California Family Council (CFC) celebrates the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) decision to launch a Title IX investigation into the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) for its role in allowing males to compete in girls’ sports. For too long, CIF has turned a blind eye to the concerns of female athletes, parents, and coaches, prioritizing radical gender ideology over fairness, safety, and the integrity of women’s athletics. This investigation is a crucial step toward restoring justice in high school sports.
Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Craig Trainor made it clear that institutions such as CIF and the Minnesota State High School League, also under investigation, are not above federal law. The OCR’s actions align with President Trump’s executive order, Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports, which mandates withholding federal funds from programs that violate Title IX by allowing male athletes to compete in female categories. Additional institutions, including San Jose State University and the University of Pennsylvania, are also under review for potential Title IX violations. The Department of Education reaffirmed that state laws allowing participation based on gender identity rather than biological sex do not override federal protections for women’s sports.
“OCR’s Chicago and San Francisco regional offices will conduct directed investigations into both organizations to ensure that female athletes in these states are treated with the dignity, respect, and equality that the Trump Administration demands,” said Trainor. “I would remind these organizations that history does not look kindly on entities and states that actively opposed the enforcement of federal civil rights laws that protect women and girls from discrimination and harassment.”
Sophia Lorey, Outreach Director for CFC and former college athlete, was thrilled with the announcement. “As a 4-year CIF Varsity Athlete and a 3-year Captain, I have been fighting for all girls to have the same athletic opportunities I had,” Lorey explained. “Title IX was meant to protect girls’ opportunities in sports, not erase them. CIF’s policies have undermined decades of hard-fought victories for female athletes, and it’s time for them to answer for the harm they’ve caused. CIF has ignored these injustices for too long, and we hope this investigation will finally force them to put the safety and fairness of girls over the feelings of confused boys.”
Sonja Shaw, Chino Unified School Board President, also celebrated the decision. “As a mother of two CIF athletes, school board president, and advocate for children, I have seen firsthand the devastating impact of these policies. Girls are being pushed aside, their safety is compromised, and their opportunities are being stolen. This investigation is a critical step in the right direction, but we need real, decisive action. CIF—and any entity that violates Title IX—must face consequences, including the withdrawal of funding,” Shaw said. “We will not be silenced. We will not stop fighting for our daughters and all young female athletes. CIF must follow Title IX, or we will ensure the world knows they are complicit in destroying women’s sports. We warned you, CIF—now face the consequences.”
