WA state schools must reverse course on ‘absurd’ gender policies | Opinion

Backing investigation of WA gender policies

Over the past months, cases of potential Title IX violations in Central Washington have been brought to light, and the issue has reached a breaking point for parents across our region. As school administrators, teachers, and parents raise their concerns publicly, the Washington state Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) has refused to end their absurd gender policies and is working hard to keep parents in the dark.

In a critical step towards ending this unacceptable standard, the U.S. Departments of Education and Justice launched an investigation into OSPI and taken a stand against forcing gender politics on students in Washington classrooms and sports. As your representative in Congress and as the president of the Kennewick School Board, we wholistically support this investigation and urge a swift resolution.

This is the first-ever joint investigation under the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA), and Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. These laws were implemented to protect students, parents, and ensure fairness both in the classroom and athletic competitions.

OSPI’s efforts to prevent schools from reporting to parents that their child has changed gender and allowing biological boys to compete against girls in high school sports are beyond the pale. These are blatant attacks on parental rights and fairness in athletics.

State Superintendent Chris Reykdal is actively and maliciously ignoring President Trump’s executive order “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports.” and in turn threatening federal funding to school districts that comply with OSPI but not the executive order. This funding is make-or-break for many districts in Central Washington, and Superintendent Reykdal must immediately reverse course and change OSPI’s policies.

School districts including Kennewick, Moses Lake, Warden, Tumwater and Gonzaga Prep have bravely stood up against the state’s policies. We stand with every parent, teacher, and coach who refuse to sit idle while their taxpayer dollars pay for the implementation of these fringe ideologies.

We will continue to advocate for transparency between schools and parents who are protected under laws designed for student success, and we will not stop fighting to protect the women in our communities.

Gabe Galbraith, Kennewick School Board president

U.S. Rep. Dan Newhouse, 4th Congressional District

Trump’s tax plan needs to help all Americans

President Trump has imposed steep tariffs to help rejuvenate American manufacturing. Expected job increases likely will disappoint due to the application of AI and robotics, and inflation caused by reciprocal tariffs.

Reciprocal tariffs will raise the annual cost of living by about $4,000, an unmanageable change for many low-income earners. Necessary belt-tightening will cause losses of low-income jobs in businesses that rely heavily on discretionary spending by consumers.

More than 1,700 economists and scholars warn in their Anti-Tariff Declaration that Trump’s tariffs are misguided. Economists similarly warned Herbert Hoover that tariffs would exacerbate the Great Depression. History proved them right.

Trump has proposed federal-income-tax exemptions for tips, overtime, and social security income as well as for those who earn up to $200,000/year. Few low-income workers would benefit. Most already are exempt because they earn too little.

Trump is seeking permanent tax reductions by slashing government programs, several of which greatly benefit low-income families. The tax reductions favor the very rich in total cost ($200 billion/year) and in average individual benefit ($300,000/year).

Many low-income liberals and moderates cast their ballots for Trump in the last election. Let’s hope Trump rewards them with a better plan.

Russ Treat, Richland

Trump’s Ukraine plan only benefits Russia

Donald Trump is trying to sell out the Ukraine by a “despicable” lie that the Zelenskyy government is the aggressor and the Russians should be given everything they are demanding to stop their attacks.

According to European sources, Trump’s peace plan calls for the following:

• Moscow be given the 20 percent of Ukrainian territory that it currently occupies.

• The U.S. also lifts all economic sanctions that it imposed on Russia as a result of the February 2022 invasion.

• Russia is recognized as controlling the Crimea which the Soviet Union illegally annexed in 2014.

• The U.S. is barred from stationing peacekeeping troops in Ukraine after the ceasefire, and Ukraine is forbidden from ever joining the West’s NATO military alliance.

Under the terms of the Budapest memorandum when the Ukraine gave up its nuclear arsenal, the US, UK, and Russia promised to support the Ukraine’s territorial integrity. Instead, Russia annexed the Crimea and has invaded its eastern provinces.

For the future security of the Ukraine, Europe, and US, Trump needs to change his perspective. He should quit sponsoring a peace plan that favors Russia and honor the US promise to support Ukraine’s territorial integrity by continuing to provide it with military assistance.

William Petrie, Richland