US Education Secretary John B. King Jr. has spoken up about the bathrooms laws in the states of North Carolina and Mississippi. He tagged these legislations as "hateful" for the LGBT community, especially transgenders.
The Daily Signal said King called for such laws to be repealed as these could cause problems in schools. The legislations in these states dictate that people should use the bathroom based on their gender at birth. He also expressed that his department could investigate cases like these in some states.
"I don't want to get ahead of enforcement actions we may take in regards to North Carolina and Mississippi," he noted. "My hope is legislators will realize they have made a terrible mistake."
In a document issued last April 2014, the Education Department expressed its goal to protect transgender students from discrimination as stated under federal Title IX. This provision provides protection to both students and teachers who could fall victims to discrimination because of their gender preference.
"Bathroom bill" and other transgender policies across the country: Where do they stand? https://t.co/ms0ej3WBGT pic.twitter.com/AC8NCZ3LqV
— CNN (@CNN) April 28, 2016
According to Inside Higher Ed, King has highlighted on its goal to protect gender identity as promoted by the administration of US President Barack Obama. It claimed that Obama's leadership is also investigating whether these policies violate the provisions under Title IX.
"Treating a student differently from other students because his birth-assigned sex diverges from his gender identity constitutes differential treatment on the basis of sex under Title IX," read a statement of the US Justice Department as quoted by ABC News. It clearly points to the violations done to individuals and the discrimination among transgenders.
The US President has fought for these discriminating laws to be overturned. Obama said transgender students should be allowed to use restrooms based on their gender identity.
ABC News added that an April 2016 ruling of a federals appeals court said that a high school in Virginia discriminated a transgender student who was not allowed to use the bathroom for boys. The case was later on sent back to a lower court for trial.
