President Obama told USA public school districts to allow transgender students to use the bathrooms that match their gender identity, rather than their gender at birth.
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Epps said educators would not know if any of the students are transgender unless the students or their parents have informed the school district.
The state of North Carolina and the U.S. Justice Department have turned public school bathrooms into figurative boxing rings, where the two are duking it out over transgender use of school bathrooms.
WESH 2 News checked and found that other districts will also boycott the bathroom directive.
“No student should ever have to go through the experience of feeling unwelcome at school or on a college campus”, said U.S. Secretary of Education John B. King Jr.
“It will be the goal of the Fort Zumwalt School District to comply with the law while, at the same time, providing for the safety and privacy of all students”.
His administration sued the federal government hours before the state itself was sued.
On Friday, schools across the country received a letter from the Departments of Education and Justice with guidelines to ensure that “transgender students enjoy a supportive and nondiscriminatory school environment”.
Under the guidance, schools must “take prompt and effective steps” to end, prevent and remedy sex-based harassment based on a student’s actual or perceived gender identity, transgender status or gender transition. It is considered guidance, though schools that do not abide could face a loss of federal aid.
In April, students clashed with protesters at LAUSD’s Santee Education Complex in South Los Angeles who rallied outside the campus to protest the recent opening of a gender-neutral bathroom on the campus.
School districts across the country, including those in central IL, received a letter from the Departments of Education and Justice Friday.
The order from the White House isn’t law, but the message is clear. It’s impact is because of the threat of cutting off billions of dollars in federal money that schools heavily rely on. He said they’ve only had 4 or 5 students come forward as transgender, all within the past year.
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“It is very disturbing that this administration continues to think that they can overstep the will of the state and local governments”, said Rep.
