Voicing their clear opposition to a guidance from Michigan’s Board of Education that would push schools to allow male students to use girls bathrooms and locker rooms, Republicans in the state legislature hit board members where it hurts: their wallets.
A House appropriations subcommittee amended a budget bill on Wednesday to strip all travel and per-diem funding from the Board of Education, meaning board members will have to pay for travel expenses out-of-pocket if the budget bill is approved.
Although Republicans control both the Senate and the House in Michigan, the Board of Education skews heavily left: six of eight board members are Democrats. Unsurprisingly, then, Democrats in the House opposed stripping the Board of its travel and per-diem funding, The Detroit News reports.
As written, the guidance would instruct (but not require) schools to adopt policies that would allow students to pick their name, gender, pronouns and bathroom — all without parental or doctoral input.
Before The Daily Caller covered it on Monday, the guidance had gone largely unnoticed. According to a statement from Michigan House Speaker Kevin Cotter, the Board “failed to notify the state Legislature before moving forward on this controversial proposal.”
The Board kept the public in the dark as well, issuing the guidance without a press release. One state representative wrote on Facebook that he only found out about the guidance after TheDC’s story on it.
“We have heard from countless parents who are upset at being deliberately cut out of their children’s education, and are livid at a government body that is trying to cut them out under the cover of night,” Speaker Cotter said. “The word is out now on their divisive plan, and many parents are scrambling to have their voices heard.”
Originally, the public had only until April 11 to comment on the proposed guidance. Facing strong public backlash, the Board announced the comment period would be extended an additional 30 days. The public can submit feedback on the proposed policy here.