State AGs Counter Trump-Era Assaults on Trans Students: “You Belong Here”

WASHINGTON — As students and their families settle into school routines for another year, attorneys general from nine states are promising “we will do whatever it takes” to protect transgender students and their right to learn in a school environment free from discrimination and hostility.

“I promise to fight for trans students,” each of them says in a video directly addressing the public. “We don’t tolerate hate, and we do fight back.”

The AGs pledge to keep battling the Trump administration’s efforts to harm trans students and violate their civil rights. They note steps their states have taken to support trans youth, including legislation to halt forced outing policies and initiatives to provide information on gender-affirming medical care.

They also encourage students to file complaints if they feel their rights have been violated — through state human rights offices and education departments that still hold power to investigate concerns about hostile learning environments: “We will hold schools accountable under our state laws.”

See the full video here.

The attorneys general who participated in the video were:

  • Rob Bonta of California
  • Anthony Brown of Maryland
  • Andrea Campbell of Massachusetts
  • Charity Clark of Vermont
  • Keith Ellison of Minnesota
  • Letitia James of New York
  • Kathy Jennings of Delaware
  • Dana Nessel of Michigan
  • Dan Rayfield of Oregon

“You inspire us. You belong here. We love you. We will never stop fighting for you,” they say.

The video project was coordinated by the Legal Network for Gender Equity, housed under the National Women’s Law Center, which has been fighting to ensure all students can attend safe and inclusive schools without the threat of hate or discrimination.

“There is broad support throughout the nation to resist the administration’s attacks on trans students,” said Fatima Goss Graves, National Women’s Law Center’s president and chief executive officer. “These young people — our children — continue to be bullied by the administration and other extremists in ways that threaten their education and even their existence. Even as Donald Trump has rolled back civil rights enforcement, many states are stepping up to hold schools accountable and ensure every child can learn in an environment free from discrimination. Students need to know there are people who have their back and will never stop fighting for their right to learn in safety and dignity.”

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