The Trump administration has given California 60 days to remove gender identity materials from sex education curriculum or risk losing more than $12.3 million in federal grants that helped pay for the creation and distribution of the materials.

The order is the latest clash between the administration and California related to LGBTQ+ issues. These culture war-tinged disputes have raged on many fronts, but date back substantially to Trump’s Jan. 20 executive order that recognized two sexes, male and female, a dictum that has moved across all departments under his jurisdiction.

In youth sports, this divide has unfolded with Trump threatening to withhold vast sums of federal funding unless California bars transgender athletes from girls’ and women’s sports.

California has not complied to date.

Within the classroom, the Trump policy has meant opposing curriculum that allows for more than a binary — male or female — expression of gender. Historically, federal authority over local curriculum has been limited, but Trump has been quick to use federal funding as leverage.

In this case, it’s the Administration for Children and Families at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that is applying pressure.

The children and families department administers a grant program that annually distributes $75 million nationally “to educate adolescents on … both abstinence and contraception for the prevention of pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections, including HIV/AIDS,” according to federal statute.

For a three-year period, through the next fiscal year, California has been allotted funding worth more than $18.2 million, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The state could lose $12.3 million that it has not yet received, covering multiple years.

California is not being accused of failing to carry out the abstinence and contraception message. Rather, the state has included additional content that the Trump administration defines as objectionable and “outside the scope” of the grant’s purpose.

“The Trump Administration will not tolerate the use of federal funds for programs that indoctrinate our children,” said Acting Assistant Secretary Andrew Gradison. “The disturbing gender ideology content … is both unacceptable and well outside the program’s core purpose.”

A June 20 letter to a senior California official cited, as one of several examples, sample wording from a middle school lesson:

“We’ve been talking during class about messages people get on how they should act as boys and girls — but as many of you know, there are also people who don’t identify as boys or girls, but rather as transgender or gender queer. This means that even if they were called a boy or a girl at birth and may have body parts that are typically associated with being a boy or a girl, on the inside, they feel differently.”

In a statement, the California Department of Public Health did not say how it would respond to the federal demand, but defended the materials as “medically accurate, comprehensive, and age-appropriate.”

The federal grant supports the California Personal Responsibility Education Program, or CA PREP, which provides “comprehensive sexual health education to adolescents via effective, evidence-based or evidence-informed program models,” the state statement said.

The California department also noted that “the curricula have been federally pre-approved, in accordance with federal regulations.”

The Trump administration did not deny this, but said the Biden administration “erred in allowing PREP grants to be used to teach students gender ideology.”

The funding helps pay for sex education programs in juvenile justice facilities, homeless shelters and foster care group homes, as well as some schools, reaching an estimated 13,000 youth per year through 20 agencies.

“Data show that participants who completed CA PREP had a better understanding of sexual and reproductive health topics and improved health outcomes,” the health department stated.

California law requires school districts to provide students with comprehensive sexual health education, along with information about HIV prevention, at least once in high school and once in middle school.

The Trump administration has asserted complete authority over federal grants, including those in progress. Its grant cancellations are being challenged in court.

Times staff writer Daniel Miller contributed to this report.

The Cattaraugus County Youth Bureau is pleased to announce that this week’s featured Youth Citizenship Award recipient is Natalie Reynolds, a senior at Portville High School and the daughter of Jennifer and Marty Reynolds.

Reynolds was nominated by her school counselor, who highlights her exceptional qualities as a strong leader and role model within the school community. Known for her dedication, she actively supports younger students through mentorship programs, offering guidance and encouragement that help them navigate academic and social challenges.

After graduation, Reynolds plans to pursue a degree in biochemistry with the ultimate goal of gaining admission to medical school to become a physician. She aspires to make a meaningful impact on patients’ lives through compassionate care and innovative medical practices, channeling her passion for science into a lifelong commitment to healing and healthcare.

Reynolds has demonstrated a strong commitment to community service, dedicating five years to volunteering with the American Red Cross, where she has taken an active role in organizing blood drives. Additionally, her involvement in setting up 2,977 flags honors the memory of every victim from the 9/11 attacks, reflecting her deep respect for those lost and her dedication to meaningful remembrance.

She has actively contributed to her school community by volunteering with the sports boosters, where she helps sell food at the concession stand during games. She has also taken on the role of referee for the Portville youth soccer program, demonstrating her commitment to supporting local sports and youth activities.

Her dedication to volunteering as a peer tutor for elementary students over the past three years highlights her commitment to education and her ability to positively influence young learners by providing them with essential homework assistance and effective study techniques.

As a member of both the National Honor Society and the Student Council, engaging in volunteer work is a crucial aspect of maintaining her membership. Tasks such as helping to set up and organize school dances, collecting cans for the food bank and wrapping gifts for the Presents for Panthers not only contribute positively to the community but also enhance leadership skills and foster a spirit of service among peers.

Reynolds is actively involved in several extracurricular activities at school, showcasing leadership and dedication. With seven years in the jazz band, she has served as secretary and earned accolades in various competitions. Her two years with the Physics Club, where she held the president and secretary roles, included volunteer work and organizing a trip to Cedar Point. Additionally, she has participated in the International Club for four years, engaging in cultural exchange, community service, and fundraising activities, including a memorable trip to Costa Rica.

With 12 years of soccer experience as a defensive player, Reynolds played a key role in helping her team achieve league championships and the corporate cup, while also being recognized as a 2024 All Western NY scholar athlete. Also playing basketball and serving as JV captain, she demonstrated leadership on the court. Additionally, Reynolds has four years of golf experience, where she earned scholar athlete honors, and two years in varsity track focusing on discus and shot put, further showcasing her extensive athletic versatility and academic dedication.

Reynolds has achieved a remarkable academic record, consistently earning high honor roll throughout her high school years, and has been recognized with prestigious awards such as the Bausch and Lomb University of Rochester Science Award, RIT’s Women and STEM Award and the Portville Junior Alumni Medal, all highlighting her excellence in academics, character, and leadership.

Reynolds’s passion for traveling, skiing and reading reflects her adventurous spirit and love for learning, while her positive attitude and determination are key traits that will undoubtedly contribute to her future successes. Congratulations, Natalie!

Nominations for the 2025 graduating class are closed. For more information, visit cattcoyouth.org or contact Christina O’Brien, Youth Bureau program coordinator, at (716) 701-3360.

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Kids who want a head start on this fall’s hooping season can join the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office on July 11 for its fifth series of youth basketball clinics.

The clinics will be held at 3131 W. 16th St. in Indy. That’s the Friendship Westside Center for Excellence.

The first session is open to ages 8-10 and runs 10 a.m. to noon. The second session is for ages 11-12 and is from 1-3 p.m.

The clinics are free and open to the public, but space is limited and registration is required. Parents or guardians can sign their athlete up here.

“Now more than ever, youth in Indianapolis need more safe spaces to express themselves. One of our top priorities is to provide those spaces, build lasting relationships, and empower our youth to make good decisions,” said Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears.

Welcome to Snyder’s Soapbox! Here, I pontificate about matters related to Major League Baseball on a weekly basis. Some of the topics will be pressing matters, some might seem insignificant in the grand scheme of things, and most will be somewhere in between. The good thing about this website is that it’s free, and you are allowed to click away. If you stay, you’ll get smarter, though. That’s a money-back guarantee. Let’s get to it.

I wrote this before Game 7 of the NBA Finals. I wanted the message of gratitude to resonate through in case my favorite team ends up losing (editor’s note: sorry, Matt, they did). And if they won, I didn’t need to be writing this column instead of just enjoying it. 

I just wanted to say thank you for existing, sports. 

The amount of fun and joy sports teams can provide us is truly remarkable and it goes beyond just rooting for a team. I’ve watched all but one NBA playoff game with my wife and we’ve had tons of fun in doing it. I went to Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals with my dad to see the Pacers clinch the East at home for the first time ever. He started taking me to games in Market Square Arena when I was 7 years old and the big names were Steve Stipanovich and Herb Williams. 

I had a similarly spiritual sports experience in 2016 with my beloved Cubs. 

And I just want every single sports fan out there to experience similar things. So many of us have. Most of us have. 

You know who doesn’t get to feel like this? People who don’t like sports. I’m grateful that I’m not on that list. 

Look, I’m a huge to each his/her/their own guy. That is to say, if you don’t like something that I like or vice versa, that’s perfectly fine with me. People have their own tastes and that’s a good thing. Diversity in taste and opinions, to me, is something that’s important in society. There is, of course, a segment of the population that doesn’t care about sports. That’s fine. There’s also a small segment of that group who actively mock those of us who do care about sports. 

Not only does this not bother me, but I actually feel sorry for those people. Man, they are missing out in such a major way. 

Being a sports fan is so much more than any negative label the naysayers want to throw on it. There are relationships enhanced by the common love of certain teams. We’ve all had so many experiences with friends and family members tied to sports. How many conversations have revolved around your favorite team’s success and heartbreak? 

One of my favorite things about my job is being able to witness the joy that sports brings to so many people. 

I will never forget walking around the concourse in Chase Field immediately after the Rangers won the 2023 World Series. Remember, this was the first Rangers championship ever. They lost back-to-back World Series in 2010-11. I walked by a Rangers fan who had tears running down his face. That’s the good stuff. I’ll never tire of seeing moments like that. 

I remember the raucous Phillies crowd in 2022, especially after Bryce Harper’s first-inning home run in Game 3. This was a wild-card team that was nearly dead in the first round and now on the cusp of taking a 2-1 World Series lead. Of course, later that series the Astros won it all at home. Finally. I had seen seven straight champions clinch the World Series on the road and it was nice to finally see a home crowd get to experience it in person. 

I still look back in joy at the 2018 NLCS in Milwaukee. I sometimes walk around the concourse during the middle innings of games just to get a feel for the crowd (again, I’m a sucker for seeing sports fans experiencing joy). It was Game 2 and Travis Shaw hit a home run to give the Brewers a 3-0 lead. I saw a guy running back toward what appeared to be his group of friends, yelling “this is so much f—ing fun!” 

Yes, gimme all of that! 

The Nationals run in 2019 was particularly absurd. We all remember the record, right? They were — repeat it with me — 19-31 at one point. They were nearly done in the wild-card game, but staged a late comeback. They then trailed in Game 7, but Howie Kendrick hit a home run off the foul pole. Generations of Nationals fans are going to talk about that team and that home run. 

We could even dive deeper. There are always stories from the runs of great teams passed down from older generations to their kids and grandkids. If you’re reading this right now, the goal is for you to be thinking back at some of your fondest memories of sports fandom. What was that team? What was that run? Who did you enjoy watching with? Who did you talk to about all the games and plays? 

Aren’t you smiling right now, almost giddy? 

That’s what sports does for us. 

It doesn’t even have to be the big championship. I mentioned the Brewers. Rockies fans have the miracle 2007 run to the World Series. The Rays have had several huge moments and runs. How about the Edgar Martinez double for the Mariners? The Padres have been very fun this decade and what about the 1984 NLCS (I can talk about that now even though my 6-year-old self was devastated)? 

We could run through every team and a list of all the amazing runs of success that brought family and friends together to elaborate on “how about those [insert any team in any sport]?!?!” I know that every time IU basketball wins a big game, I’m going get a text full of excitement from my mom and it just makes the joy that much better. How about all the group text chains about sports and how much more frantic those get during amazing team runs?  

Look, sports don’t replace great family relationships or social interactions or professional successes or anything else that is real in life, but it’s an enhancer. Being a sports fan is an escape from real-life responsibilities. No other “escape from reality” entertainment can give us what sports do. My family and I love roller coasters. I took my son to see Metallica twice for his 18th birthday and it was an amazing weekend. Books, TV shows and movies are excellent escapes. 

I just don’t think any of this stuff can give you the highs of sports and that’s because they don’t break you with the lows. And, really, the X-factor here is that of the unknown. When I went into Game 7 of the 2016 World Series, there was a chance the Cubs were still never going to win the World Series in my lifetime. You don’t get that elsewhere. I knew Metallica was gonna show up and kick ass when my son and I were there. But the Cubs could’ve lost Game 7.

It isn’t just sports fandom, either. Sports employ people. So many people. Not just athletes and executives, but the chefs and the trainers and the ticket salesmen and the concession stand attendants. How about going all the way down to youth sports? Sports can do wonders in helping kids build self-esteem while also teaching them to to deal with failure at a young age. Some of the moments I’ve been most proud of my kids happened in sports and it wasn’t due to performance, but instead good sportsmanship. I don’t think anything better equipped me for being a good teammate as an adult than playing high school football and baseball. 

Don’t ever let anyone tell you sports are anything but great. 

It was after Game 1 of the NBA Finals when my brother texted me and said something along the lines of, “stuff like this is why we feel sorry for people who aren’t sports fans.” He’s right. You just can’t get this stuff elsewhere. 

Here’s to you, sports. I salute you. You are so awesome. Thank you for existing. I’m so very, eternally grateful for you, even when you break my heart.