/
Clock is ticking on California’s Title IX non-compliance before Justice gets involved

Clock is ticking on California’s Title IX non-compliance before Justice gets involved

Link Successfully Copied
Facebook
Twitter/X
Truth Social
Gab
Email
Print

Clock is ticking on California’s Title IX non-compliance before Justice gets involved

The U.S. Department of Education has officially concluded that California is in violation of Title IX by allowing males to compete in female sports.

The Department of Ed's Office for Civil Rights (OCR) made the announcement, saying both California's Department of Ed (CDE) and the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) – the governing body for high school sports in California -- are violating Title IX.

California now has fewer than 10 days remaining to issue a response or possibly faces charges from the Department of Justice. 

Sophia Lorey is outreach director with California Family Council.

"As a former CIF athlete and collegiate athlete in the state of California … I was heartbroken to know the great athletic experience I had is not happening for these girls, but we were aware of that before the U.S. Department of Education crackdown. I was so ecstatic seeing that the federal government was getting involved.”

In one of the most documented cases, A.B. Hernandez (shown above), a biological male, won state titles in the triple jump and long jump and placed in the high jump in the girls’ track and field championship meet.

As a result of the noncompliance finding OCR has issued a proposed Resolution Agreement to CDE and CIF to resolve their Title IX violations.

OCR has offered both entities an opportunity to voluntarily agree to change these unlawful practices within 10 days or risk imminent enforcement action, including referral to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) for proceedings.

Here's how to make it right

The Department of Education’s proposed Resolution Agreement requires the following action items: 

-- The CDE will issue a Notice to all recipients of federal funding (Recipients) that operate interscholastic athletic programs in California requiring them to comply with Title IX. This will specify that Title IX and its implementing regulations forbids schools from allowing males from participating in female sports and from occupying female intimate facilities, and that Recipients must adopt biology-based definitions of the words ‘male’ and ‘female’; 

-- The CDE will issue a Notice advising Recipients that any interpretation of California state law conflicting with the Department’s Resolution Agreement is preempted by federal law under Title IX; 

-- The CDE and CIF will rescind any guidance that advised local school districts or CIF members to permit male athletes to participate in women’s and girls’ sports to reflect that Title IX preempts state law when state law conflicts with Title IX; 

-- CDE will require all Recipients, including CIF, to restore to female athletes all individual records, titles, and awards misappropriated by male athletes competing in female competitions; 

-- To each female athlete to whom an individual recognition is restored, CDE will send a personalized letter apologizing on behalf of the state of California for allowing her educational experience to be marred by sex discrimination; and 

-- The CDE will require each Recipient and CIF to submit to CDE an annual certification that the Recipient and CIF have complied with Title IX. Accordingly, CDE will also propose to OCR a Monitoring Plan to ensure that Recipients are fully complying with Title IX. 

Will California blink or face Justice?

The Department of Ed last week gave a time limit of 10 days – beginning June 25 -- for the California department to comply with federal law or face referral to the U.S. Department of Justice. 

Lorey, Sophia (California Family Council) Lorey

“Allowing them to have 10 days to figure this out to follow Title IX before the U.S. Department of Justice gets involved, I think was a great idea. I don't believe we're going to see CIF and California DOE choose to follow Title IX. I think they're going to die on the hill of wanting males to invade girls' sports and spaces, males to be changing in girls' locker rooms, males to be putting girls' safety at risk."

Lorey said it doesn't make sense.

"It is a really odd hill to die on. But that seems the hill they're going to die on, so we're going to continue to put pressure on them to keep urging them to do what's right, but I'm very glad the federal government is getting involved."

 

Previous Article

Daily Poll

AFN July 25 Afternoon Update

July 25, 2025 Hear More

00:00
00:00
00:00

Latest AP Headlines