Mullin Responds to the President's Attempt to Force Extreme Liberal Agenda on Oklahoma Schools

Statement

Congressman Markwayne Mullin (OK-02) issued the following statement after the Obama Administration announced that all public schools must allow students to use the bathroom that corresponds with their gender identity, regardless of the sex that appears on their birth certificate, or risk losing federal education funding:

"We've seen ridiculous, overreaching mandates come out of this administration over and over again, but the president's latest attempt to force Oklahoma schools to comply with his extreme liberal agenda is the most flagrant example of putting politics before people. The federal government has no business telling Oklahoma schools how they must operate when it comes to the use of school bathrooms. Federal courts have not concluded whether federal sex discrimination laws apply when it comes to gender identity, so the administration's legal standing is squishy at best.

"I'm a father of five kids in the public school system, and I have a big problem with the federal government telling me that male students are allowed to use the bathroom with my three young girls. Like many other rural areas in our state, there is no such thing as a private school in Westville, Oklahoma. Christie and I can make the decision to avoid retailers that have decided to allow transgender people to use either bathroom, but public school is the only option for our kids.

"Parents, teachers, and local school boards know what is best for our children. Any decision about the use of bathrooms in Oklahoma schools should be made at the state or local level. I am not going to let this administration hold Oklahoma's federal education funding hostage at a time when our schools can't afford any more cuts. I am actively exploring ways to block this mandate."

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