February 9, 2026
California violated federal law over gender secrecy policy, US government says
Truth & Liberty warns that the Golden State’s approach is on a
‘collision course’ with the Supreme Court’s parental rights decision
WOODLAND PARK, Colo. — The federal government says California’s Department of Education violates the law in aggressively enforcing gender secrecy policies that prevent schools from informing parents about their children’s gender identity.
According to federal officials, California has pursued legal action against school districts that refuse to comply with state law barring staff from disclosing a child’s asserted gender identity without the child’s consent. The federal agency cited potential violations of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), which protects parental access to student education records.
Richard Harris, executive director of Truth & Liberty and host of the “Truth & Liberty Show,” said the federal finding represents a critical moment for parental rights nationwide.
“The federal government’s decision to hold California accountable for violating FERPA is a significant step toward protecting parental rights, but this is just the beginning,” Harris said. “California’s approach is on a collision course with the Supreme Court’s decision in Mahmoud v. Taylor, which affirms that parents have a constitutional right to direct the religious upbringing of their children.”
In the majority opinion of the Mahmoud case, Justice Samuel Alito wrote that the right of parents “to direct the religious upbringing of their” children would be an empty promise if it did not follow those children into the public school classroom, adding that the Court “cannot agree” with lower courts that have ruled otherwise for more than 50 years.
“When state officials hide critical information from parents about a child’s mental and emotional condition, especially something so important as sexual and gender identity, they undermine the very rights the Supreme Court has just reaffirmed,” Harris said.
California state law prohibits school personnel from sharing information about a student’s gender identity without the student’s consent. Federal officials contend that enforcing such secrecy may conflict with FERPA and parental access protections.
“This is not a mere policy disagreement — it is a fundamental question of who has the primary responsibility for raising children,” Harris said. “The Bible and all of human history are clear that parents, not the state, hold that authority.”
Harris noted that the recent landmark lawsuit against New York doctors who pushed “gender-affirming” surgery on a minor should be a warning sign for California to remove these leftist policies and place control back into the hands of parents.
“With this legal outcome, how long will it be before California, with its apparently organized deception of parents, sees similar results as people rise up against the monstrosity of cutting up healthy children?” said Harris.
Truth & Liberty has consistently advocated for biblical morality and constitutional governance, urging churches and families to engage in public policy debates affecting children and education.
Truth & Liberty Foundation, headquartered in Woodland Park, Colorado, educates, unifies and mobilizes believers in Jesus Christ to affect the reformation of nations through the seven mountains of cultural influence. Truth & Liberty stands for preserving America’s constitutional republic of government from the consent of the governed through democratically elected representatives to guarantee to each citizen their Creator-given rights.
Founded by Andrew Wommack and other Christian leaders, Truth & Liberty engages in various initiatives to educate, encourage, train and connect believers to stand for Truth in the public square. The foundation’s activities include television and web-based broadcasts, meetings and events, articles, blogs, media engagement, civic mobilization, creating and connecting people to resources, and working to unify and foster strategic collaboration.
The heart of Truth & Liberty is to mobilize the church to engage with biblical truth. Often finding that churches and pastors don’t know where to start, the foundation’s goal is to educate their audience and connect them with resources and organizations nationwide to help them impact their own spheres of influence.
The “Truth & Liberty Show,” hosted by Executive Director Richard Harris, explores meaningful conversations with pastors, thought leaders and influencers who are making a real difference in the public square. The show premieres every Wednesday and Friday at 6 p.m. MT with recurring contributors and guest hosts.
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