Schools Torn About Whether To Follow State Or Federal Law Following Anti-Trans Bill
In March the governor of Iowa, Kim Reynolds (R), signed an anti-trans sports bill into law to ban K-12 and college trans girls from playing women’s sports.
Iowa school districts are now unsure whether to follow state or federal law. They have been forced to decide between following the anti-trans bill of the state or to the federal anti-discrimination policies put forth by the Biden administration.
In an opinion on Title IX, the Department of Education last summer announced increased protections for LGBTQ+ students. The law bans discrimination “on the basis of sex” in schools. Experts warned states could rebel against the administration and refuse to act on the guidelines.
“Students cannot be discriminated against because of their sexual orientation or their gender identity,” Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona told the New York Times when the new rules were proposed.
According to LGBTQ Nation, in Des Moines and the surrounding area, most school districts have chosen to follow state law. However, most schools say they have not been aware of any scenario in which a trans girl has even tried to participate in an athletic team.
Iowa Safe Schools, an LGBTQ+ advocacy group, called it an “administrative nightmare” and said that the situation has “caused trauma for our transgender girl students and our transgender students in general.”
Meanwhile, the issue of trans girls in sports continues to take center stage as the midterms approach. In Iowa, state Senator Jake Chapman (R) sponsored an ad calling his opponent, Democratic Senator Sarah Trone Garriott, a “radical activist” for voting “to let biological males compete in girls sports.”
LGBTQ+ advocates argue that Title IX protects transgender students' rights. Telling one group of girls that they can’t play sports simply because of their sex assigned at birth is exactly the type of discrimination “on the basis of sex” that Title IX prohibits.
Currently, 18 states have anti-trans sports laws, meaning schools across the country must decide whether to follow state or federal laws. In some states the laws are temporarily blocked by judges.
Read related myGwork articles here:
Utah Ban On Trans Youth Playing In Girls’ Sports Blocked By Judge
Federal Judge Allows 10-Year-Old Trans Girl To Rejoin Her School Softball Team
Ohio Republicans Pass Bill Requiring Genital Inspections For School Sports
South Carolina Bans Trans Athletes From Competing In School Sports
Keep up to date with the latest myGnews
