The Florida Department of Education “will not stand idly by as federal agencies attempt to impose a sexual ideology on Florida schools that risk the health, safety and welfare of Florida students,” wrote Florida Commissioner of Education Manny Diaz.
In a two-page memo from the Florida Department of Education in response to the new Title IX regulations, Diaz urges schools to resist conforming to the Biden administration’s recommendations.
Title IX aims to protect individuals from discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
The memo is addressed to all public and private district schools across Florida. Diaz writes that none of the guidelines are strictly enforced.
“The purpose of this memorandum is to make you aware that the sub-regulatory ‘guidance’ documents issued by the USDOE and USDA are not binding law, do not create any new legal obligations, and should not be treated as governing law,” Diaz wrote.
He also addressed the Florida Department of Agriculture and Customer Services, stating that they told Florida schools to comply with the USDA guidance without consulting with the Florida Department of Education. “As such, you should not treat the USDOE or USDA guidance documents as binding or otherwise modify your practices or procedures based on these documents,” wrote Diaz.
Furthermore, he said that schools should not feel the need to alter policies related to gender identification and access to certain spaces, such as locker rooms or bathrooms.
“Specifically, for example, nothing in these guidance documents requires you to give biological males who identify as female access to female bathrooms, locker rooms, or dorms; to assign biological males who identify as female to female rooms on school field trips; or to allow biological males who identify as female to compete on female sports teams,” wrote Diaz.
He concludes with a warning that any changes in school policy that align with the US DOE’s guidelines “jeopardize the safety and wellbeing of Florida students and risk violating Florida law.”
More from DA: ‘Culture of fear’: Do LGBTQ+ students get enough support at school?
