San Francisco officials respond to Trump's attack on LGBTQ school policies

  • by Matthew S. Bajko, Assistant Editor
  • Thursday January 30, 2025
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San Francisco school Superintendent Maria Su, Ph.D., left, shown with State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, reaffirmed the district's commitment to LGBTQ policies and curriculum following President Donald Trump's executive order. Photo: Matthew S. Bajko
San Francisco school Superintendent Maria Su, Ph.D., left, shown with State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, reaffirmed the district's commitment to LGBTQ policies and curriculum following President Donald Trump's executive order. Photo: Matthew S. Bajko

San Francisco school leaders are moving ahead with plans to celebrate LGBTQ Pride in April and are standing by the policies they have in place to provide a safe learning environment for their LGBTQ students. Meanwhile, a local state lawmaker is looking at how to further expand California as a sanctuary state for LGBTQ youth and their families.

It is the latest reactions to the executive order issued Wednesday by President Donald Trump targeting affirmative actions that schools across the U.S. have taken to support queer and transgender students, from teaching LGBTQ curriculum and providing gender-neutral bathrooms to honoring students' preferred pronouns and names and allowing them to play on athletic teams regardless of the sex they were assigned at birth.

"My Administration will enforce the law to ensure that recipients of Federal funds providing K-12 education comply with all applicable laws prohibiting discrimination in various contexts and protecting parental rights," wrote Trump.

As the Bay Area Reporter first reported online January 29, the California Department of Education said the order from the White House has no bearing on schools in the Golden State teaching LGBTQ curriculum as required under state education codes. It noted the federal government has no legal right to decree what local schools teach.

"It is against federal law for the White House to dictate what educators can and cannot teach by threatening to defund essential public services for students," stated Liz Sanders, the director of communications for the statewide education agency.

The B.A.R. had inquired with the office of State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, a vocal supporter of LGBTQ students who is a 2026 gubernatorial candidate, about what Trump's order titled "Ending Radical Indoctrination in K-12 Schooling" would mean for California public schools. Among other things, it threatens to rescind federal school funds "that directly or indirectly support or subsidize the instruction, advancement, or promotion of gender ideology or discriminatory equity ideology in K-12 curriculum, instruction, programs, or activities."

The order would apparently cover a host of pro-LGBTQ school policies that California lawmakers have adopted over the years, such as legislation that took effect in 2012 mandating the LGBTQ curriculum standards for California public schools to meet. More recently, state leaders have banned the forced outing of LGBTQ students and launched a statewide advisory group tasked with recommending additional measures to ensure queer and trans students are not discriminated against at school.

Reacting to Trump's order and to assure LGBTQ families they would still find support from the San Francisco Unified School District, Superintendent Maria Su, Ph.D., sent out a districtwide email Thursday reiterating her support for queer and trans students. The district last fall finally launched an advisory council specifically for LGBTQ families to flag issues they feel the district needs to address, which Su noted in her letter.

"As your superintendent, my job is to ensure that all students receive a high-quality education in a safe and supportive learning environment. Leaning into and celebrating our diversity helps all of our students to feel seen, heard, and respected; this includes our district's trans-identified students and all of our LGBTQ+ students and families," wrote Su. "While it is not yet clear how or when developments at the federal level might inform things here in SFUSD, commitment to our core values will not change."

She went on to confirm that as it has done "for the last three decades," the school district will observe Pride in April — since its schools are closed during Pride Month in June — and will hold the second annual Superintendent's Rainbow Read Aloud "to promote literacy and highlight stories of resilience and acceptance."

Su also referenced the 2024 launch of the district's Queer and Transgender Parent Advisory Council and its joining other parent advisory councils for families of color that for years have been helping the district to "uplift the needs and voices of their communities." She made no mention of their ceasing to convene.

"SFUSD Board policy and California state law affirm the rights of our students and staff to learn and grow in a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere," stressed Su. "I imagine that there are a myriad of emotions in response to these possible changes and our present uncertainty. Please know that I will continue to collaborate with our local and state partners to support and protect the rights of all of our communities."

Gay state Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) issued his own response Thursday to Trump's attempt to rollback protections for LGBTQ students. He had authored the 2022 law that designated California as a sanctuary state for trans students and their families who have seen access to gender-affirming care for youth be curtailed in their home states.

"No matter how many cruel, illegal attacks Trump launches to demonize, target, and threaten trans young people and their families and teachers, California will have their backs," stated Wiener, who as chair of the Senate Budget Committee is pushing special legislation to allocate $50 million toward fighting back against Trump's policies in the courts. "These young people just want to be who they are and live their lives, and Trump and his bigoted cronies need to leave them the hell alone. Trump is making Americans' lives worse and more expensive with his chaotic, destructive economic and immigration policies, and he's using trans kids as scapegoats to distract from his lack of a real economic plan for the nation."

Wiener announced he is exploring legislation related to medical privacy data and expanding California's sanctuary protections for LGBTQ people and their parents and health care providers. He already has authored Senate Bill 59, the Transgender Privacy Act, aimed at sealing court records related to adults' gender transitions in order to protect them from being harassed online since the documents are currently publicly accessible. (Such state records for minors are already required to be sealed.)

Wiener and Su are expected to attend a news conference Friday morning with other civic and community leaders in San Francisco to show a united front on how San Francisco intends to stand up against the transphobic federal actions the Trump administration is pursuing.

"We must not allow these cruel and brazenly unconstitutional actions to stand," stated Wiener. "We must use all available resources to protect our transgender and nonbinary youth. We will protect these kids and their families."

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