MAINE: Governor Blocks Rules For Trans Students

Maine Gov. Paul LePage, who is widely known as America’s craziest governor, yesterday stopped his state’s Department of Education from issuing rules intended to protect transgender students. The Associated Press reports:

Rep. Matthea Daughtry of Brunswick says the rules are required by the 2013 Maine Supreme Judicial Court’s decision in favor of Nicole Maines, a transgender student in Orono who was barred from using a bathroom appropriate for her gender. LePage spokeswoman Adrienne Bennett said LePage has read the court decision and believes it requires the Legislature to take action, and that new rules are not required.

Daughtry said LePage is misinterpreting the court’s decision. “The governor is violating the law by refusing to let the rule-making go forward,” she said. “He’s putting our students at risk.” Richard Durost, executive director of the Maine Principals’ Association, said the vast majority of Maine’s high schools have already addressed the points in the guidelines, such as allowing transgender students to play sports with teams corresponding with their gender identity.

Durost added that without action from LePage the guidelines “have no teeth in them” because there is no penalty for schools that disregard the rules.