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Ohio Valley schools face transgender facilities issue

WHEELING, W.Va. —  With the halls and restroom stalls in school buildings now empty for the summer, local school districts are discussing how best to provide restroom options for transgender students this fall.

The Obama administration has sent school districts across the nation a “significant guidance letter” stating that federal law requires them to allow students of one biological sex to use the restrooms and locker rooms of the gender to which they identify. Failure to follow the guideline could result in a school district losing federal funding under Title IX law, the letter states.

West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey, meanwhile, has responded with his own letter to school districts in West Virginia, telling them the federal letter “is not the law.” He encouraged school districts to hold off on making any moves, as some lawsuits charging the invasion of privacy rights for other students already have been filed.

And West Virginia and Ohio have joined legal action seeking to halt the enforcement of the directive and preserve school districts’ funding.

The issue of accommodating transgender students is starting to affect local schools.

In Hancock County, at least one student has requested a transgender bathroom…

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