You may recognize Leland Vittert from his work as an anchor on NewsNation. What you may not recognize, however, is that Leland got to where he is after being diagnosed with autism.
With renewed scrutiny on the causes of autism, his new book “Born Lucky” is flying off the shelves, landing at #4 on the New York Times bestseller list. It&#8217;s not just a story about how Leland managed to build a successful life with autism, but also about the people who sacrificed to make that possible.
So when we asked about publishing an excerpt from it, Leland suggested the afterword, written by his dad. After reading it, we understand why. But we asked him to explain it to our readers as well.
We hope you enjoy. — The Editors
* * *
When I was diagnosed with what we now know to be autism, my father quit his job and became a full time parent, coach, and friend. It was, as he describes it, my only hope. He felt hopeless and helpless and with good reason. The psychologist who tested me told him there was “generally not” anything parents could do for kids in my situation and it was “difficult to understand” what&#8217;s going on in my head.
My father’s mission to adapt me to the world, rather than the world to me, took him 15 years – to be fair, I am now 43 and he is still working on it.
In my new book, &#8220;<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Born-Lucky-Dedicated-Grateful-Journey/dp/140025468X/?_encoding=UTF8&amp;pd_rd_w=M2Kgd&amp;content-id=amzn1.sym.4efc43db-939e-4a80-abaf-50c6a6b8c631%3Aamzn1.symc.5a16118f-86f0-44cd-8e3e-6c5f82df43d0&amp;pf_rd_p=4efc43db-939e-4a80-abaf-50c6a6b8c631&amp;pf_rd_r=ZH2H6KCH5RD7206BW8AE&amp;pd_rd_wg=ZzvPM&amp;pd_rd_r=39261712-bad5-42ce-93ea-31acd52c574f&amp;ref_=pd_hp_d_atf_ci_mcx_mr_ca_hp_atf_d">Born Lucky: A Dedicated Father, Grateful Son, and My Journey with Autism</a>,&#8221; I tell the story of my father’s journey and how he never told anyone of my diagnosis: not teachers, not therapists, not his friends, and not even me!
<div id="attachment_985495" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-985495" class="size-large wp-image-985495" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/MixCollage-14-Oct-2025-08-37-AM-5895-1024x576.jpg" alt="Credit: Leland Vittert" width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/MixCollage-14-Oct-2025-08-37-AM-5895-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/MixCollage-14-Oct-2025-08-37-AM-5895-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/MixCollage-14-Oct-2025-08-37-AM-5895-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/MixCollage-14-Oct-2025-08-37-AM-5895-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/MixCollage-14-Oct-2025-08-37-AM-5895-2048x1152.jpg 2048w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Credit: Leland Vittert</div>
Thanks to my dad (and mom) things have worked out pretty well. We endured the hell that was middle school, where principals told my parents I was “weird” and teachers compared me disfavorably to their dog’s asses. I am now married to a magnificent woman and I’m a national cable television anchor. What dad didn&#8217;t know at the time was that the hell of middle school would be great training for a Washington newsroom.
Dad says he isn&#8217;t a hero. I would argue that point, but he can describe himself however he wants.
At first, he didn&#8217;t want to tell this story because the book would contain my darkest moments. So, we made a deal: I would write the manuscript and at the end, if he didn&#8217;t like it, we wouldn&#8217;t turn it in to HarperCollins. To be honest, I had no plan if he said he did not like it.
But at that moment of decision, I asked him a question: If, when I was originally diagnosed, the psychologist had given him our book “Born Lucky’ (rather than saying there was not much to do), how would he have felt?
He responded that he would have read it every week because it would give him hope.
The book is hope for every parent with a kid who is struggling, not just with autism but anxiety, ADHD, difficulty at school, etc., and proof of what a father and mother’s love can do.
That’s why I asked my dad to write the afterword in the book in the form of thoughts for parents facing some of the same challenges he did.
I would like to share that with you now.
— Leland Vittert
<div id="attachment_985155" style="width: 394px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Born-Lucky-Dedicated-Grateful-Journey/dp/140025468X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3O3L1UKLC7BU8&amp;dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.MCP08BnE6vI4ikVNkhJBg72CUwiVpmvlL8qZybVTSZLx_BEqUQGmyDmGpK7jXlU7iZCcob-eOUDY6rbg3C1NjBxWSU2Qe7cCc8CaNp8qCwQ7jeHWCo-3GvFE_ZYtE5X1HiiDd4mb-Kg5aF8mQtn0KNs6EYCmCB-12b31vB_-5jrAx6Zuj6Gsjf3oFbwy2yo9QmShQlmJ7m55riGBazN3-QDQblrGsUiWAs0R9M9NLPk.z4MTp6JWwZEIj8QmHoKGWHoBiTGIr1B6V_Uz9VbpCLo&amp;dib_tag=se&amp;keywords=vittert&amp;qid=1760449473&amp;s=books&amp;sprefix=vittert%2Cstripbooks%2C112&amp;sr=1-1"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-985155" class="size-large wp-image-985155" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/MixCollage-13-Oct-2025-12-47-PM-5986-384x576.jpg" alt="Cover credit: Harper Horizon" width="384" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/MixCollage-13-Oct-2025-12-47-PM-5986-384x576.jpg 384w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/MixCollage-13-Oct-2025-12-47-PM-5986-200x300.jpg 200w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/MixCollage-13-Oct-2025-12-47-PM-5986-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/MixCollage-13-Oct-2025-12-47-PM-5986-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/MixCollage-13-Oct-2025-12-47-PM-5986-1365x2048.jpg 1365w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/MixCollage-13-Oct-2025-12-47-PM-5986-1360x2040.jpg 1360w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/MixCollage-13-Oct-2025-12-47-PM-5986-scaled.jpg 1707w" sizes=" (max-width: 384px) 100vw, 384px" /></a>Cover credit: Harper Horizon</div>
* * *
The following excerpt is taken from the Afterword from the book &#8220;<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Born-Lucky-Dedicated-Grateful-Journey/dp/140025468X/?_encoding=UTF8&amp;pd_rd_w=M2Kgd&amp;content-id=amzn1.sym.4efc43db-939e-4a80-abaf-50c6a6b8c631%3Aamzn1.symc.5a16118f-86f0-44cd-8e3e-6c5f82df43d0&amp;pf_rd_p=4efc43db-939e-4a80-abaf-50c6a6b8c631&amp;pf_rd_r=ZH2H6KCH5RD7206BW8AE&amp;pd_rd_wg=ZzvPM&amp;pd_rd_r=39261712-bad5-42ce-93ea-31acd52c574f&amp;ref_=pd_hp_d_atf_ci_mcx_mr_ca_hp_atf_d">Born Lucky: A Dedicated Father, A Grateful Son, and My Journey with Autism</a>,&#8221; by Leland Vittert with Don Yaeger. (Harper Horizon, September 2025).
 * * *
<h3>Afterword From Dad</h3>
As you have already read, Lucky, decades ago, placed me on a pedestal.
This occurred simply as a result of his fundamental needs, that there was no one else, no other man, to help him and hold him. Consequently, it might appear in this book that I offered him support as a secure and knowledgeable father. That was not true.
I was scared for years. I still am to a degree, uncertain quite often and holding on for my family till sleep comes, bringing a few hours of peace.
For all of us who are in the most difficult and complex battle to help our special children survive, there is no finish line.
I am positive that every father and mother engaged in the monumental effort to help and protect and love our challenged children are dealing with the same issues.
Believe me, despite Lucky’s admiration, I did only what any father would want to do.
All of us in this battle, this fight against what feels like the world has left our side, are in the same place.
We all feel enormous love and responsibility to those little ones who are absolutely lost and, without us, alone. Mothers and fathers need to know that there is definitely hope.
I am not that smart nor capable to have known what to do for him, except to love him and listen always to his cries for help, and to enlist a couple of personal rules that seemed to make sense in a frightening circumstance.
Let me say that his mother, Carol, was the unsung angel here. She not only had to hold Lucky, but also me.
<div id="attachment_985497" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-985497" class="size-large wp-image-985497" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/81f71ca0-3ba6-4bba-99a5-3eea97064c98-1024x576.jpg" alt="Credit: Leland Vittert" width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/81f71ca0-3ba6-4bba-99a5-3eea97064c98-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/81f71ca0-3ba6-4bba-99a5-3eea97064c98-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/81f71ca0-3ba6-4bba-99a5-3eea97064c98-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/81f71ca0-3ba6-4bba-99a5-3eea97064c98-1536x863.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/10/81f71ca0-3ba6-4bba-99a5-3eea97064c98.jpg 1829w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Credit: Leland Vittert</div>
I really did not know what was ahead, who could help, or if the verdict was just “give up.” Well, the purpose of this book is to offer hope, real hope. Here are the principles that I wrote down for myself when Lucky was diagnosed:
<ol>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Have no expectations about the future.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Under no circumstances let your child feel that they have ever disappointed you. EVER, under no circumstance.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">You are the depository of their hurt, their frustration, and their humiliations. You must listen and listen—morning before school and late into the night.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Tell them that they have the right stuff for life. That the currency of high school, etc., is not the currency of life. There are many more years after the six years of junior high and high school.</li>
</ol>
There were times where I reflexively responded to a seemingly endless difficult day with temper. Those were the most regrettable of times.
I fully understand that so many had and will have far more significant challenges and difficulties than we had.
You will need to remember that your child will continue, no matter the advancement, to simply be themself. This is not a broken arm that heals; it is the way they were made.
Together, whatever the circumstance or how dire the situation, there is hope, good hope, but it will require endless understanding and the firm belief that your child can be better.
With the advent of so much bullying and other negative effects from today’s social media culture, it will be hard to escape. We did not have to address that issue.
We did not discuss Lucky’s issues or labels with anyone, nor did we seek outside assistance. Perhaps that would have been better. I do not know.
Whatever your child’s issue, I believe their best chance to progress is you and your love and patience and, in particular, your unwavering belief in them.
It was felt that writing this book could possibly help. There are so many of us who were and are lost in the nightmare of this despair.
If you are in this fight, it will be a challenge that is the most worthwhile of your life. It will probably take years and years, but it will be worth it.
If someone would have told me about what the future held for our little boy, I would have likely yielded right then. I would have been terribly wrong to do so.
If I can do it, you can. You can make an enormous difference for the ones you love dearly.
With all my heart, I wish for you and your child a future that you will make better together.
— Mark Vittert
* * *
This excerpt is published by permission from Harper Horizon. &#8220;<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Born-Lucky-Dedicated-Grateful-Journey/dp/140025468X/?_encoding=UTF8&amp;pd_rd_w=M2Kgd&amp;content-id=amzn1.sym.4efc43db-939e-4a80-abaf-50c6a6b8c631%3Aamzn1.symc.5a16118f-86f0-44cd-8e3e-6c5f82df43d0&amp;pf_rd_p=4efc43db-939e-4a80-abaf-50c6a6b8c631&amp;pf_rd_r=ZH2H6KCH5RD7206BW8AE&amp;pd_rd_wg=ZzvPM&amp;pd_rd_r=39261712-bad5-42ce-93ea-31acd52c574f&amp;ref_=pd_hp_d_atf_ci_mcx_mr_ca_hp_atf_d">Born Lucky: A Dedicated Father, A Grateful Son, and My Journey with Autism</a>,&#8221; by Leland Vittert with Don Yaeger. (Harper Horizon, September 2025).
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.
<a href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_campaign=fall40&amp;utm_content=fallsale&amp;utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial">Get 40% off new DailyWire+ annual memberships with code FALL40 at checkout!</a>

Leland Vittert book IV

‘My Father Never Gave Up On Me’: Leland Vittert On Being ‘Born Lucky’

'My Father Never Gave Up On Me': Leland Vittert On Being 'Born Lucky'

Autism

Books

Children

family

Fathers

High School

Media

Middle School

Parenting

Social Issues

In light of the recent loss of Charlie Kirk, we have to seriously reconsider the level of radical indoctrination in our <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/public-schools">public schools</a> — and not just at the collegiate level. The hostility that fueled such an attack doesn’t appear out of thin air. It begins in classrooms where children are taught to despise their country, question their God-given identity, and see their parents as obstacles rather than protectors. By the time students reach college, the soil has already been prepared by years of quiet but intentional indoctrination. The loss of Charlie should also serve as a rallying cry — a reminder of the price conservatives are paying in this cultural battle and the urgency to confront it head-on.
This is why the fight against gender ideology in our K–12 schools cannot wait. It is not a side issue or a distraction from “real politics.” It is the heart of the cultural crisis America faces. If children are trained from kindergarten to see themselves through the lens of gender theory rather than truth, faith, and family, then we should not be surprised when that worldview matures into radicalism, activism, and, eventually, violence.
For decades, conservatives assumed the worst indoctrination happened on college campuses. That was a mistake. Elementary schools are where the work begins — through school counselors, taxpayer-funded SEL programs, and activist-approved library shelves. Children are introduced to gender confusion long before they ever take an SAT or apply to a university. By the time they arrive on campus, the indoctrination is already deeply rooted.
Florida recognized this and acted decisively. In 2022, the state passed the Parental Rights in Education Act (<a href="https://www.flhouse.gov/Sections/Documents/loaddoc.aspx?FileName=_h1557er.docx&amp;DocumentType=Bill&amp;BillNumber=1557&amp;Session=2022">HB 1557</a>), banning classroom instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in kindergarten through third grade. In 2023, lawmakers expanded the law to apply through eighth grade and specifically addressed the use of pronouns. The Florida Board of Education later broadened protections further to cover all K–12 grades. Additional bills like <a href="https://www.flhouse.gov/Sections/Documents/loaddoc.aspx?FileName=_h1069er.docx&amp;DocumentType=Bill&amp;BillNumber=1069&amp;Session=2023">HB 1069</a> reaffirmed that sex is biologically determined at birth, while <a href="https://www.flhouse.gov/Sections/Documents/loaddoc.aspx?FileName=_s0254er.DOCX&amp;DocumentType=Bill&amp;BillNumber=254&amp;Session=2023">SB 254</a> placed restrictions on gender-related medical interventions for minors.
What made this possible was the partnership of strong leadership at the top — Gov. Ron DeSantis and a conservative state school board — combined with parents pushing relentlessly from the bottom up. Importantly, the state school board did not wait for the legislature to act again; they used their authority to pass stronger policies when they saw the need. This kind of backbone is missing in school boards across the country, but it is the critical piece in reclaiming our public school systems. That partnership is the model every red state must follow if we want to preserve the innocence of children and the authority of parents.
Florida shows that the combination of political courage and grassroots activism can shift the culture of public schools. Parents had been voicing concerns for years about radical curricula, library materials, and counselors undermining parental authority. Instead of dismissing those voices, the leadership of Florida embraced them, amplifying the parents rather than silencing them. That is the blueprint. This bottom-up and top-down unity is what makes Florida distinct — and it is why conservative parents in other states look to Florida as proof that this fight can be won.
On the other end of the spectrum is California, where the guardrails are gone. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the SAFETY Act (<a href="https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240AB1955">AB 1955</a>), which allows schools to conceal a child’s new gender identity or pronouns from parents. San Diego schools have run classroom programs with books like <a href="https://www.iwfeatures.com/profile/controversy-erupts-in-california-school-district-over-radical-gender-ideology-in-classrooms/">My Shadow Is Pink</a>, asking fifth graders to guide kindergartners through gender-identity exercises without parental notification. And when teachers object on religious grounds — such as the Oakland kindergarten teacher fired for refusing to use pronouns that violated her conscience — the state sides with ideology, not faith or family.
California also recently lost more than $12 million in federal funding for refusing to strip “radical gender ideology” from its sex-education curriculum. Instead of correcting course, the state doubled down. This is the America our children will inherit if red states fail to act.
The danger in California isn’t limited to its own borders. Policies that begin there often spread nationwide through activist groups, teacher unions, and national curriculum providers. A book that appears in a Los Angeles classroom one year often shows up in a red-state district the next. Without strong protections, even conservative communities will find themselves importing California’s chaos. That is why the example of California should serve as both a warning and a motivator: if red states do not proactively legislate, they will be pulled in the same direction by cultural and institutional pressures.
President Trump recently issued an <a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/01/24/2025-01567/removing-radical-gender-ideology-from-federally-funded-education-programs">executive order</a> directing the removal of radical gender ideology from federally funded education programs. That is an important step — but executive orders are temporary. What one president does, the next can undo. And without strong state-level laws, even Trump’s order cannot stop what continues to happen in liberal states like California, where ideology is embedded in classrooms regardless of federal guidance.
That’s why red states must codify protections into permanent law. And they must add accountability measures with real teeth:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Immediate removal from the classroom if teachers or counselors push gender ideology in violation of the law.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Revocation of teaching licenses so offenders cannot simply move districts or cross state lines to continue indoctrinating children.</li>
</ul>
Parents deserve more than symbolism — they deserve action. Conservative lawmakers must remember that parents are not asking for suggestions or guidelines — they are demanding laws that protect their rights and their children. Laws without accountability are empty. A policy without enforcement is a wish list. If red states want to be serious, they need to back up their words with actions that make the cost of violating parental rights unacceptably high.
Conservative states now have both the opportunity and the obligation to act. Parents are fleeing states like California in search of places where their children can be raised in safety, truth, and faith. Red states must be those safe havens. That means more than political slogans — it means codifying into law the protections families need to preserve faith-based values and the authority of parents.
If conservatives fail here, the exodus from blue states will only accelerate, but families will arrive to find that their “safe haven” is just another battleground. Conservative parents are looking for states where school boards act decisively, legislatures put children first, and governors refuse to bend to woke corporations or activist lobbies. They want leaders who will not only defend but advance the values of family, faith, and freedom.
Red states across the country now have the opportunity and the backing of parents — and if legislators refuse, they should be replaced with leaders who will. The loss of Charlie has only deepened conservatives’ resolve, reminding us of the urgency and the cultural impact of his fight.
The line is clear: pass laws protecting children from gender ideology with real accountability, and pass them first — or prepare to face a reckoning at the ballot box. Our children are not bargaining chips. They are the future of America, and they deserve to be defended. Until states pass binding protections, even Trump’s executive order cannot shield families from the spread of radical ideology in liberal states — making state action urgent and non-negotiable.
* * *
Emily Jones is a mother, community organizer, and candidate for the Alabama State Board of Education. Known as “The Controversial Mom,” she advocates for parental rights, faith-based values, and stronger accountability in public schools.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

MixCollage-25-Sep-2025-09-06-AM-6432

Why Red States Must Crush Gender Ideology In The Classroom

Activists

Education

Elementary Schools

Gender

gender ideology

Leftists

Parental Rights in Education

Public Schools

Students

Teachers

Transgender

Parents, educators and community leaders recently attended a Fairfax County School Board meeting in Virginia to ask questions about an <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/media/virginia-school-system-investigating-claims-staff-arranged-students-abortions-without-parental-consent">alleged coerced abortion case</a> involving two Hispanic minors at Centreville High School.
Centreville High School has a <a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/virginia/districts/fairfax-county-public-schools/centreville-high-school-20462__;!!PxibshUo2Yr_Ta5B!z-3bjZRUUFzVpcjUUXeCnOmT5iO0fbyCiy8sK0gxSSxuJkQ3-e2SK8nKwzsT-qgLY1fjiIEr7WbqqhMTXRP5j4yv$">minority enrollment</a> of 69%, and 32% of its students are economically disadvantaged. For pregnancy matters, the school’s policy states that students are encouraged to discuss their concerns with their parents.
The whistleblower at the school, Zenaida Perez, is an English as a Second Language (ESL) Teacher and is originally from Cuba. She immigrated to the United States in 1990 and holds a master’s degree in ESL.
Perez claims that, beginning in 2022, she discovered a social worker was arranging and paying for minor girls to obtain abortions without parental knowledge or consent, which is required in the state of Virginia.
She reportedly brought her concerns to school administrators seven times. But instead of district officials addressing these allegations, Perez says she experienced bullying from administrators and attempts from the school to <a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.fairfaxtimes.com/articles/governor-orders-criminal-probe-into-alleged-abortions-at-centreville-high-school/article_a1c3bc41-9b17-4ac1-8187-70eaa7de4ca3.html__;!!PxibshUo2Yr_Ta5B!z-3bjZRUUFzVpcjUUXeCnOmT5iO0fbyCiy8sK0gxSSxuJkQ3-e2SK8nKwzsT-qgLY1fjiIEr7WbqqhMTXUI6JXVn$">undermine her integrity</a> by falsely accusing her of handing out pregnancy tests to students.
The allegations are deeply troubling given both of the girls involved were underage. Perez says that one student, who was five months pregnant and wanting to keep her baby, said she felt like she “had no choice.” The other girl told Perez she was terrified because her legal guardians did not know about her abortion.
Worried parents in attendance at the school board meeting questioned whether these were isolated incidents or part of a broader pattern of overriding parental rights and disregarding state law.
Most Americans <a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.politico.com/news/2023/05/16/democrats-gop-parental-notification-abortion-laws-00097245__;!!PxibshUo2Yr_Ta5B!z-3bjZRUUFzVpcjUUXeCnOmT5iO0fbyCiy8sK0gxSSxuJkQ3-e2SK8nKwzsT-qgLY1fjiIEr7WbqqhMTXYCxdjTu$">support</a> parental consent for abortion as they recognize that life-and-death decisions should not be made without parental guidance. In Troxel v. Granville, the United States Supreme Court affirmed the fundamental rights of “parents in the care, custody, and control of their children,” and 36 states require parental involvement in abortion-related decisions for minors.
Despite the guarantee of parental rights, Virginia is attempting to strip them from the abortion equation by passing <a href="https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20251/HJ1">House Joint Resolution 1</a>, a constitutional amendment that enshrines intentionally broad &#8220;reproductive freedom&#8221; as a right in the state constitution.
The Centreville High School case also underscores over a half-century of abuse by so-called &#8220;reproductive health care&#8221; advocates targeting minority communities for abortion.
Sadly, abortion peddlers know impoverished minority girls are abortion-vulnerable due to the broader inequalities they face, like racial prejudice, economic disparities, and access to authentic health care. They are also unlikely to resist coercion, especially when it comes from authority figures like school officials.
Their struggles are not just statistics to me, because I lived them. I grew up in the middle of the same kind of hardship after my mother’s <a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://aul.org/author/sarah-zagorskiaul-org/__;!!PxibshUo2Yr_Ta5B!z-3bjZRUUFzVpcjUUXeCnOmT5iO0fbyCiy8sK0gxSSxuJkQ3-e2SK8nKwzsT-qgLY1fjiIEr7WbqqhMTXYscX0kk$">attempted abortion</a> with me. She had come to the U.S. from Honduras, already struggling to raise seven children she couldn’t provide for, trapped in an abusive home. She too believed she had no other choice.
She did defy coercion from her abortion physician in the end, but this kind of resistance is rare. Victims are often threatened, manipulated, and face real barriers like lack of money, absence of support, or fear for their safety.
I am thankful that the Governor Glenn Youngkin has directed the state police to open a criminal investigation into the case. Parental rights should not be usurped, and school employees have no right to hide secret abortions from parents.
Children need protection and parental guidance, especially when faced with an unplanned pregnancy, not forced secrecy by adults attempting to usurp fundamental rights of parents to make decisions regarding the wellbeing of their children.
Girls from marginalized communities, including Hispanic girls from Centreville High School, deserve better than betrayal from people they should trust and cover-ups by school bureaucrats.
* * *
<a href="https://aul.org/author/sarah-zagorskiaul-org/">Sarah Zagorski</a> is the Senior Director of Public Relations and Communication at Americans United for Life.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

High School Students Walking in a Hallway

Whistleblower Uncovers Secret Abortion Scandal At Virginia High School. Parents Deserve Better.

Abortion

Glenn Youngkin

Hispanics

Pro-Life Movement

Teenagers

Virginia

Across the country, Democrats and Republicans are united in their determination to get cellphones out of classrooms.
From Florida and Virginia to New York and North Dakota, over half of U.S. states have taken real steps to restrict or ban cellphone use in K-12 schools, according to the Parents Television and Media Council’s <a href="https://www.parentstv.org/resources/PDF/Studies/2025-School-Phone-Policies-Update.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">latest survey</a> of state phone policies.
They&#8217;re responding to a growing body of research — and public outcry — showing that smartphones and social media are damaging student achievement, mental health, and classroom discipline.
According to a 2023 Pew Research Center survey, 72% of American high school teachers say cellphone distraction is a major problem in their classrooms. One 2018 Rutgers study found that students who used phones during class scored lower on their final exams — as did students sitting near them, even if they weren’t using devices themselves. The London School of Economics reached the same conclusion: just having a phone within sight can reduce academic performance.
But the issue goes far beyond academics. Since smartphones became widespread, mental health among adolescents has been in sharp decline. Since 2010, suicide rates among preteen girls have risen by more than 160%. Boys aged 10–14 have seen a 91% increase. Much of this can be traced to social media addiction, cyberbullying, sextortion, fear of missing out, and algorithms that lead users to increasingly extreme content.
The truth is, for years, we’ve been sold the lie that giving kids unfettered access to technology would prepare them for the future. What it’s done instead is isolate them, addict them, and rob them of the ability to focus and relate in real life.
State legislators are doing what Congress so far has not: taking decisive action to protect America’s children from the harmful effects of digital addiction.
As of now, over 30 states have passed or advanced school-based smartphone policies. Even California — home to Silicon Valley — is moving toward mandated restrictions.
These state-level reforms demonstrate a willingness to tackle the problem head-on: “bell-to-bell” bans that restrict phone use throughout the school day, new funding for secure storage solutions, pilot programs to test best practices, and mandates to block access to social media on school Wi-Fi.
And they aren’t coming from a single party or ideology. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle recognize that tech-fueled distraction and distress have reached a crisis point — and local communities are demanding solutions.
Meanwhile, in Washington, Congress has yet to pass a single major law addressing the mental health fallout from kids’ digital dependence.
Parents are doing their part — but they are being asked to work alone to combat a multibillion-dollar industry that has integrated psychological manipulation into their business model. They need help — from schools, from tech companies, and especially from Congress.
It’s time for federal lawmakers to stop dragging their feet and caving to Big Tech interests by finally passing the Kids Online Safety Act.
This bipartisan bill would create a duty of care for online platforms to prevent harm to minors. It would give parents more control, limit manipulative algorithms, and require platforms to default to the safest settings for young users.
Congress could also take the former Surgeon General’s suggestion and require warning labels to be added to social media platforms, as New York and Minnesota already have. It’s one common-sense solution among many that rightly aims to confront social media harms
School cellphone bans alone won’t solve the youth mental health crisis. That will require a unified effort from states, the federal government, parents, and teachers. Restricting kids’ access to phones during the day is a critical first step in combatting their digital dependence — and the broad, bipartisan support for these policies should serve as an example of what can be done.
Our children deserve better. So do the parents and teachers working hard to raise and educate them.
Congress should be the force that empowers these efforts — not the obstacle standing in the way.
Melissa Henson is the vice president of the <a href="http://www.parentstv.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Parents Television and Media Council</a>, a nonpartisan education organization advocating responsible entertainment. Follow them on X @ThePTC
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The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.
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Teenagers using cellphones

States Are Leading The Fight On Cellphones In School. Why Isn’t Congress?

cell phones

Congress

K-12

Mental Health

As a mother, advocate, and candidate for the Alabama State School Board, I’ve seen firsthand how the quiet march of artificial intelligence (AI) into our public school classrooms is happening with little public awareness and even less parental consent. While the tech industry touts AI as the future of education, the reality is far more complicated — and in many ways, far more dangerous.
This is not a debate about whether technology belongs in schools. It’s a call to pause, evaluate, and protect children before we hand over their data, emotions, and daily experiences to unregulated machines.
Across the country, AI tools are already embedded in software used in classrooms — often installed by default on school-issued devices without informing parents. These tools don’t just support learning; they track facial expressions, predict emotional states, and collect vast amounts of personal information. When I raised concerns in my local district, even administrators admitted they didn’t know the apps even existed on the machines.
It gets worse. Some AI systems store data on third-party servers, outside the reach of school district oversight. Parents rarely have access to this data, don’t know who can see it, and can’t opt out. In many cases, children are being profiled and emotionally analyzed without ever giving meaningful consent.
And this is happening to minors. Children who legally cannot open a bank account or create a social media profile without parental consent are being subjected to predictive algorithms inside the classroom.
Advocates of classroom AI say it improves safety by detecting potential threats. In tech-heavy communities like Huntsville, Alabama, some districts have adopted facial recognition and behavioral analytics to monitor students. But these programs raise urgent questions: What happens when a system flags a student incorrectly? What emotional harm comes from constant surveillance? And what precedent does this set for future generations?
We are raising children in what author Jonathan Haidt calls The Anxious Generation — a generation already plagued by rising anxiety, isolation, and digital dependence. Normalizing AI surveillance in their learning environments only exacerbates these problems. It teaches kids to perform for machines rather than relate to people. It chips away at trust between students and teachers, families and schools.
The good news? People are starting to take action.
First Lady Melania Trump has championed child protections in the digital age. She recently celebrated the signing of the Take It Down Act, legislation backed by the Trump administration to remove explicit AI-generated content involving minors from the internet. This is a critical step in the right direction.
But classroom AI poses a broader risk. We need transparency, oversight, and parental rights built into the law. I’m advocating for a model policy that any state can adopt:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">A ban on emotion-detecting and behavior-predicting AI systems in schools</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Mandatory parental opt-in before AI tools can be used on students</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Transparency requirements for all EdTech vendors</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Annual AI ethics and data privacy training for school staff</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">A statewide or state-level task force to assess AI impact, report findings, and recommend guardrails</li>
</ul>
Local school boards don’t need to wait for Washington or their state capitol. They can start now:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Audit every digital tool currently in use</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Inform parents</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Pause new AI adoption until clear guardrails are in place</li>
</ul>
We must ask ourselves: Are we solving real problems with AI in classrooms, or creating new ones we don’t yet understand?
This isn’t anti-technology. It’s pro-accountability. Pro-parent. Pro-child.
Whether you live in Alabama, California, or anywhere in between, your school district likely has AI embedded in ways you never imagined. It’s time to demand transparency, ask hard questions, and ensure that no child becomes a test subject for Big Tech.
Let’s make this a national conversation. Let’s protect the classroom.
* * *
Emily Jones, a North Alabama native and founder of the state’s first Moms for Liberty chapter, is running for the Alabama State School Board to restore excellence to a system in decline. Like many parents, COVID-era schooling opened her eyes to just how far our public education system has fallen—from slipping academic standards to a breakdown in trust between families and schools. With Alabama ranking 45th in the nation, we must ask: what are we doing to stop the slide? Emily is committed to rebuilding the vital partnership between parents and teachers and restoring classrooms as places where educators are empowered to teach and students are expected to thrive. It’s time to raise the bar for Alabama’s children.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Science and education concept. AI (Artificial Intelligence).

We Need Parental Consent For AI In The Classroom

Artificial Intelligence

Computer

Opinion

school district

Technology

Every year, millions of high school students across the country dream of attending America’s most selective colleges. In California, that goal may be harder to reach as pro-affirmative action lawmakers push for new ways to give certain groups a leg up in admissions.
As a high school junior in San Jose, I will be applying to college next year. Students like me are taking AP classes, building their profiles, and doing everything we’ve been told to help us get into the schools of our choice.
The system is far from perfect but the basic premise is that colleges will then, in good faith, try to weigh each applicant based on merit and context. No group receives an unearned advantage at the expense of others.
<a href="https://legiscan.com/CA/text/AB7/id/3029617">California Assembly Bill 7</a> (AB7) blows a hole in that idea.
The bill, which recently passed in the Assembly by a 54–17 vote, would allow California public universities to consider whether an applicant is “a descendant of a chattel enslaved person of American chattel slavery.” It’s part of <a href="https://blackcaucus.legislature.ca.gov/news/california-legislative-black-caucus-introduces-2024-reparations-legislative-package">a broader reparations push</a> and now headed to the state Senate.
The bill’s author, Assemblymember Isaac Bryan, says it’s not about race but historic harm. “For decades, universities gave preferential admission treatment to donors, and their family members, while others tied to legacies of harm were ignored and at times outright excluded,” Bryan <a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-universities-slavery-descendants-admissions-4b0e84c27b40725a9f7929b230a591ca">told the Associated Press</a>. 
He’s right about history. The legacy of slavery has shaped socioeconomic outcomes for Black Americans. But that doesn’t mean all descendants of slavery are disadvantaged — or that ancestry should now serve as some kind of admissions shortcut.
That distinction seems to be missing from the conversation. What we’re left with is a bill that awards preference based on ancestry.
This bill proposes an eligibility line drawn by lineage. To be clear, the text does not use the words “Black” or “African American” but rather delineates a specific historical category, “descendants of U.S. chattel slavery,” without using racial language. It’s designed to sidestep Proposition 209, which banned racial preferences in 1996, and the Supreme Court’s 2023 ruling in Students for Fair Admissions that struck down affirmative action nationwide.
Legal scholars describe such policies as “race proxies”: mechanisms that dodge explicit racial language but preserve race as the decisive factor in practice. Courts have repeatedly scrutinized such end-runs: in Parents Involved v. Seattle, <a href="https://www.oyez.org/cases/2006/05-908">the Supreme Court warned</a> against policies that look constructive but act as racial stand-ins.
The legal system has long treated ancestral classifications with the same suspicion as racial ones. In Hirabayashi v. United States, the 1943 case on Japanese-American internment, <a href="https://edge.sagepub.com/epsteinpowers11e/student-resources/chapter-5-interbranch-interactions/hirabayashi-v-united-states">the Court held</a> that “distinctions between citizens solely because of their ancestry are by their very nature odious to a free people whose institutions are founded upon the doctrine of equality.” Moreover, the express text of Proposition 209 includes “ethnicity” in its enumeration of protected categories as well as race.
The bill defines a “descendant of slavery” as someone whose ancestors were enslaved specifically in the United States, meaning it would exclude many Black students whose families came from Africa or the Caribbean after abolition. Meanwhile, someone who identifies as white but has traced a distant enslaved ancestry through DNA testing could, in theory, qualify. And we know these terms circle a ridiculously arbitrary line. African American activist Angela Davis <a href="https://www.today.com/popculture/tv/angela-davis-finding-your-roots-mayflower-ancestors-rcna71700">went on PBS’s</a> ancestry show Finding Your Roots only to find out she’s a descendent from Mayflower colonists. She was mortified.
But even if Bryan turns out to be right on the legal question, does the technical distinction between race and ancestry suddenly make it fair to those it excludes?
No. Ancestry-based preferences would still have effectively all the same downsides as other affirmative action policies: lack of individual assessment, blunt group categorization, and fairness concerns for everyone else. As Chief Justice John Roberts <a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/22pdf/20-1199_hgdj.pdf">wrote in the SFFA majority opinion</a>: “College admissions are zero-sum. A benefit provided to some applicants but not to others necessarily advantages the former group at the expense of the latter.”
Even if preference is framed as reparative, someone else is paying the price.
There are better options to help marginalized students. California lawmakers could index Cal Grants to local cost of living. They could strengthen the UC/CSU admission guarantees for top students at public high schools. They could improve outreach around community college transfer guarantees or pass bills like <a href="https://www.padilla.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/BASIC-Act-One-Pager.pdf">the BASIC Act</a>, which would give colleges resources to help students cover food, housing, and health care.
This bill, by contrast, like other affirmative action-adjacent legislation before it, assumes inherited identity stands in for “lived struggle.” It doesn’t.
We don’t need another lecture on systemic inequality. We see the results of it in classmates of all backgrounds who stop aiming high because they don’t think college is for them, or can’t imagine paying for it.
The California Senate should reject this bill and pursue fairer solutions, rather than advancing a measure the Supreme Court is likely to strike down.
* * *
William Liang is a student journalist living in San Jose, California.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Stanford Graduate School of Business

I’m Preparing For College. California’s New Slavery Bill Could Change Everything.

I’m Preparing for College. California’s New Slavery Bill Could Change Everything.

Affirmative Action

American Universities

California

College

Sacramento

Slavery

In a state initiative with potential national implications, school districts across California are navigating the complexities of meeting the state’s looming Ethnic Studies requirement. This mandate, based on <a href="https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220AB101">Assembly Bill 101</a> (AB 101) signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom in October 2021, stipulates that students graduating during the 2029–2030 school year must complete at least one semester of Ethnic Studies. California stands as the first state to enact such a requirement, aiming to ostensibly foster cultural understanding through core concepts of equality, equity, justice, and the study of race and ethnicity, as outlined in the California <a href="https://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/cr/cf/esmc.asp">Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum</a>.
As I reported previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/how-a-new-ethnic-studies-curriculum-promotes-anti-semitism-in-california">here</a> and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/systems-of-power-ca-ethnic-studies-program-continues-to-radicalize-students">here</a>, the Northern California Pajaro Valley Unified School District (PVUSD) took an ambitious approach to implementing this requirement, going beyond the basic framework typically adopted by other districts, incorporating content in English (multiple years across 9th through 12th grades), History, and Art classes. With grant funding, PVUSD hired Allyson Tintiangco-Cubales, Founder and Co-Director of Community Responsive Education (CRE), whose controversial model curriculum had previously been rejected by the state for being excessively divisive and antisemitic. Despite public outcry — particularly from the Jewish community — over the district’s reliance on the rejected curriculum, PVUSD persisted through two rounds of consultation with CRE. The third round, however, stalled amidst growing dissent.
In 2024, the Pajaro Valley Federation of Teachers, including supporters of CRE, mobilized to <a href="https://santacruzlocal.org/2024/11/13/pajaro-valley-school-board-shake-up/">change the composition</a> of the school board in the November elections. They successfully unseated three incumbents, replacing them with challengers ready to renew the contract with CRE. By April, the new board approved the final contract, signaling a shift toward dismissing community concerns. This change was epitomized by radical activist board member Gabriel Medina, who <a href="https://youtu.be/P54-FSXpoRo?si=V_mzHNecKvxy7Eb8">labeled</a> opposition to the curriculum as “propaganda” and accused dissenters of being “segregationists” intent on undermining marginalized communities. Listening to Medina’s characterizations of America in both March and April meetings, one would think we currently live under the rule of the Antebellum South.
Conversely, the Glendora Unified School District (GUSD) in Southern California adopted a more cautious strategy. District staff proposed an Ethnic Studies pilot course outline for the 2025–2026 school year, leveraging the state-approved model curriculum which focuses on four historically marginalized groups: African Americans, Chicano/Latinos, Native Americans, and Asian American/Pacific Islanders. Presented in <a href="https://www.youtube.com/live/9YkxqZ-rG2M">February</a> by the history and social science representatives, the pilot course adhered to the one-semester requirement.
However, the proposal faced scrutiny from the board for its lack of detailed content and transparency regarding implementation. At the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/live/9YkxqZ-rG2M">May</a> school board meeting, board members raised concerns about community opposition to perceived influences of Critical Race Theory (CRT) within the curriculum’s theoretical frameworks. While Assistant Superintendent Jennifer Prince emphasized that CRT was not the course’s focus, the board remained wary of its potential influence. Respecting community input, the board voted 3–2 against moving forward with the pilot course, citing the unfunded mandate of AB 101 as well as the need for further clarity and safeguards.
Unlike PVUSD, GUSD’s board demonstrated respect for all viewpoints, emphasizing the importance of community concerns alongside the practicalities of Ethnic Studies implementation. They expressed openness to revisiting the curriculum once AB 101 funding is secured and a more detailed outline addressing community hesitations is developed.
Even though local districts are not required to do so, GUSD leveraged the state’s model curriculum, which <a href="https://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/cr/cf/documents/esmcchapter3.pdf">explicitly encourages</a> educators adopt a CRT lens as follows: “Teachers and administrators… should familiarize themselves with current scholarly research around ethnic studies instruction, such as critically and culturally or community relevant and responsive pedagogies, critical race theory, and intersectionality, which are key theoretical frameworks and pedagogies that can be used in ethnic studies research and instruction.”
This stance from the state model curriculum highlights the ongoing tension between ideological and non-ideological approaches to the subject. During public commentary, one speaker <a href="https://www.youtube.com/live/9YkxqZ-rG2M?si=8ZeNIDT9H45sRzv1">recommended</a> the Independent Institute’s <a href="https://www.independent.org/research/ethnic-studies-curriculum/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Comparative Cultures Ethnic Studies Curriculum</a> as a viable alternative. Unlike the state framework, this curriculum examines the diverse tapestry of American history, portraying both its challenges and triumphs to emphasize unity over division.
Although the Comparative curriculum was unavailable at the outset of GUSD’s Ethnic Studies journey, it remains an option worth considering for the district moving forward. As a panelist at its launch last year, I can attest to its efficacy as a balanced, non-partisan resource that aims to foster inclusivity without isolating specific groups. While it may be too late for PVUSD to revise its course, GUSD still can chart a different path — one that prioritizes connection and collective growth over ideological division.
The contrasting approaches taken by PVUSD and GUSD illustrate the complexities of implementing California’s Ethnic Studies mandate. While PVUSD’s path has fueled divisiveness and polarized community relations, GUSD’s measured approach reflects a willingness to adapt and address concerns thoughtfully. As school districts across the state grapple with fulfilling AB 101, GUSD’s restraint and respect for diverse perspectives offer a model for navigating this challenging — but vital — initiative.
* * *
Walter Myers III is a Senior Fellow at the Seattle-based Discovery Institute and an adjunct faculty member at Biola University’s Talbot School of Theology.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Library And Books

Ethnic Studies: A Tale Of Two California School Districts

Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI)

Ethnic Studies

A girls&#8217; high school softball team in Minnesota won its first-ever state championship on Friday thanks to the lights-out pitching of a boy who identifies as a girl.
The Champlin Park Rebels took down the Bloomington Jefferson Jaguars 6-0 in the 4A title game, riding the arm of Marissa Rothenberger, a boy, who pitched the entire game, giving up just two hits to Bloomington Jefferson. In the Rebels&#8217; three-game tournament title run, Rothenberger pitched all 21 innings for the team, allowing just two runs.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
🚨 BREAKING: “Marissa” Rothenberger, a biological male, just single-handedly led Champlin Park to a 6-0 shutout to win the Minnesota Girls’ State Championship.
Every single Democrat in Minnesota voted to make this insanity possible.
Sickening. <a href="https://t.co/ohdgQ42onJ">pic.twitter.com/ohdgQ42onJ</a>
&mdash; Dustin Grage (@GrageDustin) <a href="https://twitter.com/GrageDustin/status/1931016120728682885?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 6, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Champlin Park advanced to the state championship in a comeback win against White Bear Lake on Wednesday, with Rothenberger, a junior, hitting two huge doubles that sparked a rally for the Rebels, Outkick <a href="https://www.outkick.com/sports/trans-pitcher-champlin-park-white-bear-lake-minnesota-softball-semifinals">reported</a>. According to the outlet, two fathers of girls on White Bear Lake &#8220;expressed deep frustration with the system that allowed their daughters to compete against a male athlete.&#8221;
One dad specifically called out Democrats for allowing boys to compete against girls in Minnesota. &#8220;You&#8217;re looking at a whole team of future Republicans,&#8221; he said.
The Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) allows athletes to compete “consistent with their gender identity or expression in an environment free from discrimination with an equal opportunity for participation in athletics and fine arts,&#8221; according to <a href="https://www.startribune.com/why-did-us-rep-tom-emmer-single-out-a-teenage-transgender-athlete-on-social-media/601365117">The Minnesota Star Tribune</a>. In February, the Trump administration opened an investigation into the MSHSL over its transgender policy after President Donald Trump signed an executive order to protect women&#8217;s sports. Trump has gone after some states, such as <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-vows-large-scale-fines-on-california-after-boy-wins-girls-track-events">California</a> and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-sics-his-doj-on-maine-over-men-in-womens-sports">Maine</a>, threatening to cut off federal funding if they continue to allow boys to compete against girls.
<a href="https://get.dailywire.com/gift/?utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=wisepops&amp;utm_campaign=dad&amp;utm_content=fathersdaygiftpopups" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gift Dad an All Access Membership. Use code DAD40 at checkout to save 40%!</a>
The MSHSL did not respond when The Daily Wire asked if it would change its policy after Champlin Park&#8217;s state championship.
Minnesota Democratic Gov. Tim Walz has been blasted by conservatives and women&#8217;s sports advocates for allowing boys to play against girls in his state. Walz has made the transgender issue a big part of his platform, turning the state into a “<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/08/07/tim-walz-minnesota-trans-refuge-bill/">trans refuge</a>” and supporting life-altering gender procedures on children.
Along with leading his team to the state championship, Rothenberger also received &#8220;All-Tournament Team&#8221; honors, according to Outkick reporter Amber Harding Snyder. Rothenberger was pictured towering over the girls selected for the &#8220;All-Tournament Team.&#8221;
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Rothenberger gets All-Tournament Team honors. <a href="https://t.co/5RQmpueqKf">pic.twitter.com/5RQmpueqKf</a>
&mdash; Amber Harding Snyder (@TheAmberHarding) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheAmberHarding/status/1931016608199172588?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 6, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Rothenberger was born “Charlie Dean,” but after turning 9 years old, his mother applied to the Hennepin County District Court to change the name and sex on her child’s birth certificate, a request that was approved, according to documents obtained by <a href="https://reduxx.info/we-need-sex-screening-womens-sports-watchdog-calls-for-mandatory-sex-screening-after-male-student-uses-fake-birth-certificate-to-join-girls-softball-teams/">Reduxx</a>. Rothenberger reportedly kept his gender transition hidden from his teammates, but one of his former teammates, who spoke to Reduxx on the condition of anonymity, said that eventually girls and parents started to figure it out. Rothenberger has reportedly shared locker rooms, bathrooms, and rooms with teammates while traveling for games.

High school softball

Boy Pitches Complete-Game Shutout To Win Girls’ Softball Championship

Girls

Minnesota

Tim Walz

U.S.

Women's sports

A California high school girl track and field athlete didn’t let the fact that a boy had stolen her championship deter her, and waited until the boy stepped off the podium to step up herself, stand up on the podium, and claim her rightful place as the winner.
Reese Hogan, 16, from Crean Lutheran High School, finished second place in the triple jump behind AB Hernandez of Jurupa Valley, a boy who claims to be a girl, at the CIF Southern Section Finals on Saturday. Hernandez jumped 41 feet, four inches, more than four feet farther than Hogan’s 37 feet, 2 inches. To make the difference clearer, third-place finisher Sofia Jara’s 36 feet, five inches was only 9 inches behind Hogan, and fourth-place finisher Kezia Gavlak jumped 35 feet, 11 inches, only six inches behind Jara. “Hernandez currently holds the state&#8217;s top marks in long jump (20-1.5) and triple jump (41-4) in girls track and field,” Sports Illustrated <a href="https://www.si.com/high-school/california/transgender-athlete-wins-cif-track-and-field-titles-in-girls-high-school-events-01jvmqrckp7b">noted</a>.
After Hernandez stepped off the podium, Hogan seized the moment, walked onto the first-place spot, smiled, and proudly posed for a picture.
“When the boy got off the podium, she assumed her rightful spot as champion. The crowd erupts with applause. THIS is the way. Congrats to Reese Hogan, the REAL champ!!!” women’s sports advocate Riley Gaines cheered.
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When the boy got off the podium, she assumed her rightful spot as champion. The crowd erupts with applause.
THIS is the way.
Congrats to Reese Hogan, the REAL champ!!! <a href="https://t.co/KiEm2yV2YY">https://t.co/KiEm2yV2YY</a> <a href="https://t.co/hqGdikES29">pic.twitter.com/hqGdikES29</a>
— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) <a href="https://twitter.com/Riley_Gaines_/status/1924193952590160100?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 18, 2025</a></blockquote>
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On May 10, at the CIF Southern Section Division 3 Prelims at Yorba Linda High School, Hogan joined other girl athletes who donned t-shirts that said, “Protect Girls Sports.” Officials at the track meet reportedly made the girls change their shirts.
The day before, JSerra Catholic High School, Orange Lutheran High School, and Crean Lutheran High School wrote a letter to the CIF in which they stated:
<blockquote>For young women, CIF&#8217;s Gender Identity Policy means lost opportunities and an unlevel playing field. The consequences of this Policy will be felt this weekend as CIF&#8217;s state semi-final competitions for track and field events take place. Star female athletes, some of whom attend our schools, will soon compete in multiple track and field events against a male athlete who self- identifies as a female. If their respective regular-season performances are any indication, the male student will trounce his female competitors, depriving them of opportunities for advancement in tournaments, state championships, performance records, and potentially even college scholarships. Some of our female athletes have indicated they will not compete in their events to protest the injustice of this situation. This result makes it clear that the CIF Gender Identity Policy deprives women of the equal opportunities required by Title IX. Worse still, in some sports, the CIF Gender Identity Policy jeopardizes the physical safety of female student athletes.</blockquote>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Here is their letter to CIF. <a href="https://t.co/AfDpisJk6x">pic.twitter.com/AfDpisJk6x</a>
— Julie Hamill (@hamill_law) <a href="https://twitter.com/hamill_law/status/1920999049236267298?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 10, 2025</a></blockquote>
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After Boy Beats Her In Triple Jump, High School Track Athlete Takes ‘Her Rightful Spot As Champion’

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Fox 4 Dallas-Fort Worth

Family Of Karmelo Anthony Hosted The Most Disgusting Press Conference I’ve Ever Seen

Austin Metcalf

Karmelo Anthony

Lawyer

Matt Walsh

Murder

Race

Texas

Karmelo Anthony, who&#8217;s been charged with murdering Austin Metcalf, 17, had his bond drastically reduced and was granted house arrest, per a judge&#8217;s ruling on Monday.
Earlier this month, Metcalf <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/high-school-football-star-stabbed-to-death-at-track-meet-dies-in-twin-brothers-arms?row=0&amp;elementPosition=5&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;author=Hank+Berrien&amp;title=High+School+Football+Star+Stabbed+To+Death+At+Track+Meet%2C+Dies+In+Twin+Brother%E2%80%99s+Arms&amp;category=News" target="_blank" rel="noopener">was stabbed to death</a> at a high school track meet in Texas after reportedly telling Anthony, 17, that he was sitting in the wrong seat. Anthony has been charged with murder and, <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/04/04/us-news/austin-metcalfs-twin-says-we-were-one-person-in-heartbreaking-new-interview/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to an arrest warrant, told police of the fatal stabbing, “I did it.”
Initially, Anthony&#8217;s bond was set at $1 million, but a Collin County judge agreed to lower the bond to $250,000. The teen will be required to wear an ankle monitor and stay inside his parents&#8217; home if the family can post bond, CBS News <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/texas/news/karmelo-anthony-frisco-stabbing-austin-metcalf-bond-reduced-house-arrest/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reports</a>.
Anthony has been in the Collin County jail since April 2, the day of the fatal stabbing.
During the hearing, prosecutors asked Anthony&#8217;s father about an alleged separate &#8220;assault&#8221; involving the accused, which dates only a couple of months back, on February 4. Notably, the judge lowered the bond, citing Anthony&#8217;s lack of criminal history.
The prosecution also asked why the suspect&#8217;s family is not using the money donated to an online fundraiser for their child, which is nearing half a million dollars. The fundraiser says it was established by &#8220;The Anthony Family.&#8221; Defense attorneys argued that the fundraiser &#8220;is not a bond fund&#8221; but intended to help Anthony&#8217;s family while his father &#8221; is currently on leave from work,&#8221; according to CBS News.
&#8220;The narrative being spread is false, unjust, and harmful,&#8221; the fundraiser reads. &#8220;As a family of faith, we are deeply grateful for all of your support during this trying period. Your prayers and assistance mean more to us now more than ever.&#8221;
Alternatively, a fundraiser for the victim&#8217;s family is hovering at just over $340,000.
&#8220;I am Jeff Metcalf. My son, Austin Metcalf, was tragically stabbed today at a school track meet. They were not able to save him,&#8221; the fundraiser says. &#8220;He was a bright young man with a great future ahead of him. He was a leader of men. His smile would light up the room. His passion for football was unbelievable. Voted team MVP this past season and carried a 4.0 GPA. He was looking forward to taking his game to the next level. His commitment, dedication, leadership, and sheer grit made him rise to the level of success that he desired.&#8221;
&#8220;His twin brother, Hunter, played beside him,&#8221; it continues. &#8220;We will all remember him for the way he impacted others&#8217; lives. I love you forever, son. It&#8217;s not goodbye, it&#8217;s see you later. God will take care of us till we meet again. RIP. Love, Dad.&#8221;
Metcalf died in his twin brother&#8217;s arms, the victim&#8217;s father revealed.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/racial-agitators-say-suspect-in-stabbing-murder-of-teen-was-justified?author=Amanda+Prestigiacomo&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=5&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Racial+Agitators+Say+Suspect+In+Stabbing+Murder+Of+Teen+Was+Justified" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Racial Agitators Say Suspect In Stabbing Murder Of Teen Was Justified</a>

Screenshot 2025-04-05 at 9.43.51 AM

Teen Charged With Murdering Austin Metcalf Granted House Arrest

Courts

A 17-year-old Texas boy was stabbed to death on Wednesday at a high school track meet after the victim reportedly told the alleged 17-year-old assailant that he was sitting in the wrong seat. The boy died in his twin brother’s arms.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Austin Metcalf was stabbed to death by a classmate at a school in Texas today, allegedly after a fight over a spot.
You didn’t hear about this story cuz it doesn’t fit the narrative. <a href="https://t.co/vMA3ZJJrja">pic.twitter.com/vMA3ZJJrja</a>
&mdash; Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) <a href="https://twitter.com/libsoftiktok/status/1907613153321504901?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 3, 2025</a></blockquote>
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<a href="https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/student-stabbed-frisco-track-meet/3806667/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">According</a> to Jeff Metcalf, his son Austin — whose identical twin Hunter was nearby and saw the confrontation —  had a 4.0 GPA and was MVP of Frisco ISD’s Memorial High School football team. He did not know the alleged assailant when the incident occurred at Kuykendall Stadium at roughly 10 a.m.
“They were twins, identical twins, and his brother was holding on to him, trying to make it stop bleeding, and he died in his brother&#8217;s arms,” Jeff Metcalf said. “I rushed up there and I saw him on the gurney and I could tell &#8212; they said he wasn&#8217;t breathing. I could see all the blood, and I saw where the wound was, and I was very concerned, so I had to find his brother, and we rushed to the hospital. And we prayed, and it&#8217;s God&#8217;s plan. I don&#8217;t understand it, but they weren&#8217;t able to save him. This is murder.”
“I tried to whip around as fast as I could,” Hunter Metcalf <a href="https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/frisco-texas-isd-track-meet-suspended-emergency-incident-schoo-district-kuykendall-stadium/287-6380955c-e03d-4aeb-837f-a0fc31a46c40" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. “I looked at my brother and I’m not going to talk about the rest. I tried to help him.”
“He was on the right track,” Jeff Metcalf said of Austin. “He was loved by many. He was a leader.”
“I&#8217;m not trying to judge, but what kind of parents did this child have?” Jeff Metcalf asked. “What was he taught? He brought a knife to a track meet and he murdered my son by stabbing him in the heart. The guy was in the wrong place and they asked him to move and he bowed up. This is murder. You know what, I already forgive this person. Already. God takes care of things. God is going to take care of me. God is going to take care of my family.”
The twins and their father consistently went hunting together.
Karmelo Anthony, 17, a senior at Centennial High School, was<a href="https://nypost.com/2025/04/03/us-news/texas-teen-austin-metcalf-fatally-stabbed-by-karmelo-anthony-at-high-school-track-meet/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> charged</a> by Frisco police with Metcalf&#8217;s murder.
“The Frisco Police Department grieves with all those affected by this devastating loss and extends its deepest condolences to the victim’s family, students, and staff who are experiencing unimaginable pain,” the Frisco Police Department stated. “The department is collaborating with the Frisco Independent School District and will continue to provide any support they need during this incredibly difficult time.”
A GoFundMe <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/honoring-austin-metcalf-help-his-family-heal?attribution_id=sl:1c02cf72-aa71-45d7-a166-bd8032e61358&amp;lang=en_US&amp;utm_campaign=man_sharesheet_dash&amp;utm_content=amp13_c&amp;utm_medium=customer&amp;utm_source=copy_link" target="_blank" rel="noopener">page</a> has been established to help Metcalf’s family.

Starting line on red running track

High School Football Star Stabbed To Death At Track Meet, Dies In Twin Brother’s Arms

Crime

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Stabbing

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