Conservatives enraged by Obama's transgender bathroom directive

(Image credit: Getty Images)

published 13 May 2016

Conservative politicians were quick to slam President Obama's directive Friday that public schools allow transgender students to use the bathrooms that match their gender identity, rather than biological sex, with Texas even going so far as to hint at a lawsuit. "We will not be blackmailed," Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said, advising local school boards and superintendents not to heed the administration's orders. "I believe it is the biggest issue facing families and schools in America since prayer was taken out of public schools. Parents are not going to send their 14-year-old daughters into the shower or bathroom with 14-year-old boys. It's not going to happen."

Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R) joined Patrick's rebuke of the law, advising school districts to ignore the "offensive" directive. Tim Moore, the Republican speaker of the North Carolina House, has said the move makes him "wonder what other threats to common sense norms may come before the sun sets on the Obama administration." Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) called the directive an overreach of federal government and advised Obama to "focus on his job," which "is not to intervene in state and local affairs."

White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest has responded by pointing out the directive is merely "guidance" for how schools can ensure students aren't discriminated against, and that it doesn't add any legal requirements — though there's an underlying implication that schools that do not comply will be at risk of losing federal funding by refusing to follow Title IX rules.