California Officially Rejects Title IX Resolution Agreement To Keep Males Out Of Girls' Sports
U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon is promising legal action against the state and others that refuse to comply with President Trump's executive order.
California has officially rejected the U.S. Department of Education’s resolution agreement requiring the state to comply with federal law and restrict participation in girls' and women's sports to biological females only.
Education Secretary Linda McMahon confirmed the move in a social media post on Monday afternoon, calling out California Gov. Gavin Newsom for political theater and promising further legal action.
"California has just REJECTED our resolution agreement to follow federal law and keep men out of women's sports," McMahon wrote on X.
"Turns out Gov. Newsom’s acknowledgment that ‘it’s an issue of fairness’ was empty political grandstanding. [Gov. Newsom], you'll be hearing from [Attorney General Pam Bondi]."
McMahon was referring to an interview Newsom did with Charlie Kirk in March, during which the governor agreed that it is "unfair" for transgender athletes to compete in women’s sports.
California's decision to reject the resolution comes just four days after the U.S. Supreme Court announced it will take up two high-profile cases challenging state laws that ban transgender-identifying males from competing in girls' and women's events.
MORE: Supreme Court To Decide Legality Of State Bans On Trans Athletes In Girls’ Sports
This announcement sets the stage for a definitive ruling on whether such policies violate the Constitution and federal civil rights law.
California One Of Several States Feuding With Department Of Education
The Department of Education had previously announced a civil rights investigation into the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) — the state's high school athletics governing body — for violating Title IX by allowing biological males to compete in girls' sports. That investigation was triggered in part by the case of AB Hernandez, a 16-year-old trans-identifying male track athlete who qualified for three girls' events at the state finals this spring and went on to win two of them.
Last month, the Department concluded that CIF's policies likely violated federal civil rights law. A resolution agreement was offered, allowing California the opportunity to come into compliance and avoid further legal escalation.
(Education Secretary Linda McMahon and California Gov. Gavin Newsom (Getty Images))
But California refused. In fact, in a statement to The Advocate, Newsom dismissed the Department’s actions entirely and even took a jab at Secretary McMahon.
"Secretary McMahon is confusing government with her WrestleMania days — dramatic, fake, and completely divorced from reality," Newsom said. "This won't stick."
But the Department of Education insists it's not backing down. Last month, McMahon announced that the administration had elevated multiple investigations — including California's — to the Title IX Special Investigations Team, a joint task force with the Department of Justice created to fast-track enforcement of civil rights protections.
"We must ensure women and girls are not stripped of their hard-earned accolades or subjected to the danger and indignity of unfair competitions," McMahon said at the time, "and we will fight to restore antidiscrimination protections under Title IX to the fullest extent of the law."
RELATED: Schools That Violate Title IX Could Lose Titles And Trophies — Not Just Funding
California is just one in a growing list of states refusing to comply with President Donald Trump's executive order, issued in February, that bans male athletes from participating in female categories in any education program receiving federal funding.
Similar battles are playing out in Minnesota, Maine, and Washington — states currently under federal investigation.