Department of Education Issues Directive to Employees: Ending Support for Transgender Students

The U.S. Department of Education recently announced it will discontinue programs and policies that do not align with what it refers to as the reality of biological sex. This move is part of President Trump’s push to limit transgender rights.

The message sent to employees didn’t detail which specific programs or policies would end or the scope of the impact. However, it seems aimed at initiatives that have supported transgender students, such as school-based mental health services and programs for homeless students.

The email, which was shared by ProPublica, stated that the department would review and potentially terminate various programs and policies within the Education Department. This includes outward-facing media and internal practices.

There was no immediate response from a spokesperson at the Education Department regarding this directive. The unsigned email from “ED Internal Communications” also addressed employee programs, stating that federal employees must remove preferred pronouns from their email signatures.

Furthermore, the email indicated that employee resource groups promoting what it calls gender ideology are not permitted to meet on government property or during work hours. It’s unclear which groups this specifically refers to.

Throughout Trump’s administration, similar actions have taken place across federal agencies, such as banning transgender individuals from the military and attempting to transfer transgender women to male prison facilities, though a judge has blocked this action.

This new directive follows two recent executive orders targeting what the Trump administration calls “gender ideology.” The first executive order directed federal agencies to eliminate references to transgender individuals from all official documents. The Education Department appears to have complied, including by removing resources that assisted schools in supporting LGBTQ+ youth.

The second executive order restricts transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports in schools. The Education Department has initiated investigations into universities for possibly violating Title IX regarding these athletes. In response, the NCAA announced that those identified as male at birth would be barred from women’s sports.

The email elaborated that the use of gender ideology undermines the civil rights of biological females and fosters distrust in federal institutions. In addition, Linda McMahon, Trump’s nominee for secretary of education, is still awaiting confirmation. She has previously campaigned against transgender rights through various organizations.

Even without McMahon’s confirmation, many officials with similar views are already involved in the department, including some who have worked at McMahon’s conservative think tank. For instance, the new Deputy General Counsel, Candice Jackson, is noted for her work challenging what she considers harmful implications of gender identity in laws affecting schools.

Over the years, schools have faced significant changes regarding transgender rights. Under President Obama, the Education Department granted transgender students the right to use facilities that matched their gender identity. However, this was revoked by Trump in 2017, although the guidance remained on the department’s website. The Biden administration later reaffirmed protections for transgender students in 2021, promoting resources for supportive school environments.

With Trump now back in office, many of the supportive resources appear to have been removed from the department’s website.

Critics argue this administration’s actions undermine kindness and respect in schools. Rodrigo Heng-Lehtinen, of Advocates for Trans Equality, condemned the recent directive as bullying, asserting it seeks to diminish the dignity of students.

Trump’s current agenda includes possibly dismantling the Department of Education, though legal pathways for such a drastic move remain unclear. Recently, over 50 employees associated with diversity and inclusion efforts were placed on administrative leave.

Concerns have increased within the Education Department as reports surfaced of unauthorized access to sensitive data by individuals associated with Elon Musk. Some Congressional members tried to investigate but were denied access to the department. Musk subsequently questioned the very existence of the department on social media.

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