Gov. Ricketts Comments on U.S. Department of Education's Proposed Revisions to Title IX, Urges Nebraskans to Comment

Press Release

Today, Governor Pete Ricketts submitted comment on the U.S. Department of Education's proposed revisions to Title IX. The changes purposely misinterpret and misapply Supreme Court opinion to expand the definition of "sex discrimination" to include gender identity, sexual orientation, and sexual characteristics. This radical redefinition of Title IX ends the separation of restrooms, locker rooms, and other intimate facilities based on biological sex in schools, and instead would separate based on gender identity. The change disregards the actual law, history, and purpose of Title IX, as well as biological science.

Among other concerns, the Governor's comment emphasizes how the proposed changes would undermine parents' rights. "As written, these revisions appear to allow educators and schools to keep sensitive personal information on minor children from the parents," the comment letter reads. "This would rob parents of their right to make decisions for their minor children and prevents them from helping their children through challenging, and often difficult, experiences of gender dysphoria. Research shows that the majority of gender dysphoric youth will outgrow that confusion by adulthood. Parents should play a leading role in helping their children navigate their experience, and they cannot do so if they are not informed from the very beginning that their child is feeling gender incongruent."

Full text of the Governor's comment can be found here.

Governor Ricketts is calling on all concerned Nebraskans to submit comment as well. Comments can be submitted through Monday, September 12, 2022.

To read the federal notice regarding the U.S. Department of Education Title IX rule and submit comment, click here.

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