Colorado lawmakers urge schools to ignore federal transgender directive
Palmer High School senior Doe Schall led the charge to get a gender-neutral bathroom on campus.
“I’ve heard the horror stories of my trans friends saying it’s not about going to the restroom that you identify with, it’s about going to the restroom and deciding who you want to be harassed by,” Schall said.
Under the direction of the Obama administration, school districts across the nation received a letter from the Department of Education this week, requiring transgender students to have access to a bathroom or locker room consistent with how they identify themselves.
“It tells every trans kid that you are welcome here and you are safe here, you’re existing and you are valid,” Schall said.
Colorado Springs Democrat Shari Zabel hopes to become the first transgender candidate in history elected to the Colorado House of Representatives.
She applauds the White House for its decision.
“This issue is people want to discriminate and that is not what America is about, Zabel said. “That’s not what Colorado is about. We are better than that.”
The gender-neutral bathroom at Palmer has been open to all students since March. Other than a few Facebook comments, District 11 said its had very few issues.
But, Focus On The Family takes issue with the letter
The Colorado Springs-based organization believes Obama and his team are grossly overreaching and stripping parents and districts of local control.
“It really seems this would be best left to local school officials and parents and students themselves, working this out in a way that reflects their community,” Focus On The Family education analyst Candi Cushman said. “Really, this puts the president in a position of becoming the national superintendent for all the schools.”
State Senator Owen Hill agrees.
“I’m embarrased for my government right now,” he said Friday.
He and other GOP state senators are advising schools to ignore the directive, and questions how the federal government can supersede local control.
“We’re telling moms and dads they have no right to run your own schools. You guys and your kids have no right to decide what’s the best policy for a complicated issue.”
The letter from the federal government contains guidelines and is not law.
However, it does say if schools fail to comply they could face lawsuits or lose federal funding.
Elected leaders in at least one state, Texas, have already said they will give up the federal funding to avoid having to follow the directive.
