Did an honorary degree for Dr. Rachel Levine lead to Title IX probe of Smith College?

"The Trump administration's investigation into Smith College, the prestigious women's college in western Massachusetts, may have begun with something as symbolically potent and legally tenuous as an honorary degree awarded to Dr. Rachel Levine, one of the nation's highest-ranking transgender public officials and a pediatrician who previously served as Pennsylvania's physician general and health secretary."

"Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Education announced it had opened a Title IX investigation into Smith, one of the nation's oldest historically women's colleges, over its policy allowing transgender women to enroll. The administration argues the federal civil rights law's exemption for single-sex institutions applies only on the basis of what it calls "biological sex.""

"In an interview with The Advocate, Goldberg described the federal government's Title IX probe into Smith's admissions policy as part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to use civil rights to target transgender inclusion in public life. "The investigation is wrong at so many levels," Goldberg said."

"During remarks connected to her Smith appearance, Levine spoke critically about cuts to the federal public health workforce under the Trump administration. "Many dedicated public health leaders, including most of the HIV and infectious disease team who I worked with in my office at HHS, have had their positions eliminated," Levine said. "These hardworking civil servants went to work every single day to support the health and well-being for all Americans, including t"

The U.S. Department of Education opened a Title IX investigation into Smith College over its policy allowing transgender women to enroll. The administration contends that the civil-rights law’s exemption for single-sex institutions applies only based on “biological sex.” Smith is a historically women’s college in western Massachusetts. The investigation is linked to broader efforts to use civil-rights enforcement to limit transgender inclusion in public life. Suzanne B. Goldberg, a law professor and founder of a gender and sexuality law center, characterizes the investigation as wrong on multiple levels. The probe is also connected to Smith’s earlier decision to award an honorary degree to Dr. Rachel Levine, a high-ranking transgender public official and pediatrician.

Read at Advocate.com