Trump to roll back protections for transgender students: report

by Rebecca Savransky - 02/21/17 8:36 AM ET

The Trump administration on Tuesday will reportedly rescind guidance to schools that bars discrimination against transgender students.

The Washington Blade reported that President Trump has approved a plan for the Justice and Education departments to send a letter to schools rescinding guidance that transgender students be allowed to use the restroom consistent with their gender identity.

The story quoted Mary Keisling, executive director of the National Center for Transgender Equality, in reporting that the guidance would be changed on Tuesday. She cited “reliable sources” in saying that President Trump had “green-lighted” the plan.

{mosads}“This is the first day of the president’s second month in office and he is now fully coming after LGBT people,” she told the Blade. “I’m angry; I’m outraged. This is about kids who just want to go to school who just want to be themselves, and to hear the president a week or two ago talk about how supportive he is of LGBT people, it’s just outrageous that he go after trans kids this way.”

A White House spokesperson did not confirm Keisling’s allegations in the story.

“We have nothing to add to this report right now, but will keep you posted if anything changes,” White House spokeswoman Kelly Love said.

The Obama administration last year issued a guidance to all public school districts in the U.S. instructing them to allow transgender students to use the bathrooms that match their gender identity. The letter was signed by officials at the Justice Department and the Department of Education.

“No student should ever have to go through the experience of feeling unwelcome at school or on a college campus,” then-Education Secretary John B. King Jr. said in a statement at the time.

“We must ensure that our young people know that whoever they are or wherever they come from, they have the opportunity to get a great education in an environment free from discrimination, harassment and violence.”

The move from the Obama administration came as North Carolina faced a legal battle over a law that required people to use public restrooms that corresponded to their biological sex assigned at birth.

Last month, the White House said it would continue to enforce an Obama-era executive order protecting the rights of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer community in the workplace.

The administration said Trump is “determined to protect the rights of all Americans, including the LGBTQ community.”

“President Trump continues to be respectful and supportive of LGBTQ rights, just as he was throughout the election,” a White House statement said last month.