Reversal of School Bathroom/Shower Mandate is a Victory for Parents, Children says Family Research Council

WASHINGTON, Feb. 22, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Family Research Council applauded a joint letter issued today by the Department of Education and Department of Justice withdrawing the Obama administration's edict to force schools to allow biological males to use girls' showers, locker rooms, and restrooms, and vice versa. 

Family Research Council President Tony Perkins released the following statement: 

"The Trump administration's reversal of this mandate on schools is a victory for parents, children, and privacy.  

"The Obama administration resorted to this coercive policy because they knew parents and schools could never be persuaded to force boys and girls to shower together, stay together on school trips, and use the same locker rooms and bathrooms. As it turned out, the persistence of parents was far stronger than the government's power of coercion.   Parents refused to allow their child's innocence to be sacrificed on the altar of government imposed political correctness. 

"Today's announcement fulfills President Trump's campaign promise to get the federal government out of the business of dictating school shower and bathroom policies.   The federal government has absolutely no right to strip parents and local schools of their rights to provide a safe learning environment for children. 

"What we were taught in kindergarten, boys use the boys room and girls use the girls room, was made old fashioned by liberal bureaucrats.  Thanks to the Trump administration, parents and schools will remain free to protect the privacy and well-being of every student," concluded Perkins. 

Last summer, Family Research Council Action released the results of a commissioned survey conducted by WPA Opinion Research showing that two-thirds (66%) of Americans disapprove of "government forcing schools, businesses, and non-profit organizations to open the showers, changing facilities, locker rooms, and bathrooms designated for women and girls, to biological males and vice versa." Only 28 percent approved – with just 15 percent strongly approving. 

SOURCE Family Research Council