The Trump Administration\u2019s \u201cTitle IX Special Investigations Team\u201d today announced that the Education Department and the Justice Department have initiated an investigation into the California Community College Athletic Association (3C2A), claiming that its \u2018Transgender Participation Policy\u2019 violates Title IX of the Education Act. The Trump Administration is going after schools in nine other states.<\/p>\n
In a Jan. 15 press release, the Education Department, headed by former wrestling executive Linda McMahon, said the policy of California community colleges\u2019 athletic association states that \u201ca trans[gender] female…or non-binary student-athlete who has completed at least one calendar year of testosterone suppression treatment…may compete on a women\u2019s team.\u201d<\/p>\n
Education Department officials said its civil rights division had received a complaint that claimed the community college athletic policy \u201cresulted in discrimination against at least three female athletes on the basis of sex by allowing a male athlete to participate on the women\u2019s volleyball team at a member college and access locker facilities for women during the 2024 and 2025 seasons.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Trump Title IX team said that 3C2A \u201cignored female students\u2019 complaints about the harms caused to females when male students participate in female sports.\u201d<\/p>\n
Investigators said that \u201c3C2A has an obligation to uphold Title IX\u2019s sex-based protections\u201d because it sets policies for educational institutions that receive federal financial aid. Trump officials said Gov. Gavin Newsom must share the blame for these policies aimed at protecting the rights of transgender and LGBTQ student athletes.<\/p>\n
The 3C2A has not yet responded to today\u2019s announcement.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe fact that a community college athletic association has a \u2018Transgender Participation Policy\u2019 is a stunning indictment of our culture,\u201d said the Justice Department\u2019s Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Kimberly Richey. \u201cWomen\u2019s sports are for women. Yet California\u2019s Gov. Gavin Newsom\u2014despite admitting the truth on a podcast\u2014continues to put ideology above the safety of and fairness for his own students.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Trump Administration will not tolerate policies that erase women\u2019s rights,\u201d Richey said in a statement. \u201cThe Title IX Special Investigations Team looks forward to investigating this matter to ensure every woman has equal access to educational programs and athletic opportunities\u2014because fairness and safety are non-negotiable.\u201d<\/p>\n
In April 2025, the Education and Justice Departments jointly announced the creation of the Title IX Special Investigations Team to streamline investigations and expedite enforcement. The Title IX SIT\u2019s first investigation was into the California Department of Education.<\/p>\n
Earlier this week, as the Supreme Court heard oral arguments on two cases challenging state laws that ban men from competing in women\u2019s sports, McMahon spoke outside of the Court, emphasizing the importance of upholding Title IX to protect female athletes.<\/p>\n
The department said the policies put women\u2019s safety in danger and take away their equal opportunities.<\/p>\n
The investigations are against the education departments in New York and Hawaii, as well as schools in California, Connecticut, Maine, Nevada, New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont and Washington.<\/p>\n
After President Trump\u2019s Keeping Men Out of Women\u2019s Sports Executive Order in February 2025, the Education Department announced investigations into San Jose State, the University of Pennsylvania and the Massachusetts high school athletic association.<\/p>\n
Those investigations are continuing.<\/p>\n
At the time, Craig Trainor, Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, said \u201cThe previous administration trampled the rights of American women and girls\u2014and ignored the indignities to which they were subjected in bathrooms and locker rooms\u2014to promote a radical transgender ideology. That regime ended on January 20, 2025.\u201d<\/p>\n
Additionally, OCR is actively reviewing athletic participation policies at a number of schools to evaluate their alignment with Title IX protections for female athletes.<\/p>\n
A year ago, the Education Department also notified K-12 schools and higher education institutions of a return to enforcing Title IX protections on the basis of biological sex.<\/p>\n
At San Jose State University, transgender athlete Blaire Fleming\u2019s presence on the women\u2019s volleyball team prompted several competing teams to forfeit games to protest competing against a transgender athlete.<\/p>\n