In late May, the USDA and FDA under Biden announced that they would withhold federal funds from school lunch programs if they did not comply with Title IX requirements.
The decision means children from families at or below the poverty line would be stripped of free or reduced-price lunches if their school does not allow transgender students to use ‘gender-segregated’ facilities of their preference and following Obama’s 2016 ‘Dear Colleague’ letter.
The facilities include bathrooms and locker rooms.
Governor DeSantis’ administration has joined Republican Governors across the country in deciding to ignore Biden’s revised Title IX’ guidance’ despite his threat to pull funding for free or reduced lunches.
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem announced in June that she would sue the Biden administration for its attempt to use the federal school lunch program to bully schools into compliance.
Florida Education Commissioner Manny Diaz wrote a two-page memo on Thursday saying that Florida schools do not have to comply with Biden’s revised Title IX mandates.
.@POTUS and @NikkiFriedFL are attempting to hold our most vulnerable students hostage over radical gender ideology. Florida schools have NO obligation to follow this federal guidance and will not be threatened into submission. https://t.co/jIf6AXe5bN
— Manny Diaz Jr. (@SenMannyDiazJr) July 28, 2022
Diaz said the mandates “are not binding law, do not create any new legal obligations, and should not be treated as governing law.”
He said Florida would not allow a left-wing social engineering agenda in its schools.
“The Department 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,” Diaz wrote.
Diaz specifically addressed the issue of providing bathrooms, locker rooms, or other facilities to transgender students or allowing them to use the facility that complies with their preferred gender. He said schools that comply with Biden’s guidance on these issues are putting students in harm’s way and may violate Florida’s laws.
“To the extent that you do any of these things, you jeopardize the safety and wellbeing of Florida students and risk violating Florida law,” warned Diaz.
Liberal politicians in Florida expressed their anger at the memo released by Diaz. One school board member in Brevard County tweeted her response to him.
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Today I read an email that appeared to be written by an angry teenager, but it was actually from "Education Commissioner" Manny Diaz. He not so subtly asked us to ignore Federal law that protects LGBTQ students. Here was my response. pic.twitter.com/BS9d4hmTvw
— Jennifer Jenkins Brevard School Board (@JenkinsBrevard) July 29, 2022
Supporters of Democratic Florida Gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist used the memo to attack his primary opponent, Nikki Fried, to show that she is the more progressive candidate. One supporter showed a picture of Fried campaigning for Diaz when he was running for State Representative.
Nikki Fried says she's an LGBTQ ally.
But she campaigned for Manny Diaz, who just told #Florida schools to make no accomodations for trans or gay students, and banned trans female students from using girls's restrooms & playing on girls' teams.
Nikki, please explain.#FL https://t.co/3s0Pvx2R2E pic.twitter.com/GDAL3IxYf2
— Leia🌻 (@TheSWPrincess) July 28, 2022
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