U.S. JUDGE TO HALT TRUMP ORDER AIMED AT REMOVING 'GENDER IDEOLOGY' FROM STATE SEX EDUCATION. (PHOTO).

 US judge to halt Trump order aimed at removing 'gender ideology' from state sex education

A federal judge in Oregon on Monday said she will block the Trump administration from requiring a group of Democratic-led states, including Washington, Oregon, and Minnesota, to remove references to “gender ideology” from sexual health education curricula to receive federal grant funding.

U.S. District Judge Ann Aiken said she intends to issue an injunction after lawyers for the 16 states and the District of Columbia argued that the Department of Health and Human Services’ directive effectively sought to “edit transgender kids out of their curricula.” The states said the policy violated congressional rules governing the grants and overstepped federal authority, potentially costing them $35 million in funding if they did not comply. The administration maintained the policy was lawful and consistent with congressional goals promoting abstinence and sexual risk avoidance. Judge Aiken described the directive as inconsistent with relevant statutes and likened it to a “separate-but-equal” approach to sex education, saying she would issue a written injunction soon.

The dispute stems from an executive order signed by President Trump on January 20, which directed federal agencies to recognize only two sexes—male and female—and ensure grant funds did not promote what he called “gender ideology.” In August, HHS sent letters to 46 states and territories demanding the removal of all references to “gender ideology” from federally funded curricula under the Personal Responsibility Education Program (PREP) and the Title V Sexual Risk Avoidance Education program. These programs focus on teaching abstinence and contraception, particularly to youth in foster care, homeless populations, and areas with high teen birth rates. HHS also terminated California’s PREP grant after the state refused to comply with the directive.