Wyoming Superintendent of Public Instruction Megan Degenfelder said she’s opposed to a proposed Title IX rule change by the Biden administration. It would allow for schools to enforce some restrictions on transgender student athletes but would establish that bans that disallow these students from competing on sports teams consistent with their gender identity would violate Title IX.
“I oppose the recently proposed rule change to Title IX regulations. It is yet another example of the Biden administration’s aggressive federal overreach. This action not only circumvents the federal legislative process, but it overrides the work being done at the state level to best meet the needs of local communities,” Degenfelder said. “I supported the recent passage of Wyoming Senate File 133, sponsored by State Senator Wendy Schuler, and all of the work we did to make the bill right for Wyoming.”
Senate File 133 was signed into law by Gov. Mark Gordon on March 17. It prohibits transgender girls from participating in girls-only designated athletics in grades seven through 12. It’s set to become law July 1.
“This is about fairness and safety for biological women in sports - biological men should not be competing in women’s sports,” Degenfelder said. “As a former high school and college female athlete and now a coach of female sports, my number one priority is the players’ safety and access to opportunity in the sport. With the enactment of Title IX in 1972, we saw a lasting impact, one which opened the doors for young girls and women to not only compete equally in sports, but also in school admissions, academic majors, vocational programs, and teaching positions. We must maintain the original intent of Title IX in sports. There are many ways to include transgender men and women in K-12 education activities and to recognize their accomplishments, but not at the expense of safety and fairness of biological women, who have for years battled for gender equality on the playing field and beyond.”
The Biden Administration’s proposed rule changes will be posed in the Federal Register in the coming weeks.
“The proposed rule would establish that policies violate Title IX when they categorically ban transgender students from participating on sports teams consistent with their gender identity just because of who they are,” according to a public notice from the U.S. Department of Education.
The public will have 30 days to comment on changes after this is done. Even if the changes are approved, schools and students may not see them implemented for months or even years in what is a long process in changing the law.
“I will fight back against this federal overreach, just as I did for years working in the fossil fuel industry, and work to partner with my counterparts across the country to stand up to the Biden administration's harmful regulations,” Degenfelder said.
Title IX prohibits gender discrimination in schools or education programs that receive federal funding.
