The California Department of Education and the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) have refused to comply with the Trump administrations demand that the state ban transgender women and girls from participating in school sports that align with their gender identity.In a communication dated July 6, California Department of Education (CDE) general counsel Len Garfinkel wrote that the agency respectfully disagrees with the findings of an investigation by the U.S. Office of Civil Rights (OCR) which found that the state was in violation of federal law by allowing trans student athletes to compete against and alongside cisgender women and girls. Related California caves to Donald Trump & institutes partial ban on trans girls in school sports The entire state has changed its state championship rules just because the president is angry over one high school long jumper. Garfinkel wrote that the CDE would not sign a proposed resolution agreement mandated by the OCR. As the L.A. Times reported, the proposed resolution would have required the state to notify all federally funded schools that they must ban trans women and girls from womens and girls sports programs in compliance with the Trump administrations interpretation of Title IX, the federal law prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sex in education. Never Miss a Beat Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights. Subscribe to our Newsletter today In February, President Donald Trump signed an executive order aimed at blocking federal funding for schools that allow trans girls and women to compete on girls and womens sports teams. His order directed the Department of Justice to prosecute schools that allow trans sports participation. Trump also signed another executive order rescinding the Biden administrations interpretation of Title IX. President Joe Bidens position was that Title IX prohibited anti-trans school policies as a form of sex-based discrimination, since its impossible to discriminate against transgender students without taking their sex into account.That same month, Trumps OCR launched an investigation into the CIF after it announced it would adhere to state antidiscrimination rules allowing transgender student-athletes to participate in school sports that align with their gender identity. As the L.A. Times notes, the investigation later expanded to include the CDE and local school districts.The OCR released the findings of its investigation on June 25, giving California 10 days to sign its proposed resolution agreement or face unspecified imminent enforcement action.On Monday, the office of the General Counsel for the CIF also rejected the OCRs findings and refused to sign the proposed resolution agreement. The OCRs June 25 announcement cited the Supreme Courtsrecent ruling upholding Tennessees ban on gender-affirming care, as well as California Gov. Gavin Newsoms (D) own comments expressing doubt about the fairness of transgender athletes participating in womens and girls sports.In a July 7 X post responding to the CDE and CIFs refusal to comply with the Trump administrations anti-trans order, Education Secretary Linda McMahon seemed to reference Newsoms comments.California has just REJECTED our resolution agreement to follow federal law and keep men out of womens sports, McMahon wrote. Turns out Gov.Newsoms acknowledgmentthatits an issue of fairness was empty political grandstanding.California has just REJECTED our resolution agreement to follow federal law and keep men out of women's sports.Turns out Gov.Newsoms acknowledgmentthatits an issue of fairness was empty political grandstanding.@CAgovernor, you'll be hearing from @AGPamBondi. pic.twitter.com/wa945HtmG6 Secretary Linda McMahon (@EDSecMcMahon) July 7, 2025 McMahon added that Newsom would be hearing from Attorney General Pam Bondi.As Shannon Minter, legal director of the San Francisco-based National Center for LGBTQ Rights, told The Sacramento Bee this week, the conflict could lead to a court battle over whether federal law prevents states from enacting laws that protect trans students.This administration is targeting California in an attempt to intimidate it into backing away from its strong anti-discrimination laws, Minter told the paper. Im encouraged to see the California Department of Education is standing up to that.As the L.A. Times notes, California is one of nearly two dozen states with laws allowing trans students to participate in sports that align with their gender identity. Meanwhile, according to the Movement Advancement Project, 27 states have enacted laws banning trans women and girls from womens and girls sports. Last week, the Supreme Court agreed to hear two cases that are likely to determine whether such laws violate the Constitution.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.