The Department of Justice sues Maine more than trans athletes
Attorney General Pam Bondy has announced a lawsuit against Maine’s Department of Education over the state’s denial of banning transgender athletes.
Palm Springs, Calif. — The U.S. Department of Justice has announced it will investigate whether California law violates Title IX after transgender high school athletes win track events to compete in the state’s athletics championships.
In a May 28 news release, the Department of Justice said it had sent legal notices to state officials and launched an investigation to determine whether Title IX is being violated by the California School Success and Opportunity Act.
State law requires students to be allowed to participate in sports teams and gender school programs such as competitions that match gender identity. Title IX is a federal law that prohibits gender-based discrimination in federal financially supported educational programs and activities, according to the Education Department.
The Justice Department said the letter was sent to California Attorney General Rob Bonta, state supervisors of Tony Thurmond and the Inter-Calif. Federation of Governance. In a clarification issued on May 28, the department said that the Jurupa Unified School District was “the target of this investigation” and that a notice regarding the Title IX probe was sent.
Jurupa Unified School District did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Desert Sun’s, part of the USA Today network. The California Department of Education cannot comment on the pending investigation, spokesman Scott Roark said.
“We continue to be committed to defending and supporting California law and all additional laws that ensure that the rights of students, including transgender students, are free from discrimination and harassment,” the state attorney general’s news agency said in a statement from the Desert Sun. “We will continue to closely monitor the Trump administration’s actions in this area.”
According to the Department of Justice, the investigation will determine whether California and its “advanced law, education, athletics organizations, and school districts are “engaged in patterns or practices of discrimination based on gender.”
Earlier this year, the Department of Education’s Civil Rights Office announced that it would be investigating inter-California student-athletes of transgender student-athletes participating in women and girls’ sports.
What did Trump say about trans student-athletes in California?
In a May 27th post on True Society, Trump said he plans to speak to California Gov. Gavin Newsom.
In this post, we mentioned the Southern Section Masters Meat of the Interstate of California. There, transgender athletes won the women’s triple jump and long jump competitions, and advanced to the set state finals on May 30th and 31st.
“Major federal funds will likely be permanently restrained,” Trump added. He didn’t specify which funding stream to target.
“In the meantime, I’ve ordered local governments to not allow people who have been transitioned to compete in the state finals, if necessary,” Trump said in the post. “This is a totally ridiculous situation!!”
USA Today reported in February that the executive order would direct the Department of Education to pursue “enforcement action” under Title IX. However, some legal experts have questioned whether the Trump administration’s interpretation of law will shake up in court.
The Justice Department said in a news release it had filed a statement of interest in supporting the lawsuit that challenged AB 1266, passed in 2013.
“The letter of legal notice was sent when the Department of Justice filed a statement of interest in federal courts in support of the lawsuit filed by a girl athlete, to promote proper interpretation of Title IX, ensure equal educational opportunities, and to prevent gender-based discrimination in federally funded schools and athletic programs,” the news release states.
California Interscholastic Federation has announced changes to future state championships
The California Interstate Federation announced on May 27 that it will be conducting a pilot entry process for the 2025 CIF State Athletics Championships in Clovis, a city in Fresno County.
“Under this pilot entry process, biological female student athletes who won one next qualifying mark of the section’s automatic qualifying entry at the CIF State Championships and did not achieve the CIF State AT-Large mark in the finals at the section championships have expanded their opportunities to participate in the 2025 CIF State Track and Field Championships.
The Inter-Calif. Federation of Governances did not directly respond to requests for comment on the investigation from the Department of Justice, but Desert Sun provided a follow-up statement on the pilot input process.
According to a news release, “biological female student athletes who have won the next qualifying mark will also advance to the final,” high jump, triple jump and long jump qualifying events at the 2025 CIF State Athletics Championships, if necessary.
Additionally, if necessary, biological female student athletes who have achieved a specific arrangement on the podium in high jump, triple jump and long jump events at the 2025 CIF State Athletics Championships will also be awarded medals for that location, with results reflected in the event’s record.
“CIF values all student-athletes and continues to support its mission to provide students with opportunities to belong, connect and compete while adhering to California law and education codes,” the news release added.
Donation: Joey Garrison, USA Today
