US: Congresspeople Urge Dept. of Ed. to Issue Comprehensive Trans Student Guidelines

BY PARKER MARIE MOLLOY
JULY 01 2014 5:10 PM ET

Minnesota Sen. Al Franken, along with Representatives Jared Polis of Colorado and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, a Florida Republican, sent a letter to U.S. Department of Education Secretary Arne Duncan late last month, urging the Education Department to further clarify an April statement from the department's Office for Civil Rights regarding Title IX's impact on transgender and gender-nonconforming students.

"We urge the Department of Education to make further clarification by developing guidance consistent with the law that clearly outlines now the appropriate treatment of transgender and gender non-conforming students under Title IX," the letter reads. "Such guidance would inform schools of the measures needed to be in compliance with current law and existing obligations to transgender and gender non-conforming students. To be in compliance, and avoid costly, unnecessary litigation, schools need clear guidance on the practical application of non-discrimination laws to ensure that transgender students do not face a hostile environment, covering such issues as access to facilities, protecting student privacy, and the application of dress standards, among other topics."

More: http://www.advocate.com/politics/transgender/2014/07/01/congresspeople-urge-dept-ed-issue-comprehensive-trans-student