Georgia Governor Nathan Deal says it’s up to local school districts to decide how they’ll respond to a federal directive on transgender bathrooms.
The Obama Administration issued the directive Friday through the Justice and Education Departments calling on every public school district in the country to let students use the bathroom that matches their gender identity or face loss of federal funds and potential lawsuits.
Supporters say it’s about civil rights. Opponents decry the move as “federal overreach.” On Tuesday, Deal weighed in on the debate and issued the following statement:
“The Obama administration’s directive, recently announced by press release, to local school systems regarding accommodations for transgender students has generated confusion and controversy among parents, students and school officials. While I do not believe this directive carries the force of law, the Departments of Justice and Education have threatened to revoke federal funding from schools that fail to comply. Georgia’s constitution and state laws, however, require these decisions be made at the local level. While our 181 school systems must each determine an appropriate response to this federal overreach, I have asked State School Superintendent Richard Woods to provide guidance to those local school systems seeking assistance and clarity on this issue in order to ensure that there will be as much uniformity across our state as possible. Until Congress acts, I assure the citizens of Georgia that the offices of the governor, attorney general and state school superintendent will work cooperatively to protect the interests of Georgia’s children from this abuse of federal executive authority.”
Now Habersham reached out to local school leaders for comment. Superintendent of Habersham County Schools Matthew Cooper issued a statement saying he agrees with the governor that the directive does not hold the force of law. He says “our school system has not experienced any of the issues related to the letter” and, like the governor, expects the issue will be resolved in Congress, the court system or through some other means.
“In the Habersham County School System, student safety is our top priority, ” states Cooper, “and we do not tolerate harassment or discrimination of any kind. I am aware that this letter has raised concerns among parents both here in Habersham County and across the nation. The parent concerns expressed center around the safety of children. I want to assure our parents that we understand their concerns and that the safety of their children will remain our top priority. Our schools will continue to expect students to use the restroom facilities designated for their biological sex.”
Click here to read Cooper’s full statement
The transgender bathroom debate began back in March when North Carolina passed a law requiring transgender people to use restrooms that correspond to their gender at birth. The validity of that law – commonly referred to as House Bill 2 or HB2 – is now being challenged in federal court. North Carolina and the U.S. Justice Department have filed dueling lawsuits.
