Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona declined to answer questions about whether he would let boys fight his daughter in sports or undress in front of her in bathrooms at a Tuesday hearing.
President Joe Biden’s administration released a finalized rule in April that extends Title IX protection to encompass “sexual orientation” and “gender identity,” but it does not address transgender athletes. Cardona refused to answer the questions from Republican Utah Rep. Burgess Owens, saying he would not comment on rules related to athletics that his department has not yet proposed.
“Would you force your daughter to undress in the bathroom with boys, who are also undressing?” Owens asked.
“I am not going to be commenting on athletics rules that we haven’t proposed,” Cardona answered.
Owens pressed Cardona for a “yes or no” answer but the secretary declined to provide one, saying he would “be happy” to discuss Title IX.
“If your daughter was reported, she felt uncomfortable in a boy’s presence in a bathroom or locker room, would that be considered by your administration to be discrimination or bigotry?” Owens followed up.
Cardona again declined to provide a “yes or no” answer as Owens pressed him.
“Girls have now entered in contact sports of boxing and wrestling. Would you allow your daughter to physically fight and get beat up by a boy who called himself a girl?” Owens asked. “Yes or no.”
“Be happy to, once we finalize our regulations on Title IX athletics, to come back and have a conversation with you,” Cardona said.
The Biden administration is currently working on a rule that would restrict schools from imposing a “one-size-fits-all policy” that allegedly discriminates against transgender athletes. Nearly 25 states have enacted legislation prohibiting transgender athletes from competing in female sports.
“The new Title IX regulations increase protections to all students, and increase protections for women,” Cardona said.
“This is why American parents are really concerned about this administration. You cannot answer a basic question that makes common sense,” Owens retorted. “I’ll say this. I know how to protect my girls.”
The education secretary has a daughter and a son. Cardona also repeatedly refused to answer questions on whether there are physical differences between men and women at an April hearing.
“Would you agree that women are physically different from men?” Maryland Republican Rep. Andy Harris asked him.
“I see where you’re going with this,” Cardona responded before the congressman interrupted him. Harris then asked the question again, to which Cardona repeated his answer, adding, “I would love to talk about how we can work together to support the students,” before Harris cut him off once more.
