This is a sop to the leftwing teachers unions, who demanded their AWFL politics be encoded into law.
Just without the actual "law" part. Biden added new "rules" to the law by his own imperial power.
The rules also mandate that boys accused of sexual assault be presumed guilty by colleges.
The Biden administration's actions finalizing revised Title IX regulations represent a victory for powerful teachers unions, which have fueled Democrats' 2024 election campaigns.
On Friday morning, the Department of Education finalized sweeping new Title IX rules that it said will "strengthen vital protections" from sex-based harassment and prevent discrimination based on gender identity. The regulations dismantle Trump-era actions that bolstered protections, but also prescribed a strict grievance process that ensures the accused are treated as innocent until proven guilty.
The nation's two largest teachers unions, the American Federation of Teachers and the National Education Association, have for months heavily advocated for the regulations to be finalized. During the current election cycle, the two unions have funneled millions of dollars to Democrat-aligned political action committees, but virtually nothing to Republicans, according to federal filings.
"Prior to the 2020 rule, there was progress on changing the culture of sexual violence on our education campuses, as well as improvements to student safety. But the Trump-DeVos rule quashed open discussion of sexual harassment and gender-based violence," AFT President Randi Weingarten wrote in a comment letter supporting the Biden administration's regulations.
Weingarten added that the administration's rules -- which are set to go into effect in August -- would "remove dangerous regulations put in place in 2020 and put us back on the path of honestly discussing the modern realities of equal access to education."
...
Pringle's letter emphasized the importance of the regulations' expansion of Title IX protections to include transgender students. She said they would protect a transgender student who is "discriminated against and shamed when told they cannot use the bathroom."
According to NEA, the regulations would prohibit schools from excluding students from any educational activity because of transgender status; prohibit "misgendering" transgender students or teachers, force the use of a name selected by a transgender student or teacher, and require students to be allowed to use restrooms and locker rooms that align with their gender identity.
The AP claims that the rule does not mandate that trans athletes demolish girls in sports, but, while that's not explicit in this rule, it is certainly implied by the rest of the language, stating that no trans students can be "excluded" from "any educational activity."
The rights of LGBTQ+ students will be protected by federal law and victims of campus sexual assault will gain new safeguards under rules finalized Friday by the Biden administration.
The new provisions are part of a revised Title IX regulation issued by the Education Department, fulfilling a campaign pledge by President Joe Biden. He had promised to dismantle rules created by former Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, who added new protections for students accused of sexual misconduct.
Notably absent from Biden's policy, however, is any mention of transgender athletes.
The administration originally planned to include a new policy forbidding schools from enacting outright bans on transgender athletes, but that provision was put on hold. The delay is widely seen as a political maneuver during an election year in which Republicans have rallied around bans on transgender athletes in girls' sports.
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Instead, Biden is officially undoing sexual assault rules put in place by his predecessor and current election-year opponent, former President Donald Trump. The final policy drew praise from victims' advocates, while Republicans said it erodes the rights of accused students.
The new rule makes "crystal clear that everyone can access schools that are safe, welcoming and that respect their rights," Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said.
"No one should face bullying or discrimination just because of who they are, who they love," Cardona told reporters. "Sadly, this happens all too often."
My thought: Biden didn't want to put that in writing so close to an election he's losing so the rule just strongly implies that you'd better not kick boys and men (this applies to colleges, too) off girls' teams. But he wants the plausible deniability of it not being explicitly stated.
But soon another "Dear Colleague" letter will be issued, "helping" schools make the Right Choice on boys in girls sports.
In related news, JK Rowling says she'll never forgive Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson for throwing her under the bus and cancelling her.
I approve. Enough of this "high road" shit.