Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick on Friday
said that the state will ignore guidelines from the Obama
administration on transgender students.
“He says he's going to withhold
funding if schools do not follow the policy,” Patrick told
reporters. “In Texas, he can keep his thirty pieces of silver. We
will not yield to blackmail from the president of the United States.”
On Friday, the federal government
advised public schools, colleges and universities to allow
transgender students to use the bathroom of their choice. While the
government's directive does not have the force of law, institutions
that do not comply risk lawsuits or possibly the loss of federal aid.
“Parents are not going to send their
14-year-old daughters into the shower or bathroom with 14-year-old
boys. It's not going to happen,” Patrick said. “It is the most
damaging domestic policy. And that's saying something for this
president who gave us Obamacare.”
He added that the policy will help
Republicans in the fall.
“I believe this not only is going to
usher in school choice in America, but it can well usher in Donald
Trump into the White House because [Hillary Clinton] supported this
policy. Kids are going to be bullied. Not the transgender kids, but
maybe the straight kids. This is a disaster,” Patrick said.
The guidelines, issued by Justice and
Education department officials, come just days after the Justice
Department announced that it is suing the state of North Carolina
over a law that prohibits transgender people from using the bathroom
of their choice in government buildings, including schools.
(Related:
North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory to defend anti-gay law in court; U.S.
sues.)