The U.S. Supreme Court sent a case involving the Obama administration’s “bathroom mandate” back to a lower court. The Gloucester, Virginia, case was about to be heard by the high court on March 28th.
President Trump rescinded the directive issued by the Department of Education and Department of Justice. That had a direct impact on the case being sent back to the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
“The first duty of school districts is to protect the bodily privacy rights of all the students who attend their schools,” said Kerri Kupec, an Alliance Defending Freedom attorney, “and to respect the rights of parents who understandably don’t want their children exposed in intimate changing areas like locker rooms and showers. The 4th Circuit should affirm the plain meaning of Title IX.”
Title IX, the federal law that opened opportunities for girls in the educational sphere, uses the word “sex” to define girls and boys. President Obama reinterpreted the plain meaning of the language to include “gender identity.”
Family Policy Alliance partnered with WoLF, a radical feminist organization, to file a friend-of-the-court brief in the case. Autumn Leva, policy director for Family Policy Alliance, said the effort to protect the privacy and safety of children in public schools will never end.
“Now that federal courts can consider this case without the interference of the Obama Administration’s faulty ‘bathroom mandate,’ we hope that the 4th Circuit—and other courts considering similar cases—will return to common sense and ensure that the privacy and safety rights of all are protected, particularly for students in our schools,” she said. “Family Policy Alliance and our network of state-based family policy groups will continue to advocate for privacy and safety to be once again made top priority at the state level as well.”
President Trump has sent a letter to public schools rescinding the “bathroom mandate” put in place by the previous administration. The move sends a clear message that privacy and safety is the top priority for our kids.
Autumn Leva, policy director at Family Policy Alliance, tells us there’s much to be grateful for in Trump’s latest action.
TAKE ACTION:
Tell President Trump ‘Thank You’ for Stopping the Bathroom Mandate.
Do you believe that boys should have access to girls’ locker rooms, showers and bathrooms? President Obama does. His “bathroom mandate” is using Title IX federal funding to force public schools to allow just that.
Autumn Leva, policy director for Family Policy Alliance, tells us why we’ve formed an unusual alliance to make our voice heard at the U.S. Supreme Court.
Download a copy of the amicus brief as filed with the U.S. Supreme Court.
Most moms and daughters would agree that boys in public schools do not belong in girls’ restrooms and locker rooms – and vice versa. And now the U.S. Supreme Court will decide whether common sense will prevail over President Obama’s misguided activism.
A school district in Gloucester County, Virginia, turned down a female student’s request to use the boys’ restrooms. The student says she identifies as a boy, and, under controversial new guidelines from the Department of Education, being willing to say so is all it takes.
The state chapter of the ACLU sued on behalf of the girl. A federal appeals court ruled against the school district. Recently, the nation’s highest court added the case to its list.
“Schools have a duty to protect the privacy and safety of all students,” according to Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) attorney Gary McCaleb. “In light of the right to bodily privacy, federal law should not be twisted to require that a male be given access to the girls’ facilities, or a female to the boys’ facilities.”
ADF filed a brief supporting the school district on behalf of nearly 9,000 parents, students, grandparents and members of the community, as well as more than 40 state family policy councils.
We know it’s possible to stop the so-called bathroom mandate. A similar effort in Pennsylvania successfully was pushed back, thanks in part to the efforts of Pennsylvania Family Council. The group collected petitions, coordinated phone calls and held a public rally.
“I’m a mom of three young girls,” said Carla D’Addesi, a spokeswoman for the Defend My Privacy Coalition. “I want to make sure that my children’s expectation of privacy and their safety is not being infringed upon.”
Family Policy Alliance launched the “Ask Me First” project to equip families across America with resources to help them stand up for their moms and daughters. We encourage you to view the real-life stories, and even share your own at AskMeFirstPlease.com