Trump Administration Requiring Tennessee To Remove Gender Ideology Content From Sex Ed Materials

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The Tennessee Conservative [By Olivia Lupia] –

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is demanding Tennessee remove all references to gender ideology in a federally funded sex education program, citing a commitment to protecting children from indoctrination from “delusional ideology”.

The Personal Responsibility Education Program (PREP) is designed to educate adolescents on both abstinence and contraceptive options to prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections and other adulthood preparation subjects like marriage and family interactions, financial literacy, and educational and career success.

Tennessee’s program focuses on youth ages 12-21 in foster care and juvenile justice settings and providing programs for foster parents and caseworkers to increase their comfort and skills in speaking with adolescents about family planning and pregnancy prevention. PREP in Tennessee plans to serve 1,000 students annually and has received over $1 million in grant monies, per federal data.

But a letter from Andrew Gradison, Acting Assistant Secretary for the HHS Administration for Children and Families (ACF), identifies subjects and language in the state’s curriculum outside the scope of the authorizing statute of the PREP program.

The memo specifically notes: 

• A section which says sexuality is “complex and can be difficult to define”. Moderators are encouraged to, “Support participants in sharing and listening to one another, and make sure dialogue remains respectful and inclusive.”
• A question which asks, “Why would someone with a penis not identify as a boy/man?” The material provides an answer which says transgender people are those “whose gender identity is different from their biological sex or sex assigned at birth” and non-binary people as those “whose gender identities are not exclusively either boy/man or girl/woman.” The curriculum adds, “However someone identifies, they should feel safe, respected, and included.”
• The “Manhood 2.0” section which purports that manhood is tied to the “confines of restrictive ideas about gender,” and encourages young men to “recognize ways in which power and oppression manifest in their lives” and provides opportunities to “practice skills to create healthier relationships, positive social networks, and nonviolent communities.”
• A definition stating gender and biological sex are different things.

“The [PREP] statute includes no mention of gender ideology, which is both irrelevant to teaching abstinence and contraception and unrelated to any of the adult preparation subjects described in [statute]. The statute neither requires, supports, nor authorizes teaching students that gender identity is distinct from biological sex or that boys can identify as girls and vice versa; thus, gender ideology is outside the scope of the authorizing statute and any expenditures associated with gender ideology are not allowable, reasonable, or allocable to the PREP grant,” the letter continues.

Tennessee is one of 46 states and territories which received a similar letter, and all recipients have 60 days to revise their curricula or risk suspension or termination of funding for the program. 

To prove their dedication, the ACF terminated California’s PREP grant in August after the state failed to remove the gender ideology from its educational materials and is prepared to do the same to any other states who do not produce revised materials in the allotted time. 

“Accountability is coming,” said Assistant Secretary Gradison. “Federal funds will not be used to poison the minds of the next generation or advance dangerous ideological agendas. The Trump Administration will ensure that PREP reflects the intent of Congress, not the priorities of the left.”

About the Author: Olivia Lupia is a political refugee from Colorado who now calls Tennessee home. A proud follower of Christ, she views all political happenings through a Biblical lens and aims to utilize her knowledge and experience to educate and equip others. Olivia is an outspoken conservative who has run for local office, managed campaigns, and been highly involved with state & local GOPs, state legislatures, and other grassroots organizations and movements. Olivia can be reached at olivia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.