CA violated Title IX over transgender athletes, U.S. Education Department says

The U.S. Department of Education says that California violated Title IX by allowing transgender athletes to compete in girls sports.

Federal officials are giving California's Department of Education and the California Interscholastic Federation 10 days to change their practices, or risk legal action from the U.S. Department of Justice. U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon said the agency may pull federal funding if the state does not comply. It's the latest escalation in the Republican administration's effort to bar transgender athletes from women's sports teams nationwide.

The Trump administration's proposed resolution would require California to notify schools that transgender athletes should be barred from girls athletic teams and that all schools must "adopt biology-based definitions of the words 'male' and 'female.'" The state would also have to notify schools that any conflicting interpretation of state law would be considered a violation of Title IX.

California, though, said it has no plans to change its policies.

"The California Department of Education believes all students should have the opportunity to learn and play at school, and we have consistently applied existing law in support of students' rights to do so," agency spokesperson Liz Sanders said in a statement.

Gov. Gavin Newsom spokesperson Izzy Gardon said McMahon's threat to pull federal funding over the state's policy was "dramatic, fake, and completely divorced from reality."

The California Interscholastic Federation declined to respond to the announcement, saying it does not comment on legal matters.

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, which was signed into law by President Richard Nixon on June 23, 1972, requires schools to ensure equal opportunities for girls, including athletic activities.

California is one of 22 states that have laws requiring transgender students to take part in sports consistent with their gender identities. AB 1266 was passed in 2013 and signed into law by Gov. Jerry Brown.

A similar resolution presented to California was offered to Maine's education agency in a separate clash with the Trump administration over transgender athletes. Maine rejected the proposal in April, prompting a Justice Department lawsuit seeking to terminate the state's federal education funding.

The announcement comes weeks after a trans student athlete garnered national attention over her participation in the California high school state track and field championship. The student, AB Hernandez, placed first in the girls high jump and triple jump, and second in the long jump. The California Interscholastic Federation, which ran the meet, awarded gold and silver medals to both Hernandez and other competitors who would have placed had she not participated. It was the first time the federation made such a rule change.

The issue is part of a nationwide battle over the rights of transgender youth in which states have limited transgender girls from participating on girls sports teams, barred gender-affirming surgeries for minors and required parents to be notified if a child changes their pronouns at school. At least two dozen states have laws barring transgender women and girls from participating in certain sports competitions. Some of the policies have been blocked in court.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.