The Trump administration has initiated a review of California’s sex education curriculum, requiring the state to submit its materials by Tuesday for a “medical accuracy review.” This move targets California’s implementation of the Personal Responsibility Education Program, a $75 million initiative aimed at teaching youth about abstinence and contraception to prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections. The program is managed by the Administration for Children and Families within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
According to a report by Mercury News, the administration claims the review is to ensure that the curriculum is “age-appropriate and medically accurate.” However, some LGBTQ advocates, including Jorge Reyes Salinas from Equality California, argue that the review is a veiled attempt to limit discussions on gender-affirming care and censor educational content. Salinas stated, “This attack by the federal administration is really about censorship and how to get rid of resources for people that need them the most.”
The Personal Responsibility Education Program in California funds 22 agencies, including county health departments and Planned Parenthood, reaching over 40,000 youth since 2012. It focuses on teaching safe sex practices, HIV prevention, and forming healthy relationships, while affirming different gender identities and sexual orientations.
The California Department of Public Health has agreed to comply with the review request but has not confirmed if this is the first time such a request has been made. The review occurs amidst the Trump administration’s broader efforts to restrict transgender protections and its focus on California with several new investigations.
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