Three progressive superintendents defended their policies for parental involvement and transgender inclusion during a congressional hearing Wednesday in which Republican lawmakers called them “pathetic” and said they should find other jobs.

House Education and Workforce Chairman Tim Walberg with the title “Breaking Trust.” Much of the questioning centered on policies intended to protect the rights of transgender students or create more inclusive school environments. But lawmakers also brought up abortion, the role of teachers in promoting political protest, and eighth grade algebra access.

Called to testify were San Francisco Unified School District Superintendent Maria Su, Loudoun County Superintendent Aaron Spence in Virginia, and , .

Each of these superintendents is a relatively new leader in a district that has been at the center of intense controversy over race, gender, and other topics that are often referred to as part of culture war fights. and , in particular, have been the targets of repeated investigations by the Trump administration, which has also threatened to withhold funding.

Two days before the hearing, the conservative advocacy group America First Legal, founded by White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, accusing all three districts of violating parental rights and federal law with policies that give students a say in whether parents are notified that that child wants to change their gender presentation.

Walberg, a Michigan Republican, said in his opening remarks that Congress has a responsibility to ask questions of school districts, including when “parents are excluded from major decisions involving their children” and “when classrooms become vehicles for political or ideological agendas.”

“Across the country, school districts are losing sight of their core mission: educating students,” Walberg said.

The superintendents, in turn, said they respect parents as partners, develop policies with input from local communities, and want to create school environments where students can show up as themselves.

“We’re in education because we care about students, and part of that means ensuring an environment where all students can reach their full potential,” Spence said.

Lawmakers and superintendents spar over abortion, transgender students

Asked repeatedly if parents can opt out of lessons related to sexual health or LGBTQ topics, superintendents said yes or that they comply with state and “binding” federal law.

Rep. Joe Wilson, a South Carolina Republican, asked King about Chicago Public Schools making information about abortion available to students. He also pressed her about “which form of abortion” she preferred after offering graphic descriptions of the procedure.

“I’m very disturbed by that question,” King said after a pause. “I want to say that Chicago Public Schools’ sexual education curriculum is in compliance with Illinois state law.”

Rep. Rick Allen, a Georgia Republican, cited a recent malpractice lawsuit in which a by a mastectomy she had as a teenager when she identified as male. He compared that to school districts having policies that require addressing students by their preferred names and pronouns.

“You’re going to be held responsible legally for what you’re perpetrating on young people,” Allen said.

Democrats for their part used their time to highlight cuts to the Office for Civil Rights, the value of diversity, and Republican efforts to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education. They emphasized that the superintendents were accountable to local elected school boards and that policies reflected community preferences.

“This committee talks all the time about ‘decisions should be made at the local level,’ but I guess that’s only if they like the decisions that you make at the local level,” said Rep. Jahana Hayes, a Connecticut Democrat and .

And Democratic Rep. Summer Lee of Pennsylvania urged the superintendents not to “change your values or your positions, because you know who you work for, and it is the parents and the students in your community.”

Spence came in for some of the most intense questioning. The Virginia district has been at the epicenter of political battles over COVID restrictions, parental rights and and . Most recently, the district from federally funded career education.

Virginia sits under the jurisdiction of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which ruled in the 2020 that students cannot be prevented from using restrooms that align with their gender identity. Loudoun County officials have said they are bound by that ruling until the 4th Circuit or the Supreme Court decides otherwise.

The Trump administration, in contrast, says Title IX, the federal law that bars sex discrimination in education, actually requires that transgender students be excluded from restrooms that align with their gender. It has threatened Loudoun County with the loss of federal funding.

“Yes or no, should biological men be allowed in locker rooms with biological women or girls?” asked Rep. Robert Onder Jr., a Missouri Republican.

“Transgender women should be allowed in women’s spaces,” Spence responded.

“That’s a yes,” Onder said. “So biological men should be able to go into locker rooms and shower rooms with biological girls?”

“Federal law requires it,” Spence said.

“No it doesn’t,” Onder said.

“Yes, it does,” Spence said.

“No,” Onder said. “Title IX is, in fact, quite the opposite. Title IX requires you to protect women and girls.”

Loudoun County has also been investigated over an incident in which a . The U.S. Department of Education said the school district violated Title IX in its handling of the incident.

Several representatives interrogated Spence over the incident and why the students who complained about being filmed allegedly received longer suspensions than the transgender student.

Spence said he could not discuss specifics due to student privacy laws but said that the incident had not been described accurately in public reports. He also said the district applies discipline “appropriately” and in accordance with its policies, including policies against bullying.

The hearing did have moments of comity. California Rep. Kevin Kiley, who recently switched from Republican to independent, said he’d long been a critic of San Francisco Unified but praised Su, giving her a platform to talk about changes she’s made.

Su said the district has brought back eighth grade algebra, revised its ethnic studies curriculum, and implemented literacy approaches consistent with the science of reading, among other changes.

“When I came on as superintendent 18 months ago, I listened to families, listened to parents and our educators, and we moved quickly,” Su said.

Kiley said he probably disagrees with many things the district is doing.

“But these are really good, important steps, so thank you for your leadership,” he said.

Chalkbeat is a nonprofit news site covering educational change in public schools. This story was originally published by Chalkbeat. Sign up for their newsletters at .

Sacramento City Unified and La Mesa-Spring Valley school districts and Taft College in California are among six educational institutions in the U.S. that had civil rights settlements terminated by the U.S. Department of Education on Monday, according to the 

The agreements, negotiated by previous administrations, were meant to uphold protections for transgender students. Now that they have been terminated, the colleges and school districts are no longer obligated to continue measures such as faculty training or allowing students to use the bathrooms, names or pronouns that align with their gender identity, the Associated Press reported.

The termination of the agreements is an effort to enforce President Donald Trump’s executive order that the government recognize only a person’s sex assigned at birth. 

In Sacramento City Unified, that means the district will no longer have to abide by a 2024 settlement that requires it to provide training on Title IX policies to school administrators, teachers guidance counselors and school resource officers, according to the  

The settlement stems from a 2022 complaint by a transgender student who said a teacher refused to use his preferred pronouns and that an administrator also referred to him incorrectly. The Office for Civil Rights, under the Biden administration, agreed with the student and directed the school district to take corrective measures, according to The Bee.

Sacramento City Unified said Monday it “remains committed to the support of our LGBTQ+ students and staff.”

The district won’t decide whether to rescind the policies until it learns whether it will impact its federal funding, according to The Bee. The district faces a $170 million budget deficit and threats of state takeover.

La Mesa-Spring Valley Unified Superintendent David Feliciano told the  that the decision would have no effect on district policies and procedures.

“We remain committed to ensuring a safe and supportive learning environment for all students,” he said.

Hunter, a 17-year-old from suburban Houston, was so nervous his aching stomach prevented him from falling asleep. So after practicing in front of a mirror over and again, he overcame crippling anxiety and told his parents a secret he’d kept hidden for years.

He came out as transgender, a revelation that was met with violent rejection. His mother hit him in the face, he said, while his brother’s reaction cut like a knife: No matter what, he told Hunter, he would never be a boy. With his worst fears validated, Hunter, who was 12 at the time, grabbed a razor blade and slit his wrist. 

Depression, anxiety and gender dysphoria — a clinical level of distress when someone’s gender identity differs from their sex assigned at birth — prompted a years-long battle with self-harm and suicidal ideation that nearly cost Hunter his life. Yet he said involuntary placement in a psychiatric hospital didn’t help. Instead, it was gender-affirming health care, including puberty blockers, that saved him. 

Today, Hunter faces a new threat and his health care remains in legal limbo as the Texas governor and attorney general seek to define puberty blockers and other forms of gender-affirming care as child abuse. 

Critics argue the move puts children’s lives at risk. 

“I’m scared because they say it’s child abuse and I hate when they say it’s child abuse because it’s not. It’s not child abuse at all,” said Hunter, who spoke on the condition of anonymity due to fears he could become the subject of a state investigation. Hunter knows all too well the harms of being mistreated because he’s lived through them himself. “My child abuse was not like what they’re saying. My child abuse was horrible.”

Transgender youth experience higher rates of mental health challenges than their cisgender classmates and are far more likely to die by suicide. A suggests that gender-affirming medical care improves mental health outcomes for transgender teens. Meanwhile, blocking access to that care “has been shown to increase youths’ risk for suicidal ideation and other negative mental health outcomes,” . 

Because Hunter is in the foster care system, he’s at the mercy of the state for gender-affirming treatment — even as the state has openly declared itself hostile to that very care.

Last month, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton issued an opinion that . 

“The Texas Family Code is clear — causing or permitting substantial harm to the child or the child’s growth and development is child abuse,” Paxton wrote. “Courts have held that an unnecessary surgical procedure that removes a healthy body part from a child can constitute a real and significant injury or damage to the child.”

Acting on that memo, the state Department of Family and Protective Services to launch “a prompt and thorough investigation of any reported instances of these abusive procedures,” and child protective services opened nine inquiries into the parents of transgender teens. 

Among those who supported the move is Terry Schilling, president of the American Principles Project, a conservative think tank in Virginia. Ultimately, he said he wants the state to ban gender-affirming care and to go “after the doctors and the pharmaceutical companies that are pushing this on kids.” 

“We want kids to feel comfortable in their own bodies. We want them to accept themselves for who God made them to be and for who they are,” Schilling said. In February, prior to Abbott’s order, the American Principles Project prodded the governor to take action, accusing him of failing to protect children. “It’s abusive to remove the body parts of a child if it’s not necessary, and I don’t believe it’s necessary and I do believe it’s wrong.”

After the parents of a transgender child and a psychologist filed suit, Travis County Judge Amy Clark Meachum issued a temporary injunction and declared Abbott’s order was “beyond the scope of his authority and unconstitutional,” and stated that he was likely to lose in a trial scheduled for July. Representatives for Paxton, Abbott and the family services department, which employs one of the parents who’s suing, didn’t respond to requests for comment. 

Abbott’s order is part of a broader national push among conservatives to stifle youth access to gender-affirming care and resources. In Florida, legislation dubbed the “Don’t Say Gay” bill would restrict classroom instruction on “sexual orientation or gender identity.” During a virtual roundtable on Thursday, Education Secretary Miguel Cardona blasted the legislation in Florida and elsewhere. 

“Laws around the country, including in Florida, have targeted and sought to bully some of our most vulnerable students and families, and create division in our schools,” Cardona said. “This administration won’t stand for bullying or discrimination of any kind.” 

The legal fight in Texas is far from over and teens like Hunter remain in uncertain territory. Paxton that the “Democrat judge’s order permitting child abuse is frozen,” and that investigations could carry on. On Thursday, the American Civil Liberties Union and Lambda Legal, which sued to stop Abbott’s order, asked an appeals court to to ensure the statewide temporary injunction remains in place during the appeals process. 

“The targeting of Texas families of transgender youth is unconstitutional and wrong, as the district court’s order made clear,” Brian Klosterboer, an ACLU of Texas staff attorney, said in a media release. He said the state “should stop these cruel and senseless investigations and focus on addressing real problems plaguing” the state’s child protective services. 

‘State of terror’

The suicide and self-harm crisis facing LGBTQ youth is more than a data point to Hunter. Initially, he said that he started cutting because it “made me feel safe for some reason.” 

“It made my anger go away and my pain go away,” he said. “Then, after I kept doing it, it made me fall into depression and that got worse.” 

While suicide is the second-leading cause of death among all teens, rates are particularly stark for LGBTQ youth. 

In by The Trevor Project, a national nonprofit focused on suicide prevention among LGBTQ youth, more than half of transgender and nonbinary youth reported “seriously considering attempting suicide” in the past year. The situation was particularly bleak for youth who reported experiencing discrimination. Research suggests as many as . 

Amy Green, the group’s vice president of research, said the efforts in Texas and elsewhere are already “taking a toll on the mental health” of transgender youth. She by her group and Morning Consult in which 85 percent of transgender and nonbinary youth reported that “recent debates about state laws restricting the rights of transgender people have negative impacted their mental health.” In , more than half of transgender adolescents reported experiencing “long-term mental health problems” compared to just 17 percent of their cisgender peers. 

For Hunter, gender-affirming care became a positive force for his mental health. These days, he said his self-harm and suicidal ideation have grown infrequent. Instead, he sees a future where he’s comfortable in his own skin. 

“On the inside, everything is just normal and my mental health is normal,” he said of that hoped-for day. “I don’t cry any more, no more suicidal thoughts.”

Research suggests that other transgender youth have had similar experiences. that gender-affirming care can reduce anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation and gender dysphoria, which can start as young as 7.

Among the child welfare groups fighting Abbott’s order is Disability Rights Texas, which provides legal representation and advocacy for Texans with disabilities. In , the group argued that gender-affirming care is medically necessary — especially for transgender teens with disabilities. In a 2018 report, the Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund found that 59 percent of transgender youth have long-term mental health needs, with family and community rejection being a key driver.  

Meredith Parekh, the supervising attorney at Disability Rights Texas’ foster care division, said efforts to define gender-affirming care as child abuse is “an absurd premise on its face.” As an attorney who represents children in the foster care system, she has firsthand knowledge about the state of child abuse in Texas. Parents who consent to gender-affirming care at their child’s request, she said, are “attuned to their child’s needs” and are acting in stark contrast from parents who are “willfully ignoring what their child needs.”  

“The idea that these parents who are paying attention and trying to do their best by their children by following well accepted, prevailing medical advice is just ludicrous,” she said. Instead, she accused Abbott of attempting to “drive these children and their families underground.”

Beyond the parents with transgender children who have faced CPS investigations, Parekh said Abbott’s order has had a “chilling effect” on all transgender youth receiving gender-affirming care that’s placed them “in a state of terror.” 

“As attorneys who represent kiddos, our job is to make sure we get these kids to adulthood, to make sure these children are protected and safe and loved and cherished,” she said. “We cannot do that if we are burying them.”

‘Bad guys’

Schilling, of the American Principles Project, acknowledged that he’s never talked to a transgender teen about their gender-affirming health care. He cheered recent developments that have already limited access to such care as a result of Abbott’s order. He noted that the due to the directive. Preventing health care providers from providing gender-affirming care, he said, “is ultimately the goal.” 

“The real bad guys are not necessarily the parents who are often exploited as well,” he said. “Big pharma is a bad guy here, these gender clinics are a bad guy here.”

He acknowledged that transgender youth face a heightened risk of suicide, a reality he said is is driven by “the fact they feel uncomfortable in their own bodies.” 

“My heart really goes out to these kids just as much as my heart goes out to anyone else who feels uncomfortable in their own bodies, you know, anorexic people, people that struggle with keeping weight off,” Schilling said. Instead of treatments like hormone therapy, he said, people should focus on “making kids accept their body and getting them to feel comfortable in their own body” because they are made in God’s image.  

Motivating his advocacy, he said, are the stories of people who came to regret their decision to transition. Children, he said “don’t always make the best decisions,” and “sometimes they’re little jerks and sometimes they exaggerate and sometimes they do crazy things.’ Stories of people who decided to “detransition,” he said, are “horrific.” 

Estimates on the proportion of people who decide to detransition are as high as 13 percent. Some people who detransition do experience regret, but by Jack Turban, a chief fellow in child and adolescent psychiatry at Stanford University School of Medicine, found they’re in the minority. Instead, four-fifths of those who detransitioned attributed their decision to external factors like family pressure, non-affirming school environments and an increased vulnerability to violence. 

“For most people,” Turban said in a media release, “it appears detransition is forced upon them.”

‘Let them be happy’

For Hunter, gender-affirming care has been critical to improving his medical care. Why, he asked, would anyone want to take that away from him? 

Gender-affirming care is “mostly for the kids to be happier,” Hunter said. “If they’re sadder when you say it’s child abuse, why would you want them to be sadder? Let them be happy.” 

For him, regret isn’t part of the equation. Asked whether adolescents are too young to advocate for themselves, Hunter offered a response that centered on individual rights. 

“They know what they want. You should just do it for them and see how it goes,” he said. “Let them figure it out by themselves. It’s their choice, not yours.”

For Hunter, Abbott’s order has already had a chilling effect. He plans to begin testosterone therapy but has decided to wait until his 18th birthday. He said he’s worried about potential health ramifications if he goes onto testosterone, but is forced to stop. Should his gender-affirming care get cut off altogether, Hunter predicts a future with deteriorating mental health. 

“My suicidal thoughts would start again,” he said. “I would just be staying in my room cooped up, doing nothing, losing interest in everything. I’d be drowning in my own guilt and sorrow.” 

If you are in crisis, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741. For LGBTQ mental health support, contact The Trevor Project’s toll-free support line at 866-488-7386.