports" in February, which said transgender athletes in women sports is "demeaning, unfair, and dangerous to women and girls." The order requires institutions receiving federal funding to abide by Title IX and follow the definitions of biological sex.
