In a playoff matchup Saturday night, San Francisco Waldorf’s girls’ basketball team fell to Cornerstone Christian School 56-30, with their transgender athlete notably absent from the game.
The contest had drawn national attention after Cornerstone Christian announced they would compete against Waldorf’s team, which includes a transgender player who had helped lead the squad to a 9-8 regular season record.
No explanation has been provided for the athlete’s absence, and San Francisco Waldorf has not responded to requests for comment.
The game occurred amid ongoing tension between California and the Trump administration regarding transgender athletes’ participation in girls’ sports. The California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) is currently under investigation by the Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights as it continues to allow transgender athletes to compete according to their gender identity.
Protesters had gathered outside the Cornerstone campus with anti-trans messages, but sources indicate the signs were not displayed inside the gymnasium once it became known the transgender athlete would not participate.
This isn’t the first time the athlete’s participation has sparked controversy. In November, Stone Ridge Christian forfeited a volleyball playoff game against Waldorf’s team, where the same athlete competed.
Candice Jackson, the DOE’s deputy general counsel, stated, “CIF sets the parameters under which schools compete in these playoffs, and they have responsibility as recipients of federal funds to comply with Title IX. OCR’s investigation into CIF is continuing as it appears that CIF’s disregard for Title IX is continuing.”
The situation highlights broader policy conflicts, as Trump’s executive order threatens to cut federal funding for institutions allowing transgender athletes to compete against girls and women. California public schools receive approximately $16.8 billion annually in federal funding, representing 13.9% of their public school funding.
The CIF maintains its position, stating it will follow state legislation that has been in effect since 2014. Their statement reads: “The CIF provides students with the opportunity to belong, connect, and compete in education-based experiences in compliance with California law [Education Code section 221.5. (f)] which permits students to participate in school programs and activities, including athletic teams and competitions, consistent with the student’s gender identity, irrespective of the gender listed on the student’s records.”
While California’s AB 1266 law currently protects transgender athletes’ rights to participate according to their gender identity, multiple bills have been introduced to reverse this legislation in 2025, including recent proposals by State Assembly members Kate Sanchez and Bill Essayli.
