Redlands Unified to hold June 6 special meeting on federal warning over transgender athlete policy

REDLANDS, Calif. — The Redlands Unified School District Board of Education will hold a special meeting today, Friday, June 6, at 3:30 p.m. to discuss a federal warning letter that challenges California’s high school sports policy for transgender students.

In a June 2 letter, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) declared that school districts “are exposed to legal liability” if they follow California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Bylaw 300.D, which allows students to compete in sports consistent with their gender identity.

• The DOJ calls the bylaw “facially unconstitutional,” arguing it violates the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment by allowing what the letter refers to as “male participation in girls’ interscholastic athletics.”
• The DOJ demands school districts certify by June 9 at 5 p.m. ET that they will not implement the policy.

The California Department of Education responded in a June 3 letter defending the CIF rule and state law, which has allowed gender identity-based participation since 2013.

“The DOJ assertions are not in themselves law, and the letter by itself cannot be an enforcement mechanism” wrote State Superintendent Tony Thurmond. “The letter does not announce the passage of any new federal law.”

Thurmond emphasized that California law prohibits gender identity discrimination in schools and that the CIF policy simply reflects those protections. He said the state will respond to the DOJ on behalf of all local districts.

Redlands Unified’s board called a special meeting to direct the Superintendent to send a letter to the DOJ "requesting clarification or recommending modification of Bylaw 300.D"

Read full agenda and view letters from the DOJ and Department of Education here.

Community Forward Redlands will post updates following the meeting.