To whom it may concern,
I want to address a serious concern that affects every child, staff member, teacher, and school in every district until perpetuity if we fail to act now!
The federal Department of Education is expanding Title IX, a federal legislation meant to protect the rights of American women and girls against sex-based discrimination. The issue is that they are trying to redefine sex to include "sex stereotypes," "sex-related characteristics," "pregnancy or related conditions," "sexual orientation," and "gender identity." This will have immediate and permanent detrimental effects and contradict Title IX's original intention and necessity. These changes will take effect on August 1, 2024, in less than two months.
While some of the proposed changes to Title IX, such as protecting pregnant students, safeguarding the privacy of sexual assault survivors during legal proceedings, and ensuring equity in sex discrimination complaints, are commendable, others are deeply concerning. There are real risks associated with expanding the definition of "gender identity" and providing Title IX protections to individuals with ambiguous and fluid identities.
The changes driven by political motives and animosity towards America and its values will significantly jeopardize our daughters' safety and opportunities and undermine women's historical progress. President Joe Biden's policies are deeply concerning and require reconsideration. These actions are a metaphorical backhand to the face of every American woman and girl trying to stand up against a system hellbent on erasing them and their contributions to our nation! This cannot stand!
I respectfully request Senator Kevin Johnson and other influential figures to support the immediate cessation of President Biden's policies that impact women, girls, and the truth. Additionally, I urge them to prioritize and speed up the resolution of this issue within the South Carolina legislative system to protect our citizens from further harm caused by the reckless actions of this administration. Elected officials must champion the rights of girls and young women, as South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson and the Superintendent of Education Ellen Weaver have done by opposing these changes, along with other states.
We must dedicate every effort to combat the pervasive anti-American and anti-woman movement that progressives are relentlessly waging on American girls, including our daughters, wives, granddaughters, sisters, aunts, mothers, and grandmothers.
Thank you for your attention to this important matter.
Jeff Zell
Sumter School Board Trustee, Area 8
Republican Candidate, SC Senate District 36
