Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins has issued a letter to California Governor Gavin Newsom, stating a review of federal funding allocated to California for research and education. This action is part of a broader initiative by President Donald J. Trump to ensure compliance with federal law and parental rights.
In the letter, Rollins informed Newsom that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is conducting a review of its funding in California. The Secretary wrote, "This is to inform you that the United States Department of Agriculture is undertaking a review of its research and other education-related funding in California for compliance with the Constitution, federal laws including Titles VI and IX, and the priorities of the Trump Administration."
The USDA intends to collaborate with the U.S. Department of Education (ED) in an investigation concerning the California Department of Education (CDE). The Secretary stated, "The Department of Agriculture will support the U.S. Department of Education (ED) in its investigation into the California Department of Education (CDE) for alleged violations of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)… USDA will support ED’s investigation and efforts to vigorously protect parents’ rights and ensure that students do not fall victim to a radical transgender ideology that often leads to family alienation and irreversible medical interventions."
The Secretary's correspondence suggests potential conflicts between federal laws, such as FERPA, and California's Assembly Bill 1955, which limits the disclosure of a child's "gender identity" records to parents. The clash raises questions about compliance and potential implications for federal funding.
The press release makes a reference to California Assembly Bill 1955, enacted under Governor Newsom, which the USDA argues conflicts with FERPA. According to the California Justice Center, as quoted in the release, “every public school in California has a policy of denying, or effectively preventing, the parents of students...the right to inspect and review the education records of their children.”
Rollins's communication also implies that non-compliance with FERPA could lead to the termination of federal funding for educational entities.
