Parents are worried what President Joe Biden’s demands to change Title IX laws would mean for their children and they took those worries to the Fannin County School Board last week.
The parents also wanted to know where board members stood on the Biden proposals and if they would join the fight to resist them.
The U.S. Department of Education (DOE) has been quoted as saying Biden’s changes to Title IX “would make clear that preventing someone from participating in school programs and activities consistent with their gender identity would cause harm in violation of Title IX.”
The amendments would strengthen the rights of LGBTQI+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex) students.
The DOE has said it plans to issue a separate notice of how to address students’ eligibility to participate on a particular male or female athletics team.
Nathan Sowers, the first parent to speak to the school board, said, “We’re here on behalf of our children...against the nonsense of the federal government.”
He challenged the board asking, “Are you against implementing these Title IX changes in our schools?”
Amber Patterson was the next parent to speak. This was the second time she brought her concerns to the board in their regular meetings.
She cited several flaws with the Title IX amendments, the minority they seek to protect while endangering the majority, and over 100,000 public comments concerning the changes that have been lost by the federal government due to a clerical error.
“I need to know where you stand,” she told board members. “Federal funds will never be as important as our children.”
Robert Patterson said the issues are causing “a lot of tension in our schools...We’re here to support you guys, and hope you’re in support of us,” he said.
Board members did not respond during the public comment period of the meeting, which is their procedure, but each member commented at the end of the meeting.
Board member Mike Cole was the most direct when he said, “Ain’t no boy going in the bathroom with Mike’s girl.”
He told parents, “I stand with you,” but pointed out “we haven’t seen anything yet,” as to Biden’s proposed Title IX amendments taking effect. So the board doesn’t know what it will do, Cole said, noting “patience is a virtue.”
Cole, the vice chairman of the school board, told parents “your responsibility is to get out and vote.” “You gotta pray, you gotta speak,” he said.
Board member Chad Galloway said, “Your children are my children...I will do anything that I can to protect them.”
Board members Bobby Bearden and Lewis DeWeese echoed promises to protect Fannin County’s children.
Board Chairman Terry Bramlett told parents they should “share your passion” with officials in Washington because “that’s where the mandates are coming from.”
But he stressed Cole’s words to vote. “(Voting) is the most powerful tool that you have,” Bramlett said.
Bramlett told parents their concerns are “real, valid.”
He said there are good filters between Fannin County and the demands of Washington in Governor Brian Kemp and the State Board of Education.