1. United States
2. Vt.
3. Letter

Vote no on the PROTECT Kids Act. This bill would force schools to out transgender and gender-nonconforming students to their parents before using a preferred name or pronoun — even when that student's home environment is unsafe. That's not parental rights. That's putting vulnerable kids in danger. Research is clear that family rejection is one of the leading drivers of transgender youth homelessness and mental health crises. This bill provides zero exceptions for abusive or hostile households, no protections for mature minors, and no emergency carve-outs. It also conflicts with Title IX and raises serious equal protection concerns under the Fourteenth Amendment by singling out gender identity for consent requirements applied to no other aspect of student life. Schools would face impossible compliance dilemmas, litigation costs, and potential loss of federal funding — all with no additional resources to manage any of it. Please oppose this legislation and protect the students who depend on schools as a safe space.