Florida Education Commissioner Manny Diaz Jr. issued a memo warning school leaders against adopting changes that align with the Biden administration’s proposed transgender updates to Title IX.
Title IX was initially created in 1972 to protect women and girls from discrimination in the education system and activities, most notably sports.
The memo issued by Mr. Diaz told school leaders that the federal policies are “not binding” and they should not be treating the guidelines as “governing law.” He went on to write:
“The Department will not stand idly by as federal agencies attempt to impose a sexual ideology on Florida schools that risk the health, safety, and welfare of Florida students.”
So what exactly is all the hubbub about over Title IX and Florida? Let’s take a look at the proposed changes and find out.
JUST IN: Florida education officials urged schools across the state to disregard recent @POTUS Biden administration guidance aimed at strengthening protections for transgender students under federal Title IX gender equity law. pic.twitter.com/xPtQmetfUv
— BNN United States (@BNNUS) July 29, 2022
Stripping Away Protections for Girls and Women
The Education Department has proposed the following change to Title IX that would ban:
“all forms of sex discrimination, including discrimination based on sex stereotypes, sex characteristics, pregnancy or related conditions, sexual orientation and gender identity.”
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The addition of the gender identity language has so many parents and Republican lawmakers and Governors up in arms. This addition could create changes in schools and universities throughout the country.
I joined 20 of my colleagues in a letter to the U.S. Dept. of Education Sec. Cardona strongly criticizing the admin’s proposed rule to change Title IX & urging him to extend the public comment period.
— Coach Tommy Tuberville (@SenTuberville) July 22, 2022
One such change would be the requirement for K-12 schools, colleges, and universities that receive federal funding to open bathrooms, locker rooms, and housing accommodations to those biologically the opposite sex. So essentially, biological boys use girls’ restrooms and locker rooms and vice versa.
What could go wrong there? And who gets a say? Parents? The students themselves?
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Protecting Those Most Vulnerable?
The USDA has threatened to withhold funds for school lunches for schools that don’t allow boys to use girls’ bathrooms and other proposed Title IX changes. For those unfamiliar, funding for school lunches greatly assists children who come from low-income families.
It seems odd to starve out children most at risk for food insecurity over bathroom assignments. So who are we trying to protect again?
Florida is no stranger to bucking the gender ideologues and rocking the woke boat. For example, Governor Ron DeSantis took heat for backing the bill falsely labeled as “Don’t Say Gay” by opponents – the bill prohibits instruction on gender identity and sexual identity in Kindergarten through 3rd grade.
They also recently passed a law banning transgender athletes from competing in women’s and girls’ sports on the heels of the controversy surrounding transgender swimmer Lia Thomas. Lia Thomas was nominated as NCAA “Woman of the Year.” Lia is a biological male.
Riley Gaines, former Kentucky swimming star, slams nomination of Lia Thomas (Trans) for NCAA Woman of the Year.
This is what happens when you cater to people with mental health issues. pic.twitter.com/VBYjfSfwBF
— Gracie51 (@Gracie5111) July 25, 2022
Not Just About Bathrooms and Sports
But if you think this is just about bathrooms, and locker rooms, think again. This reaches into justice for victims of sexual assault and alleged accused.
Part of the Title IX proposed changes would roll back protections that former Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos had instituted. The protections had surrounded cases of sexual assault allegations at higher education facilities.
Ms. DeVos’ regulations required colleges to allow both the accuser and accused to:
“inspect and review any evidence obtained as part of the investigation that is directly related to the allegations.”
The proposed changes would only require a summary of the evidence and only that evidence that the school investigator deemed “relevant.” So much for fairness.
Discussing sexual assault on college campuses is a must, but we need the WHOLE STORY. Males can be victims too. False accusations are serious & can potentially ruin a persons life. These are the things that ARENT talked about and NEED to be and that’s the tea
— Madison Renee 👑 (@maddylewitt) September 4, 2018
Coming To a School District Near You
I often like to tease my husband, who is from Florida, on how it seems all the crazy news comes from Floridian-related activities. But the gender ideology battle isn’t just being waged in the Sunshine State.
On the other side of the country, the Los Angeles Unified School District adopted a gender-theory-based curriculum that encourages teachers to “breakdown the gender binary” and experiment in the classroom using pronounces such as “they,” “ze,” and “tree.” Tree as a pronoun; just sit in that option for a minute.
Teachers tell students they can “change their name to match who they are, like their gender, culture, or just what they like better.” They can adopt synthetic sexual identities and experiment with “they/them” and “ze/zir” pronouns. “Only you can know what your gender is.” pic.twitter.com/dyd4ApwAxz
— Christopher F. Rufo ⚔️ (@realchrisrufo) July 27, 2022
In Maryland, Montgomery County Public Schools prohibits the disclosure of student transgender identity to parents if the school deems parents unsupportive of the transition. Within the guidelines it states:
“A gender transition plan for a student at school should be designed without the knowledge of the student’s family, if the family does not support the student in the chosen gender identity.”
Without the knowledge of the family. For anyone who thinks we shouldn’t be hollering about this, just think about that statement for a minute.
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I Wouldn’t Bet Against Parents
Americans are generally pretty flexible about social issues, and most of us want to be able to work, live our lives, and be healthy and happy. However, it gets real once you start messing with children. Virginia felt this last year with the Republican sweep of the Governor, Lt. Governor, and Attorney General positions; it can be political suicide to bet against parents.
The parent movement is sweeping the nation, with groups like Moms for Liberty leading the way. Moms for Liberty started in Florida and recently got suspended on Twitter for posting a tweet against the proposed California “Gender Affirming Healthcare” bill.
This bill will allow courts to take away parents’ rights if their child travels to the state for “gender-affirming health care.” The tweet, which is no longer available, said:
“Gender dysphoria is a mental health disorder that is being normalized by predators across the USA. California kids are at extreme risk from predatory adults. Now they want to ‘liberate’ children all over the country. Does a double mastectomy on a preteen sound like progress?”
With 71% of American students lacking basic academic proficiency at graduation, you’d think the Education Department and school boards across the country would want to focus on the basics. You know, like math, literacy, history, and science, and cool it on gender fluidity and bathrooms.
There is hope for us parents out there. States like Florida, groups like Moms for Liberty, and the recent announcement that the NCAA Woman of the Year is Columbia University fencer Sylvie Binder, a biological woman, give me hope.
Lia Thomas lost the bid for NCAA’s ‘Woman of the Year’ — maybe they finally figured out she isn’t a woman?
— Sen. Marsha Blackburn (@MarshaBlackburn) July 27, 2022
Congratulations, Ms. Binder, and keep up the good fight, Florida.
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