The Ominous Dear Colleague Letter

I’m livid!  How dare he blast them down.  I, for one, am passionately upset.  I care about those on the fringes who need protection.  

Trump’s Dear Colleague Letter, the letter sent to schools to tell them that the protections for transgender students have been lifted, is ominous.  It addresses the school districts and colleges that received federal funding.  The protections were meant to help those who have gender identity issues and by lifting these, the Trump administration is essentially saying it is okay to discriminate by gender identity.  This also paves the way for removing protections in other areas.  Where will this lead? 

Rather than being progressive and using the Federal Government’s force for good, to ensure protection for these transgender students, they have left them to fend for themselves at the state and local levels.  In other words, they aren’t protected.  They aren’t protected!!!  What idiocy!!!  He made a promise to protect all children but now breaks that promise by lifting the protections and therefore putting them at risk.  As of right now these protections that were hard won and compassionate are no longer in place. 

Ironically it was Betsy DeVos, the new education secretary appointed by Trump (and opposed by progressives), who disagreed with this approach.  She says that the administration has a responsibility to protect every student in America and ensure that they have the freedom to thrive in a safe and trusted environment.  She also goes on to say that this is not merely a federal mandate, but a moral obligation that no individual school, district, or state can abdicate.  But Trump’s decision runs counter to this and she has carried out his orders grudgingly.  Thank you for trying, Betsy.  With The Donald as your boss, you’re going to have to try harder.