In Episode 83 of Coffee, Culture & the Capitol, Sophia and Greg unpack two major developments shaking California’s education system. First, they break down the huge parental-rights victory in Encinitas, where a school district dropped its appeal after forcing a fifth grader to teach a kindergartener gender ideology using My Shadow Is Pink. The court’s ruling now requires schools to give parents advance notice and opt-outs before introducing gender-identity content — a major win for families who stood firm despite retaliation and bullying.

Sophia and Greg also dive into the fallout after the California Department of Education abruptly pulled its statewide PRISM teacher-training program offline. Whistleblowers exposed that the program still contained directives telling teachers to hide students’ gender identities from parents, contradicting what state officials told a federal judge. With sanctions now looming, the scandal raises serious questions about transparency, trust, and the state’s ongoing push for parental-exclusion policies.

Grab your coffee — this episode exposes the truth behind the headlines and highlights why momentum is finally shifting toward protecting parental rights in California.