UPDATED: Civil and Human Rights Community Condemns Rescission of Title IX Guidance Clarifying Protections for Transgender Students

WASHINGTON – On Wednesday, February 22, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, the National Center for Transgender Equality, GLSEN, the National Women’s Law Center, the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc., the American Civil Liberties Union, the Human Rights Campaign, and MALDEF issued the following statement in response to the Trump administration’s rescission of Title IX guidance, which clarifies protections for transgender students under the law. As of February 24, the coalition of groups in support of the statement has broadened to include the 43 organizations listed below:

“The U.S. Department of Education has a critical and well-established role in clarifying and enforcing civil rights protections for all students. The department has an obligation to ensure that all students have equal educational opportunities, a mandate that applies regardless of a student’s gender identity. Transgender students who face discrimination in schools have worse educational outcomes, and poorer psychological well-being than their cisgender peers.

The guidance released by the Departments of Justice and Education last May clarified for school districts across the country that transgender students are protected under Title IX, an existing federal civil rights law that protects students from discrimination based on sex. The guidance presented best practices from schools across the country and advised schools on complying with the law. School districts received much-needed clarification that, under federal law, they must treat students equally and with dignity, consistent with their gender identity. Additionally, hundreds of thousands of transgender students received a clear message: the law was on their side.

By rescinding the guidance today, the Trump administration has taken the opposite stance. They have sent a deeply troubling message to students that the administration will not stand up for students’ civil rights. We condemn the administration’s decision, vow to fight to enforce Title IX, which continues to protect transgender students, and call on individual schools and districts to treat students consistent with their gender identity and consistent with the rescinded guidance that accurately explained the law.”

Signed,

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights
National Center for Transgender Equality
GLSEN
National Women’s Law Center
Human Rights Campaign
MALDEF
NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc.
American Civil Liberties Union

American Association for Access, Equity and Diversity
American Association of University Women (AAUW)
The American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees
American Federation of Teachers
American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee
Americans United for Separation of Church and State
Anti-Defamation League
Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, AFL-CIO (APALA)
Association of University Centers on Disabilities
Center for American Progress
Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP)
Center for Reproductive Rights
Children’s Defense Fund
Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund
Education Law Center-PA
Educators for Excellence
Family Equality Council
Judge David L. Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law
Lambda Legal
League of United Latin American Citizens
Muslim Advocates
NAACP
National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity (NAPE)
National Center for Lesbian Rights
National Council of Asian Pacific Americans (NCAPA)
National Council of Jewish Women
National Council of La Raza
National Education Association
National LGBTQ Task Force
People For the American Way
Southeast Asia Resource Action Center
Southern Poverty Law Center
TASH
The Trevor Project
TNTP