Trump to end protection for transgender students

In a letter to schools, administration officials plan to say they are withdrawing guidance issued by the Obama administration that found that denying transgender students the right to use the bathroom of their choice violates federal prohibitions against sex discrimination. A draft of the letter was obtained by the Washington Post.

“This interpretation has given rise to significant litigation,” said the two-page draft, which indicated that the Education and Justice departments plan to issue it jointly. The draft mentioned that administrators, parents and students “struggled to understand and apply the statements of policy” in the Obama-era guidance, said the report. 

As a result, the departments “have decided to withdraw and rescind the above-referenced guidance documents in order to further consider the legal issues involved”. The letter, according to the Post, mentioned that schools must protect all students and that the withdrawal of the guidance “does not diminish the protections from bullying and harassment.

“Schools must ensure that transgender students are able to learn in a safe environment.” Civil rights advocates said the possible rollback of protection would represent a significant setback for the gay rights movement, which made enormous gains under President Barack Obama, the NYT reported. 

Trump believes that “this is a states’ rights issue and not one for the federal government”, WH Press Secretary Sean Spicer told.