Oh Boy!
To the complete turnaround from the state Department of Education concerning its agreement to comply with a federal directive to enact nondiscrimination policies for transgender students. The day the U.S. departments of education and justice issued a joint letter calling for transgender students to be protected under Title IX, state Superintendent of Education Carey Wright said Mississippi would follow those federal guidelines. Yet, less than a week later, Wright issued a statement saying MDE would comply with state leadership on the issue. Wright’s turnaround came after a discussion with the state Board of Education and calls from Gov. Phil Bryant and state lawmakers for her to ignore the federal directive. Seeing that Mississippi’s education system depends heavily on federal funds, and refusal to comply with the directive could impact the state’s ability to collect federal monies, this seems like a poor call. More so, it’s not right for Mississippi students, for transgender students, for a state with a scarred civil rights past. While we were encouraged by Wright’s initial stance to comply, it appears local leaders once again put their own interests before the state and Wright consented to their demands.
Clarion Ledger
5/25/16
Magnolia Tribune
