White Co. Students Continue to Use Restrooms As Designated by Sex on Their Birth Certificate

News

CLEVELAND, Ga. — Despite last week’s ominous guidelines issued by the Obama Administration regarding transgender students’ use of restroom facilities, White County students will continue to use the facilities designated by the sex listed on their birth certificate. At least for now.

The U.S. Justice and Education departments issued the joint guidelines last week directing schools to allow transgender students to use the restroom that matched their gender identity. While the directive does not appear to have the force of law, it came with an implied threat that school districts that do not comply could lose millions of dollars in federal funds.

White County Public Charter School System Superintendent Jeffrey Wilson said Wednesday that White County receives about $4.5 million annually in federal money.

On Thursday, Wilson issued the following statement:

Last Friday, May 13, 2016, White County Public Charter School System received a letter from representatives of the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Department of Education providing guidance on how public school systems receiving federal funds should recognize the rights of transgender students. At this point, there remains a question to what, if any, force of law the letter carries. I believe these issues will ultimately be decided in Congress and in the courts. There remains much ambiguity around what will be required and/or mandated by law. I would like to be clear. As superintendent of schools in White County, I serve each and every individual child in our school system and treat each child as if he or she were one of my own children. We, as a system, do and will treat every student with respect and dignity. White County students do and will treat one another with dignity and respect. White County Public Charter School System does not now nor will in the future tolerate any discrimination or harassment of any student for any reason. As we wait for more direction and guidance in this matter, we will continue our practice of having students use the restroom facilities designated for their biological sex (sex as listed on the child’s birth certificate). Any student who may be uncomfortable using the restroom facility of his/her designated biological sex should contact his/her school principal and we will make accommodations for that child. In White County, we now and will forever love, care for and respect the dignity of every child we serve.

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