The claim that schools could be “required” to assist with a child’s gender transition without parental consent or to withhold information from parents is inaccurate.

The proposed regulations aim to ensure that students – including transgender students – are not discriminated against in schools. This could include respecting a student’s chosen name or pronouns to create a supportive environment. I’ll add here that respecting someone’s identity harms no one and costs nothing.

The parental consent issue varies by state law and school policy. Title IX’s proposed changes don’t dictate how schools handle parental consent. They focus on preventing discrimination and harassment. Some school policies, particularly in certain districts or states, may allow students to request changes to their name or pronouns without parental notification if doing so could lead to harm or hostility at home. This is meant to prioritize student safety and well-being, particularly for vulnerable students.

The claim that schools could be “required” to hide information from parents is also misleading. Schools might, in some circumstances, respect a student’s privacy or safety concerns, but this isn’t mandated in the proposed Title IX rules. Again, the focus is on preventing discriminatory treatment, not mandating secrecy.

Burke here is gravely offended by the idea that public schools SHOULDN’T DISCRIMINATE AGAINST TRANSGENDER STUDENTS, BUT SHOULD TREAT THEM RESPECTFULLY. So offended that she’s compelled here to lie about the intent of the proposed regulations.

Full contextual analysis of Section 3.2: Department of Education here.