An Ohio school district is suing federal education officials over guidelines for bathroom use by transgender students.
In May, the Department of Education required all school districts to grant transgender students access to the bathroom, or locker room that matches their gender identity. According to the lawsuit filed Friday, the school board at Highland Local argues that violates the privacy of other students, and that gender identity is not protected under Title IX regulations. The Attorney representing the school district, Matt Sharp says the school board is also concerned about safety.
“you’re creating an environment where a man can pose as a woman in order to gain access to potential victims.”
The school district faces a civil-rights complaint for sex-based discrimination against a transgender student. The district stands to lose one million dollars in annual federal funding if it fails to comply with the regulations.