Letters: Leave transgender rules to local schools

ISSUE | TRANSGENDER RIGHTS

Local schools should make their rules

The Obama administration issued a directive Friday to all public schools to grant transgender students equal access to all activities and facilities ("U.S. Call for Transgender Rights," Saturday). School districts that do not comply could face a loss of federal funds.

This directive will permit transgender students to use the restrooms of students of the natural-born opposite sex. Again, the federal government is delving into the operation of local public schools. It should be each district's decision whether a transgender student is allowed to use the restroom of his or her choice.

It wouldn't surprise me if the Obama administration goes one step further and mandates that all public schools remove the labels "male" and "female" from all restroom doors.

|David M. Levin, Vineland

Provide a precise, objective definition

There is a serious lack of definition regarding the issue of transgender students in schools ("U.S. backs transgender students on bathroom use," Friday). The U.S. Justice Department allows for self-determination, that is, an individual (or a guardian in the case of a minor) may select his or her gender affiliation, with no objective determination of what that might be other than what he or she feels most comfortable with. That allows an individual to subjectively change that definition as it suits him or her or may be convenient.

Without an objective definition, gender could be reestablished at any time, perhaps for nefarious purposes. What school or individual would want to risk being slapped with a civil rights violation for questioning a student about why he or she is using a bathroom or locker room that does not comport with the student's physiological gender?

If the Justice Department wishes to establish transgender people as a protected minority, it must promulgate a precise and objective definition based on something more substantial than what an individual feels like being at the moment.

|Kevin McGonigal, Moorestown, kevikens@hotmail.com

Uncle Sam flexes his muscles yet again

Why the consternation over the government telling us who can use what bathroom? For years, Washington has been in our business, so to speak. Remember when it determined how much water could be in our toilet tank? Have we already forgotten the government-mandated switch from incandescent lightbulbs to compact fluorescent and LED bulbs? How about the switch to more-expensive summer-blend gas and the change back to winter-blend gas when the vacation season is over? You can't drive, walk, talk, eat, drink, or sleep without some type of government involvement.

We tend to forget that government is involved in our lives from cradle to grave - and both at the same time in the case of abortion. If you believe that you live in a free country, wake up and smell the coffee - also regulated. It is only a matter of time before the government regulates when you can go to the bathroom.

|John Gregory Parks, Bethel Park, Pa., jgparks482@hotmail.com

Is Washington following suit?

My question for the progressives in the Obama administration is: When will we see gender-neutral facilities in the White House? Let's not forget the Capitol and the Supreme Court - let's see them lead by example.

|Harry Quirk, Warrington