By Wendy Butzerin.
This is an URGENT ALERT to parents and all citizens regarding Title IX changes that will affect our children’s physical and emotional safety at school. Parents must comment to the Board of Education by September 12th to halt this dangerous precedent.
These changes will mandate:
- Students may use the locker room and restrooms not based on biological sex but on gender
identity preferences. - Biological boys – identifying as girls – would be allowed in the girls’ restrooms and
locker rooms.
- Biological girls – identifying as boys – would be allowed to do the same.
- Students must refer to each other by others’ preferred pronouns, lest they be accused of sexual discrimination.
- Federal funding (including the school lunch program) may be withheld if policy changes are not implemented and enforced.
The vast majority of parents would not be comfortable with this policy.
On July 12th, the Department of Education proposed regulation changes to the Federal Title IX program, Nondiscrimination based on Gender Identity or Sexual Orientation. If approved, this will significantly endanger Highline students, especially our daughters.
In order to understand the impact and danger of these proposed rules, it is vital to understand the history and purpose of Title IX. Title IX was enacted in 1972 to prevent sexual discrimination and harassment in all educational programs that receive federal funding. Until recently, it was based on the binary biological definition of male and female. It was implemented to protect female students by giving them equal access to federal support in programs as compared to male students.
What changed? On January 20th, 2021, President Biden signed the following executive order on his first day of office. Here is a link for it: Executive Order on Preventing and Combating Discrimination based on Gender Identity or Sexual Orientation. President Biden wrote in the policy that “all persons should receive equal treatment under the law, no matter their gender identity or sexual orientation.” It instructs government agencies to carry out this executive order, including changes to Title IX.
What are the gender identity policies that would be expected of Highline in exchange for non-related federal funding?
In response to this executive order, the Department of Education proposed changes that would mandate schools K-12 — to implement new gender identity and sexual orientation policies, which would carry over into all school activities, including restrooms, locker rooms, usage of preferred gender pronouns, etc.
Kids are already exposed to Comprehensive Sex Education, which by law requires teaching them about a variety of topics related to sexuality, including gender identity. However, the proposed Title IX changes would take gender identity much further. Children and teens of all ages would be allowed to use the bathroom and locker room according to their chosen gender identity…which they can change at any time. This means biological boys and girls will be mixed together and highly exposed in the most intimate settings.
Mental Health is already a massive issue in our schools. How will these policies further negatively affect our children? To keep these critical modifications from slipping through unnoticed, the Department of Education must hear our concerns. This issue is time sensitive, especially since Congress does not have to vote on Title IX, an existing law.
All citizens can voice their public comments until September 12th. The Board of Education is required to answer all concerns before they can vote; otherwise, it may be challenged in court.
I urgently plead with all parents and citizens of Highline to make a public comment, stating how this will negatively affect your children and your community.
Click the link to go to the Federal Register.
Press the green button which says “Submit a Formal Public Comment”.
All comments must be made by September 12th.
The title of the proposed rulemaking is Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Sex in Education Programs for Activities Receiving Federal Financial Assistance.
Let us work together now for the health and safety of our children.
