Future of Texas Bathroom Bill Unknown as Trump Axes Bathroom Rules for Transgender Students

AUSTIN — The Trump administration on Wednesday did away with federal protections for transgender students, a decision that could kill a Texas lawsuit and a U.S. Supreme Court case and take the wind out of the state’s divisive bathroom bill.Trump’s decision axes guidelines the Obama administration rolled out in May 2016 that said schools must allow transgender students to use the bathroom that matches their gender identity or else lose federal funding. But U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions, while rescinding that requirement, said federal laws would still protect the LGBT students from "discrimination.""The Department of Justice has a duty to enforce the law. The prior guidance documents did not contain sufficient legal analysis or explain how the interpretation was consistent with the language of Title IX. The Department of Education and the Department of Justice therefore have withdrawn the guidance," Sessions wrote in a statement. "Congress, state legislatures, and local governments are in a position to adopt appropriate policies or laws addressing this issue. The Department of Justice remains committed to the proper interpretation and enforcement of Title IX and to its protections for all students, including LGBTQ students, from discrimination, bullying, and harassment."  Continue reading...