A Thursday exchange between Sec. of Education Miguel Cardona and Rep. Jim Banks (R-IN) further revealed just how entrenched the Biden administration is in an agenda for transgender minors, even if it means schools keeping key details from parents about their own children.
During the exchange, which was part of a budget hearing for the House Education and Labor committee, the congressman had asked Sec. Cardona "should schools ever keep it a secret from parents if their children are involved in gender transitions," following up with an emphasis asking if that "should be a secret from parents." While the secretary's response began by pointing out that "schools should be partnering with parents in communication," he had lots more to say.
"And there are times where schools are working on supporting students on issues that are very sensitive, but I do believe that parents should be connected with schools, and in many cases, working together is what's going to help the student."
It's worth emphasizing how the secretary said "in many cases," and used code language such as "issue that are very sensitive."
Joe Biden’s Education Secretary just refused to agree that parents have the right to know if their kids are undergoing gender transition at school.
— Jim Banks (@RepJimBanks) May 26, 2022
Democrats really do want to take parents out of the picture! pic.twitter.com/RvU0UpZq3c
Cardona also told Banks: "I have spoken to students who've shared whatever situation is at the home, that they felt safe at the school, and we have to be careful not to turn this into something that it's not. Our schools are safe places for our students and our teachers are often our frontliners when it comes to supporting students when they have issues in our lives."
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In that part of his response, Cardona appeared to seek to distance the role of parents, while promoting the role of schools as "frontlines."
Though the secretary certainly appeared to try to dance around the question with so many words, he did say enough in what he did say, but also with what he did not say.
"That's a very bizarre answer," Banks said, before he yielded back.
This is not merely a hypothetical. As Townhall has covered, there have been disturbing instances of schools getting involved in minors transitioning, without the involvement or even knowledge of parents, at times.
When it comes to the politics of parental involvement, trying to shut out parents could very well be a losing issue for Democrats come the November midterm elections, just as it was last November in statewide races in Virginia in New Jersey.
Earlier during his line of questioning, Rep. Banks had asked Sec. Cardona about how his department has been pushing schools to include "non-binary" as a sex characteristic when it comes to Title IX protections against discrimination. "How can the Department of Education enforce sex-based discrimination when the very definition of sex is so unclear?" he asked.
Cardona declined they were making such a push, instead responding they were "allowing states to report whatever classifications they have in their states."
Further, when it comes to protecting women's sports, Rep. Banks sought to engage with Cardona on how the Biden administration has sought to "decimate Title IX like you guys are."
Cardona stuck to how "all students should have access to sports." When Banks repeatedly tried to ask "do you believe it's fair or not for biological boys to compete against girls in sports," the secretary attempted to say "I believe I answered the question" and even changed Banks' word choice. "You are saying do I believe transgender girls should have access to sports? Yes I do."
Met with Banks' pushback, Cardona further responded that "sir, I see where your questions are going, and I'm going to be very clear with you. Our transgender students need to feel supported, included, and seen, and your line of questioning, even by describing it the way you're doing it, shows me that you don't believe that all students should have access to the extra-curricular activities that schools provide."
"Well, I guess where I'm going, Mr. Secretary, is you can defend, you believe that Title IX protects biological boys competing in women's sports," Banks affirmed.
Individual states and the Republican Study Committee (RSC) as well as legislation from Republican members, have sought to protect women's sports, despite lawsuits from groups such as the ACLU and vitriol from the Biden administration and even President Joe Biden himself.
A Wednesday report from POLITICO had lamented how "Legal fights over pronouns may thwart Cardona’s plan to help trans students" when it comes to legal battles over preferred pronouns.
This administration, from Biden's first day in office, has made it no secret that they have an agenda to promote transgender minors. In addition to Title IX, this includes executive orders, events, promoting legislation, to then White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki making tearful appeals in favor of giving minors gender-affirming "care."
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