US Attorney adds South Dakota staff to enforce federal government’s will on school bathroom issue.

Pat Powers

The United States Attorney’s office has apparently applied for, and received funding for a civil right’s officer who will be responsible, among other things, for enforcing the US Attorney General’s edict on how schools are to treat transgender rights – an edict which had received considerable legislative attention this past session:

That’s changed with Alison Ramsdell’s appointment as the head of the newly-created Civil Rights section. The Flandreau native will lead the office’s efforts to educate the public on civil rights matters and pursue legal action against those who break the law.

and…

The position was added from above, when Attorney General Loretta Lynch released funding for 34 new civil rights prosecutors within the 93 U.S. Attorneys’ offices across the country. Seiler’s office applied for the funding and was awarded it, which made it possible to refocus Ramsdell’s work.

and…

Other efforts include sending follow-up letters from Ramsdell to schools on the federal government’s guidance on transgender rights and setting up an information booth at an LGBT rights gathering in Terrace Park this summer.

Read it all here.

Interesting that the federal government is funding positions to enforce their position on matters that are under litigation, with 23 states now contesting the federal government’s authority to step in and dictate local education policy:

The lawsuit filed Friday is being brought by the states of Nebraska, Arkansas, Kansas, Michigan, Montana, North Dakota, Ohio, South Carolina, South Dakota, and Wyoming. They argue the Obama administration’s directive was an overreach and a misinterpretation of Title IX.

“The recent action by these two federal agencies to require showers, locker rooms, and bathrooms to be open to both sexes based solely on the student’s choice, circumvents this established law,” Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson wrote in a statement. “It also supersedes local school districts’ authority to address student issues on an individualized, professional and private basis. When a federal agency takes such unilateral action in an attempt to change the meaning of established law, it leaves state and local authorities with no other option than to pursue legal clarity in federal court in order to enforce the rule of law.”

On May 25, another lawsuit was filed against the federal government over the same directive by the states of Texas, Alabama, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Utah, and Georgia; the governor of Maine; the Arizona Department of Education; and school districts in Texas and Arizona. Kentucky and Mississippi later signed on to that lawsuit.

Read that here.

Given that the US Attorney General’s edict to schools was specifically brought up in the Argus Leader in explanation of what the new US Attorney position will be doing, do you think these new positions represent an escalation of hostilities between Loretta Lynch and the states who are putting up a fight over the School memo?

51 thoughts on “US Attorney adds South Dakota staff to enforce federal government’s will on school bathroom issue.”

  1. Of course its an escalation. The writing is on the wall.

    Not to sound alarmist, but it wouldn’t surprise me to see the federal government next take the step to set up civil rights compliance offices in our schools.

    1. You don’t sound alarmist, Mr. Deutsch. You sound outdated and underprepared. A computerized central office with video conferencing would serve every school in the state, as problems will arise very rarely. One assembly by the vice principal telling male students they would be on a sex offenders list for life should they try any deceptive attempt at using the transgender law to their sexual deviancy would suffice and stop any of the things you predict. This is the most tolerant younger generation, ever. It’s just you older, angry white males who have perversion issues.

      2. After your daughter has been molested in a bathroom in school by a deviant boy it’s too late —- she will be scarred for life. We are set for failure by allowing this President to have his way by forcing immorality down our throats.

        2. The sky is falling, Charlie. There have been transgender people in South Dakota, forever. Has that ever happened? You’re describing a rapist not a transgendered child that only needs to be treated fairly. False accusations like yours are what scar. It’s your motivation that’s questionable.

      3. You have no moral base, Portair, and that is evident from pretty much everything you post. Just because someone doesn’t accept everything as good, right, and moral doesn’t make them outdated. Your constant use of the term “haybilly” shows that you think you are some advanced, hyper-intelligent being, but it ain’t so; perhaps you should loosen your bowtie so you have more blood going to your head.

  2. President Carter’s administration is known for his “malaise”. President Obama has his “uncertainty”, especially relating to economic decisions by businesses both large and small. Now, you can add “lawlessness” on the part of every Executive department.

    1. But… but… bathrooms! Locker rooms!

      The Left’s creepy fetishes win out again.

  4. …..another reason to vote for Trump so that a Republican US attorney can be appointed.

  5. This whole transgender thing is ridiculous but easily solved. Simply have one bathroom a gender neutral one, which would be private, and either girls or boys could use it. We just got back from an extended vacation, and we encountered many of these gender neutral bathrooms. Of course, this would be a simple solution and would not satisfy the radical element who loves to foment this issue. The government is broke, but yet it continues to grow itself worthlessly at the expense of taxpayers and freedom itself.

    2. I agree, but what to do about locker room situations. We have concerns that our daughters could be put in unnecessary situations. Guess there’s always private school.

      1. MK, you’re exactly right – what to do about locker rooms and shower rooms? The situation is complicated because transgender activists don’t want a reasonable solution – private, individual facilities for their personal use. Their position is private facilities is discriminatory because it sets them apart from biological boys and girls who are permitted to use group facilities. They believe that a biological boy that feels or believes he is a girl should have the right to use the same group showers, group restrooms and group bathrooms as all other biological girls.

        Your statement about sending your children to private schools may not be accurate if the private school accepts federal funds – which most of them do.

        1. This is also one of the reasons that so many parents are opting for home schooling, something that hardly ever existed before the government started getting more directly involved in local education.

        2. Mr. Deutsch … You relayed our position quite well. Change is hard for you, isn’t it? Isn’t it just easier to deny individual rights to women and children, claiming the rights of the group make individual rights trivial?

        3. Thanks for your input, Fred. We have been researching which private schools do not accept gov’t funding and the home schooling option. Why do we have to allow this to happen to our schools and our children? It’s mind boggling to us. I’m sure Porter has the answer….tolerance!

          1. We don’t have to allow it. We need to continue to fight to protect our children. A Republican president would help a lot.

          2. Sure, there’s an answer? You’re not comfortable recognizing the Constitutional rights of transgender children? So the h**l, what. If my Great Grandma was still alive she wouldn’t be comfortable eating cornbread next to a black man. She’d just have to get her old butt over it. Cause this is 2016 and that’s a crappy way to be. Why should we care if you’re comfortable, anyway? Have you ever even thought about the comfort of gay people, black people? Heck, how about non Christians? Liberals would love for you to spend a whole bunch of SoDak’s monetary surplus on another thing the Supreme Court can throw back in your face for being bigoted. You’ve been on the wrong side of history so often you need FoxNews just to feel average.

    3. Funny thing is that back in the 90’s EROS Data Center had a Transvestite employee and they set up a Gender Neutral bathroom for him. Now somehow that’s not good enough. Doesn’t move the dial further up.

    4. What government is broke? USA has a net worth of $231 trillion and a manageable debt of $22.4 trillion. Should that debt to worth ratio seem too high it’s because the super wealthy pay Republican politicians to pass rules to allow them to pay less than the share we pay.

      1. I would love to dispute the “fair share” that half of the US citizens and illegals “pay,” but it is useless to try to educate a person who lives in a dream world. Keep posting, Porter; it so makes my day!

        1. Spring…It’s great when you tell people what to do. How does it make you feel?

  6. Where is Porter from? Did he ever live in South Dakota? I am having a hard understanding why he is interested in what people have to say on this blog.

    1. He’s just a troll from Colorado. Every once in a while he is entertaining so we know there are people out there that think the way he does. At first I thought nobody could actually believe the things he types and was just doing it for a reaction, but I am convinced he actually believes what he says.

      1. Dougherty … It’s amazing but a lot more people think the way so do than you do. What’s a troll? Someone who isn’t you?

    2. Mr. Porter seems to enlighten readers with his/her many complaints and how people can fix their thinking! Like we’re broken because we hold to our morals and values. Personally, I get a giggle from most of the comments he leaves.

      1. Thanks, ma’am. Good giggling, to you. You’re bearing false witness, though. Is that wrong in your religion?

        1. Now you are trying to fix my beliefs? You complain as much as my teenager! I truly enjoy your comments, but I’m wondering if you could respond with an actual solution worth considering. I do not have to “tolerate” everything the progressives attempt to jam down our throats: global warming, on demand abortions, boys in the girl’s locker rooms.

    3. @OldGuy … You don’t have to be a voter to own property in South Dakota. If you didn’t hide behind a fake name I’d tell you all about growing up in South Dakota, before the Republicans corrupted it.

  7. One would hope that this presents an escalation in enforcement of ADA and Omlstaed v. L.C., as well as lights another fire to get IHS in order.

  8. Pat, your child is more likely to be sexually assaulted by your priest/pastor in your church than by a transgender in a bathroom in SD. I thought Republicans were supposed to be for less gov’t interference?…..except when it suits your religious fears I guess….

    1. Daniel, did you read for content, or just form an opinion?

      I pointed out a couple of facts, and asked a question.

  9. Porter,

    You keep having bad facts and insufficient understanding:

    Bad Fact: The financial position of the United States includes assets of at least $269.6 trillion (1576% of GDP) and debts of $145.8 trillion (852% of GDP) to produce a net worth of at least $123.8 trillion (723% of GDP) [a] as of Q1 2014.

    Bad Understanding: Debt:Assets is relevant only in a liquidation. Liquidation is relevant only if free cash flow is insufficient to pay the debt. $15 trillion of GDP is not free cash flow as it is substantially used to buy goods, services, and salaries. The capacity of the economy to handle the current levels of debt is primarily a function of the current low interest rate environment.

    Higher interest rates for business can be dealt with primarily by exchanging debt and equity, for individuals it will require a higher allocation of income to debt service, and for government they will have to either cut services or tax more.

    Even reputable liberal economists don’t approach the debt of business, individuals or the government with your apparent pollyannish view. They too struggle with the impact of a return to a more normal interest rate environment.

    1. Man, you’re long winded with little substance. What you’re dancing around but won’t say is that the rich pay their fair share and the debt is poor people’s fault.

  10. Porter, it sometimes takes words and thoughts to speak even to the idiots who confuse assets with net worth, disregard private debt when speaking about all assets of the nation, and think Debt:Equity is relevant to handling debt service.

    And, sometimes the idiot responds proving they don’t have the foggiest idea what they are talking about.

    1. Did you call me an idiot, punk? Twice? Have you got the guts to say that to my face? I went to business school and understand that net worth is everything USA owns of significance minus our liabilities. This thread has deteriorated into insults against ideas Republicans don’t like. It’s about Washington sending a civil rights attorney to uphold the law and whether filing a lawsuit against the law should stop implementation. Mr. Jones. When you go low, we liberals go high.

  11. Porter,

    You of maybe average intelligence, below average knowledge, and filled with excessive hubris which makes you the dumbest person in every room you have ever walked into.

    Your saying you went to business school rings like saying you stayed at a Holiday Express because your statement at 12:11 conflicts with your statement at 10:29. And, either your hubris won’t let you admit it or your lack of intelligence/knowledge is unable to grasp it.

    1. Feel better, Mr. Jones? That’s good. I’ll call this my last word, on this thread.

      1. Damn Troy. You nailed it. He left the room when presented with facts. He isn’t used to people of lesser understanding of a balance sheet. When presented wirh a logical argument, he runs. He surrounds himself with like minded individuals that are convinced the rich aren’t paying their share when 47% pay no federal income tax. Confiscate all income by the rich and it won’t touch our debt or liabilities. Get a clue Porker. You may want a refund on that “business” degree. Ha

    3. Hillary Clinton went to law school, cut could not pass the Washington D.C. Bar exam. http://www.snopes.com/politics/clintons/barexam.asp This being the smartest person in the world. An education does not necessarily make for an intelligent person. Troy, my late grandfather gave me some good advice. Don’t argue with an idiot or people will not know the difference. You should stop arguing with Porter. How Porter is able to sit without breaking his neck is beyond me.

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