Trump admin gives California ultimatum to cut trans ideology from classrooms

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) sent a letter to California on June 20 ordering it to remove gender ideology references from educational curriculum and programs funded by a federal sexual education grant or face the loss of funding.

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) reviewed materials created through California’s Personal Responsibility Education Program (PREP), a federally-funded sexual education program, and uncovered “egregious content” teaching young students they can change their sex. HHS noted the PREP program has mission of providing minors with medically accurate education rather than ideological agendas.

“After requesting, receiving, and reviewing California’s PREP materials, ACF uncovered egregious content teaching young students that gender identity is distinct from biological sex and that boys can identify as girls,” states an HHS press release. “The educational materials promoting gender ideology have nothing to do with Personal Responsibility Education and are outside the scope of PREP’s authorizing statute.”

The California Department of Public Health didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

HHS sent a letter to health care providers, risk managers, and state medical boards urging immediate updates to treatment protocols for minors with gender dysphoria based on HHS’ comprehensive review that found puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and surgeries have very weak… pic.twitter.com/tj2mtx3Pq9

— HHS.gov (@HHSGov) May 28, 2025

The ACF asked to review California’s PREP materials in March 2025 to ensure they were “medically accurate and complete,” as required by the grant conditions.

A letter sent from Andrew Gradison, acting ACF Assistant Secretary, to California’s PREP Program leadership outlined that the ACF reviewed the program materials and found students were learning about transgenderism and medical sex-changes.

The ACF found that middle school curriculum titled “Rights, Respect, Responsibility” contains a lesson teaching students that some people identify as “gender queer,” including a lesson which states “As many of you know, there are also people who don’t identify as boys or girls, but rather as transgender or gender queer. This means that even if they were called a boy or a girl at birth and may have body parts that are typically associated with being a boy or a girl, on the inside, they feel differently,” according to the letter. 

They also discovered curriculum for high schoolers which explicitly teaches teens about sex-change hormones and surgeries, according to the letter.

“Medical transitioning: altering their body by going through hormone therapy (using testosterone or estrogen) or having gender-affirming surgeries. Common surgeries include top surgery (adding or removing breast tissue) and bottom surgery (transforming the genitals),” states the letter.

HHS made it clear in the press release that the Trump administration will not tolerate the use of federal dollars to promote the lie and medical inaccuracy that a person can change their sex.

“The Trump Administration will not tolerate the use of federal funds for programs that indoctrinate our children,” said Gradison. “The disturbing gender ideology content in California’s PREP materials is both unacceptable and well outside the program’s core purpose. ACF remains committed to radical transparency and providing accountability so that parents know what their children are being taught in schools.”

The ACF is requiring California to remove all gender ideology references from their PREP funded curriculum.

“California is required to remove all gender ideology references from its PREP curricula, program materials, and any other aspects of its program delivery within 60 days and provide a copy to ACF for approval,” states the press release.

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