An Open Letter to the US Department of Education

By Ruth A. Sheets

In this administration’s pursuit of overturning human rights, the Department of Education and Betsy DeVos, you know, the woman who hates public education and wants to tap the public coffers for private schools, particularly all white conservative Christian ones, has championed a set of regulations to disregard the concerns of sexual assault survivors, particularly women and LGBTQ students on school campuses.  Her support comes from the administration and Republicans and Conservatives, you know, the super holy folks.

What is every conservative/Republican so afraid of?  Do you think LGTBQ will rub off and you will catch it?  Or, what is more likely, you hate anyone who is not like you, does not look like you, does not see the world the way you do.  Since you have proclaimed yourselves "true Christians," you think you have Jesus in your pockets.  You don't.  You are just a bunch of scared mostly men who are afraid the world is passing you by and you want to grab onto women, LGBTQ persons, immigrants, and anyone you can blame for the change you fear.  How pathetic!

I’m opposed to the proposed amendment to the rules implementing Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 published on Nov. 29, 2018 that threatens all students, including LGBTQ students.  Oh wait, you are scared of students who don't espouse your narrow beliefs too.

Coddling perpetrators would make schools more dangerous for all students, including LGBTQ students, who face high rates of sexual assault and harassment on campuses. Instead of enforcing Title IX and protecting students from assault and discrimination, your department is proposing to undermine basic protections for survivors.  Why is that?  I suspect you want to claim men just can't control themselves around rabid women or LGBTQ persons or that those people just prey on men all the time and men do nothing unsolicited to women, LGBTQ and others.  Men are the poor victims, you say. 

Shame on you.  No matter what you think, women and LGBTQ persons do not want to frame men for sexual assault.  It is a very rare woman or LGBTQ person who would put themselves through the hell of the courts to go after an "innocent" man/boy.  You know that, but, like everything else this administration does, hurting folks and taking away hard-earned rights is what you do and hope no one will stop you.  I hope you are wrong about that.  A majority of us want you all shut down and will continue to work hard to do it.

Oh yes, I almost forgot.  The appalling proposal would also allow religious schools to discriminate against LGBTQ students without notice. In case you are not sure what that means, it means kicking those students out.  Students deserve to know if a school intends to deny them admission or kick them out for being LGBTQ before they apply. Remember, if you can, this is America, not Pakistan,  Saudi Arabia, China, or Russia.  Schools should be transparent about their beliefs and actions, and should get no Federal, state, or local tax money if they discriminate against students because of race, gender, LGBTQ status, age, disability, or any other criteria beyond those necessary to be a successful student.

I hope you consider the lives of Americans before enacting these shameful regulations, although I doubt you will, since your cult leader, Mr. Trump has no empathy for anyone who is not white, male, and rich, and you guys, along with Ms. DeVos, follow him blindly.   

We'll see who you are most loyal to, Mr. Trump or the American people, our Constitution, and human rights.