WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump's administration will revoke federal guidelines that tell public schools to let transgender students use bathrooms and locker rooms matching their chosen gender identity, the White House said Wednesday.
The decision would be a reversal of a directive from former President Barack Obama's era advising public schools to grant bathroom access to students in line with their expressed gender identity and not necessarily the gender on their birth certificate.
White House spokesman Sean Spicer said Wednesday that the previous administration's guidelines were confusing and hard to implement and that new directives would be issued later in the day. A government official with direct knowledge of the plans told The Associated Press that the Obama-era guidance would be rescinded, though anti-bullying safeguards would not be affected. The official was not authorized to speak publicly about the plans and did so on condition of anonymity.
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Although the Obama guidance carried no force of law, transgender-rights advocates say it was necessary to protect students from discrimination. Opponents argued it was overreach and said it violated the safety and privacy of all other students.
Spicer said that the Departments of Justice and Education were working together on the new document.
"The president has made it clear throughout the campaign that he is a firm believer in states' rights and that certain issues like this are not best dealt with at the federal level," Spicer said.
The Obama administration's guidance was based on its determination that Title IX, the federal law prohibiting sex discrimination in education and activities, also applies to gender identity.
While not legally binding, the guidance sent a warning that schools could lose funding if they did not comply.
Republicans have pushed back, arguing that the federal effort was an example of the Obama administration meddling in state and local matters. Texas Lt. Governor Dan Patrick equated it to "blackmail" and said at the time that the state was ready to forfeit federal education money rather than comply.
A federal judge in Texas put a temporary hold on the Obama guidance in August after 13 states sued the administration.
Read Thursday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.