Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange is criticizing the Obama administration's directive to let transgender students in public schools use bathrooms and locker rooms matching their gender identity.
The U.S. Departments of Education and Justice released a joint statement Friday saying both federal agencies plan to ensure all students, including transgender students, can enjoy a safe and discrimination-free environment. Both federal agencies plan to treat students' gender identity as the students' sex for purposes of enforcing Title IX regulations.
Strange calls the move another example of federal overreach that's wrong on the law. He says he will work with other state attorneys general to challenge the rule if the administration tries to enforce it.
School systems could risk losing millions in federal funding if they don't comply with the federal rules, and could also face lawsuits for alleged civil rights violations.
The Alabama Association of School Boards is advising local systems to give communities plenty of notice if they decide changes are needed due to the clarified federal policy.
The Alabama Department of Education says it's reviewing the federal rules.