Investigation into California Athletic Association for Transgender Athlete Policies
The Department of Education is investigating California's CIF for not complying with an executive order banning transgender athletes from girls' sports, amidst support from various advocates and stakeholders.
High school student Rylee Morrow joined 'Fox & Friends' alongside attorney Julianne Fleischer to discuss why some students feel unsafe and why some have taken legal action.
President Donald Trump's Department of Education plans to investigate California's public school athletic association, the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF), for not complying with his executive order to ban transgender athletes from girls' sports.
The California Family Council (CFC) praised the decision, stating, "The California Family Council celebrates the U.S. Department of Education's decision to launch a Title IX investigation into the CIF for its role in allowing males to compete in girls' sports."
CFC Outreach Director Sophia Lorey expressed her support, saying, "As a four-year CIF varsity athlete and a three-year captain, I have been fighting for all girls to have the same athletic opportunities I had."
Lorey has intervened at Martin Luther King High School in Riverside, California, when a transgender athlete took a varsity spot from a girl on the cross-country team.
In response to this, girl athletes Taylor Starling and Kaitlyn Slavin created T-shirts reading "Save Girls Sports" and wore them to school. This led them to file a lawsuit against the school after being scolded for their shirts.
Starling's father, Ryan Starling, thanked the Trump administration for investigating the state’s policy, emphasizing that "common sense is prevailing." He noted the ongoing battle in California regarding this issue.
Chino Unified School Board President Sonja Shaw called for consequences for institutions allowing transgender athletes in girls' sports, highlighting the impact on female athletes' safety and opportunities.
Amber French, a women's swimmer at California Baptist University, raised concerns about the impact of allowing transgender athletes in female sports on biological female athletes' college opportunities and safety.
The CIF has acknowledged the investigation but has refused to comment further, stating, "While the CIF has been notified of the investigation, we do not comment on pending investigations."
Additionally, the DOE is investigating Minnesota's high school athletics association and several universities for similar issues concerning transgender athlete participation.
