NJEA condemns Trump administration repeal of transgender guidance
New Jersey’s largest teacher’s union is calling for the state’s Department of Education to keep protections for transgender students in place despite the Trump administration withdrawing Obama-era federal guidance that was issued last year.
The New Jersey Education Association released a joint statement on Thursday from its president, vice president and secretary-treasurer saying the Obama guidance was intended to protect the safety and civil liberties of transgender students.
“The Trump Administration’s effort to turn back the clock and to weaken important civil rights protections for students sends a very dangerous message,” the statement reads. “Students who rely on those protections are more vulnerable to discrimination because of the administration’s regressive action.”
The Trump administration ended the federal protection for transgender students on Wednesday which required schools to allow them to use bathrooms and locker rooms that matched their gender identity, among other provisions. Not doing so, the federal government claimed at the time, violated Title IX.
The guidance was not law, but advocates said it was a way to prevent discrimination and bullying of transgender students.
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Trump’s administration said it was up to states and school districts to interpret anti-discrimination law and enact policies for transgender students.
New Jersey has not issued specific guidance to schools on how to accommodate transgender students, but several other states have.
Earlier this week the state Department of Education said schools should enact policies individually to “craft their policies with community input.”
The New Jersey Education Association appeared to advocate for state-level guidance in its statement.
“Nothing in the letter just issued prevents states from recognizing and protecting the established civil rights of students,” the statement says. “New Jersey’s elected and appointed leaders should do whatever is necessary to send an unambiguous message that our state does not tolerate discrimination against any student for any reason."
In North Jersey about 50 high school districts have passed policies outlining rights for transgender students over the past several years, a NorthJersey.com investigation found last year. However, without state guidance, the policies different in significant ways.
Several local and national advocacy groups have also denounced the Trump administration’s roll back – including Garden State Equality, the Human Rights Campaign and the National Center for Transgender Equality.
Email: wyrich@northjersey.com Twitter: @AndrewWyrich