The withdrawal of this guidance is a devastating step back for transgender students, who today are receiving the message that the federal government will not vigorously defend their right to an education.

Today the Trump Administration withdrew guidance to schools on protecting transgender students from discriminatory treatment. Jennifer L. Levi issued the following statement: “The withdrawal of this guidance is a devastating step back for transgender students, who today are receiving the message that the federal government will not vigorously defend their right to an education. “This unfortunate reversal of protections reflects crass, unprincipled political pandering.  The American people support fairness and equal treatment of all students and do not think vulnerable young people should be made pawns of a political drama being played out by the current administration. “The sudden reversal by the Education and the Justice departments does nothing to change the fact that the law protects transgender students’ right to an equal education. But it does mean that state and local efforts must be redoubled to ensure full and equal inclusion of transgender students in school. “This guidance has provided practical and important advice to schools about how to foster positive learning environments for transgender students which has been especially critical in local communities where schools and districts have not been able to develop such policies on their own. “GLAD stands with transgender students and their families as they continue to advocate in their schools – and we stand ready to go to court to ensure that transgender students are fully protected under the law.” Levi is the Transgender Rights Project Director for GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD). GLAD has litigated groundbreaking cases on behalf of transgender students, including Doe v. Yunits and Doe v. Clenchy. Levi added that GLAD would like to hear from any transgender student experiencing discriminatory treatment, via GLAD Answers. Students can contact GLAD Answers by phone (800-455-GLAD), email (gladanswers@glad.org,) or chat (www.gladanswers.org). Through strategic litigation, public policy advocacy, and education, GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders works in New England and nationally to create a just society free of discrimination based on gender identity and expression, HIV status, and sexual orientation.