Secretary Rollins Sends Letter Challenging Governor Newsom’s Use of USDA Funding on Programs to Implement Radical Transgender Ideology, Violating Parental Rights
(Washington, D.C., March 27, 2025) — Today, Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins sent a letter (PDF, 44.6 KB) to Governor Gavin Newsom announcing a review of federal funding California receives intended for research and education. This letter comes as part of an effort spearheaded by President Donald J. Trump to ensure that taxpayer dollars are not spent on programs that violate federal law and parental rights.
“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 Secretary wrote in the letter.
“In particular, 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 continued.
View the full letter (PDF, 44.6 KB)
Background:
The Department of Agriculture will be working in tandem with other Departments and agencies responsible for state educational, research, and other such entities to ensure compliance with the Constitution, federal laws, including Titles VI and IX, and the priorities of this Administration, and to correct and remediate any violations.
In particular, 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). As the ED reported today, FERPA gives parents the right to access their children’s education records, but the California Department of Education has allegedly abdicated the responsibilities FERPA imposes, due to a new California state law that prohibits school personnel from disclosing records about a child’s “gender identity” to that child’s parent. 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.
State laws do not override federal laws, and educational entities receiving federal funding are subject to FERPA and its implementing regulations. Violation of FERPA can result in termination of an educational entity’s federal funding.
FERPA is a federal privacy law enforced by the ED. FERPA gives parents the right to access their children’s education records, the right to request record corrections or amendments, and the right to control, with important exceptions, disclosure of personally identifiable information in education records.
California Assembly Bill 1955, which was signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom and took effect on January 1, 2025, appears to conflict with FERPA by prohibiting schools from requiring personnel to disclose records about a child’s “gender identity” to that child’s parent. As a result, according to the California Justice Center, “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.”
Related:
# # #
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.
