Just as some parents in Kentucky are threatening to remove their children from public schools if new policies for transgender locker rooms and restrooms were enforced by President Barack Obama's Administration, Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin Friday issued a public statement against the proposed bathroom rules for public schools.
"It is difficult to imagine a more absurd federal overreach into a local issue," said Bevin. "Under the Tenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, the federal government has no authority to interfere in local school districts' bathroom policies."
The President is not promoting unity, said Bevin. "In fact, he is doing quite the opposite. He is intentionally dividing America by threatening to sue or withhold funding from our cash-strapped public schools if they do not agree with his personal opinion on policies that remain squarely in their jurisdiction."
Bevin said states should not feel compelled to bow to such intimidation.
The Kentucky governor said his administration is researching options for ensuring this local issue is decided by Kentuckians, not by bureaucrats in Washington.
As the Gospel Herald reported Friday, Americans are divided over which public restrooms should be used by transgender people, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll, with 44 percent indicating people should use them according to their biological sex, and 39 percent saying they should be used according to the gender with which people identify.
The Obama administration's notice to U.S. public schools on Friday that transgender students must be allowed to use the bathroom of their choice raised questions about federal funding and legal authority.
Representatives of the U.S. Education and Justice departments informed school districts in a letter distributed nationwide that, while the new guidance carries no legal weight, they must not discriminate against students, including based on their gender identity.
On Bevin's Facebook page, Josh Lawrence said he prayed that Governor Bevin, and the state of Kentucky can stand firmly and "fight this garbage and keep it out of here."
"As I say that I feel selfish, because of the other states that do not have a governor like we do. I truly am heartbroken for this nation and our youth of today. I have teenagers and smaller much younger children that will have to face this garbage later on if we cannot get it solved now. I am ready to help anyway I can to get our nation back under God again, away from the very liberal garbage that is ruining our country every day. Enough is enough, let's take this nation back! Our nation, our children. Stand firmly, trust in God and Goliath will fall every time!"
To the same online conversation, Jason Dwiggins added: "You do realize that transgendered have always been using the bathroom of their choice. And none of you even knew they were there. Get over yourselves."
