The U.S. Department of Education says it will begin halting or cutting federal funding to five Northern Virginia school districts that refuse to roll back policies that include transgender by August 15.
“The Virginia district will have to defend its fundamental gender ideological embrace to ensure student safety,” the agency wrote in a statement.
Five public school districts in the city of Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun and Prince William counties were threatened with losing federal funds after the education department decided on a transafine ring policy.
The district was given 10 days to comply with the directive, which required them to withdraw their policy involving transgender. The department also asked them to sign a resolution enacting a federal law prohibiting federal discrimination in schools (a federal law prohibiting federal law) in line with Trump’s executive order that recognizes only two genders and denies transgender identity, based on the student’s biological sex.
The district faced a dilemma. Complying with the requirements of the education department, violating the binding court of appeals decision, or signing resolutions and refusing to maintain the policy.
“For us, it’s about following the law. It’s more important than making any kind of political statement,” Dr. Babul Latef, president of the William County Board of Education, told an affiliate at NBC Washington. WRC-TV. He mentioned Grimmv. Gloucester County Board of Education In the case of the Fourth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, Gloucester County discriminated against Gavin Grimm by banning transgender student Gavin Grimm from boys’ toilets and forcing the use of converted broom closets as a unisex facility.
The U.S. Supreme Court rejected the efforts of the suit after the Gloucester County Board of Education appealed, and the board later settled in Grimm for $1.3 million.
“We believe that we currently follow all laws, both state and federal laws, with regard to Title IX in the treatment of all students, including trans students,” Latef added. “We have notified the Department of Education that we believe we are in compliance with the law. If we change what they ask us to do, we are not in compliance with the law and we are responsible.”
Latef said William’s public schools will repeatedly ask them to meet with officials in the education department to discuss their concerns and the responsibilities they may face if policies are abolished and challenged in court. The department did not respond to these requests.
Republican Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares said he believes the Trump administration’s interpretation of Title IX is correct and five districts are wrong.
“In my opinion, they are violating Title IX,” he told WRC-TV. “I think this is a great example of being open-minded enough to let your brain fall out. Their top priority is to make sure our women are safe.”
For now, all five districts are informing students and parents that policies involving transgender will be maintained.
Several LGBTQ groups in northern Virginia praised the school board for standing up because they call the education sector’s demands illegal and discriminatory. In letters backed by thousands of signatures and emails, they urged the district to maintain a comprehensive policy protecting transgender, non-binary, and gender-enhanced students.
“We appreciate federal bullying, our commitment to following Virginia and Virginia laws, and our decision to maintain non-discrimination policies that protect students of vast transgender, non-binary and gender,” the letter reads.
Source: Metro Weekly – www.metroweekly.com
