The US Department of Justice is pressing California public high schools to confirm they do not allow transgender athletes to compete in girls’ sports, escalating a federal inquiry into the state’s compliance with Title IX. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon sent letters to all school districts demanding confirmation by June 9 that they will abide by the California Interscholastic Federation’s rules.
The move pits public schools against the governing body of high school sports in California, which allows students to participate according to their gender identity. The Department of Justice is seeking to ensure compliance with Title IX and avoid legal liability.
The controversy began when former President Donald Trump ordered federal agencies to enforce Title IX in a way that excludes gender identity. The Biden administration attempted to reinterpret the law, but never achieved success. Now, under Trump’s leadership, the DOJ is pursuing enforcement actions against states that resist his position on transgender athletes in girls’ sports.
In Maine, the Department of Justice sued over a transgender athlete who won a girls’ pole-vaulting competition. In California, Governor Gavin Newsom has expressed openness to Trump’s stance, while also supporting an initiative allowing displaced female track and field athletes to compete if they would have qualified for the upcoming state championship.
Source: https://www.foxnews.com/politics/doj-civil-rights-division-sets-title-ix-deadline-california-transgender-athletes-girls-sports