{"id":66103,"date":"2018-03-20T14:25:33","date_gmt":"2018-03-20T18:25:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.gayfriendschat.com\/socialblog\/secretary-betsy-devos-continues-to-promote-discrimination-against-transgender-students\/"},"modified":"2018-03-20T14:25:33","modified_gmt":"2018-03-20T18:25:33","slug":"secretary-betsy-devos-continues-to-promote-discrimination-against-transgender-students","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gayfriendschat.com\/socialblog\/secretary-betsy-devos-continues-to-promote-discrimination-against-transgender-students\/","title":{"rendered":"Secretary Betsy DeVos continues to promote discrimination against transgender students"},"content":{"rendered":"

Secretary Betsy DeVos continues to promote discrimination against transgender students<\/b><\/p>\n

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NEW YORK <\/strong>\u2013 GLAAD, the world\u2019s largest LGBTQ media advocacy organization, today condemned Education Secretary Betsy DeVos for dodging accountability when asked vital questions today about the confirmed policy<\/a> of the Department of Education to no longer investigate or take action on discrimination cases involving transgender students banned from restrooms and locker rooms that align with their gender.<\/p>\n

Rep. Mark Pocan questioned Secretary DeVos about the policy during a House Appropriations subcommittee this morning. A growing number of federal courts<\/a> have ruled that Title IX protects transgender students, but Secretary Devos deflected Rep. Pocan\u2019s question and argued that she will continue to oppose protecting transgender students until \u201cthe Supreme Court or Congress clarifies the law.\u201d<\/p>\n

Watch the GLAAD released video<\/a> here:<\/p>\n

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\u201cAs Secretary DeVos fumbles through another congressional hearing, her record of walking-back LGBTQ protections and actively refusing to aid transgender students facing discrimination speaks for itself,\u201d said Sarah Kate Ellis, President and CEO of GLAAD<\/strong>. \u201cIt is long past time for Secretary DeVos to reverse course and clearly denounce policies that target LGBTQ students. Our Secretary of Education should be fighting for all students, not actively making life more difficult for transgender students.\u201d<\/p>\n

Today\u2019s statement follows testimony<\/a> before this same subcommittee last May where DeVos argued that states should have the option to decide whether schools that receive federal dollars can discriminate against LGBTQ students.<\/p>\n

Since her controversial confirmation hearing process, which included a tie-breaking vote by Vice President Mike Pence, Secretary Betsy DeVos has fallen in line with the Trump Administration\u2019s anti-LGBTQ agenda. During her first year, DeVos joined the President and Attorney General Jeff Sessions to rescind a guidance<\/a> that provided protection to transgender students at our nation\u2019s schools, rolled back<\/a> the Office for Civil Rights’ expansive approach to investigating civil rights complaints, and hosted<\/a> anti-LGBTQ groups including Focus on the Family and Family Research Council at a Department of Education event.<\/p>\n

DeVos\u2019 anti-LGBTQ record extends well before her confirmation as Education Secretary. From contributing more than $200,000 toward efforts to add a\u00a0marriage equality ban<\/a>\u00a0to Michigan\u2019s Constitution to donating money to Focus on the Family, an anti-LGBTQ organization which openly advocates for so-called \u201cconversion therapy\u201d practices, her record shows she will do anything to prevent LGBTQ acceptance from becoming a reality.<\/p>\n

Background: Secretary Betsy DeVos\u2019 Anti-LGBTQ History<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n