Dawson Co. Schools Will Not Follow Federal Government’s Transgender Guidelines

DAWSONVILLE Ga. — Dawson County School Superintendent Dr. Damon Gibbs said Thursday that he considers the Obama Administration’s guidelines regarding transgender students’ use of school bathrooms to be just that, a guideline and not a directive. He said Dawson County schools will not follow that particular guideline.

“They are guidelines, not a directive,” Gibbs said. But the guidelines came with a stern warning that school systems that do not comply could face the possibility of lawsuits and the loss of millions of dollars in federal funding. In the case of Dawson County, that could amount to $2.7 million.

“We do follow most federal guidelines,” Gibbs said. “But we’re not going to do that. We have to meet the needs of all our students.”

Besides, Gibbs added, State School Superintendent Richard Woods was very clear in a letter he sent out state schools this week telling state school superintendents they do not have to comply.

Woods’ letter said the guidelines do not have the force of law and he called them “an overreach of power by the Executive Branch of the federal government.”

Woods assured school superintendents that if federal funds are withheld or a lawsuit is filed, the state will work with districts to take appropriate action.