Arabic version: وزارة التعليم تنهي الحماية للطلاب المتحولين جنسياً

The U.S. Department of Education has announced the termination of civil rights settlements that previously supported transgender students across several school districts and a college. This decision, made public on Monday, indicates a shift in enforcement regarding federal civil rights laws for these students.

According to The Guardian, the affected districts include Cape Henlopen school district in Delaware, Fife school district in Washington, Delaware Valley school district in Pennsylvania, and Sacramento City Unified and Taft College in California. The settlements had required these institutions to uphold certain protections for transgender students under Title IX, which prohibits sex discrimination in education.

Under previous administrations, there was a broader interpretation of Title IX that included protections for transgender and gay students. However, the Trump administration has taken a different stance, penalizing schools that have attempted to accommodate students based on their gender identity. This includes lawsuits filed in California and Minnesota against policies allowing transgender students to participate in girls’ sports.

Kimberly Richey, the assistant secretary for civil rights at the Department of Education, stated that the recent action is part of the administration’s efforts to limit transgender students’ participation in girls’ and women’s sports teams. Richey described the previous agreements as “unnecessary and unlawful burdens” on schools.

The implications of this decision are still uncertain for the districts involved. Al Goldberg, a spokesperson for Sacramento City Unified, emphasized the district’s ongoing commitment to supporting LGBTQ+ students and staff, despite the changes in federal policy.