By Logan Lawson
[email protected] The nationwide battle over rights for transgender people has made its way to Nebraska. Nebraska is one of 10 states that have filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court for Nebraska against the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Justice. The lawsuit challenges the recent mandate changing current Title IX and Title VII law regarding how schools assign students to showers, locker rooms and restroom facilities. The other nine states involved are Michigan, Ohio, Arkansas, Kansas, Montana, North Dakota, South Carolina, South Dakota and Wyoming. All of the states involved fall under the jurisdiction of either Title IX, Title VII or both of the laws in different ways. According to court documents obtained by the Antelope County News, the lawsuit, filed by Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson, challenges the May 13 “Dear Colleague Letter” issued jointly by the Department of Education and Department of Justice. In the letter, the two departments outline new obligations that they seek to impose under Title IX and Title VII in allowing students at federally funded schools to allow individuals access to all showers, locker rooms and restrooms based on the gender they self-identify as, regardless of their birth gender. According to the Department of Justice, Title VII is a federal law that prohibits employers from discriminating against employees on the basis of sex, race, color, national origin and religion. It generally applies to employers with 15 or more employees, including federal, state and local governments. Title IX is a comprehensive federal law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in any federally funded education program or activity. The letter states that allowing students to use private facilities consistent with their gender identity, regardless of their birth sex, is “a condition of receiving federal funds.” This means schools that choose not to comply with the new obligations risk losing funding which, according to the Department of Education, amounts to 9.3 percent of the average state’s total revenue for public schools. The 10 states involved in the lawsuit allege the new obligations circumvent state and federal laws already in place allowing schools to separate facilities by sex without using the proper legislative process to change the laws. According to court documents, the actions redefine the meaning of “discrimination” and “sex,” something the two departments do not have the authority to do. Both the Department of Education and the Department of Justice fall under the executive branch of the government, which is given the constitutional responsibility to carry out and enforce federal laws, not create them. The states also argue that discrimination does not occur when a protected characteristic, in this case a person’s sex, is not taken into account for determining how someone is treated. Sex is defined in Title IX and Title VII as male or female. The lawsuit is the most recent action taken in reaction to the current administration’s stance on gender identity. The administration made their stance clear when the Department of Justice sued the State of North Carolina in May for their law requiring individuals to use bathrooms corresponding to their sex according to their birth certificate. The law and the succeeding lawsuit have spurred protests across the country. A nearly identical lawsuit to Nebraska’s has been filed in federal court in Texas as well by 13 other states. The two lawsuits, along with various individual cases, look to set precedence for future cases regarding gender identity. An Amber Alert issued late Sunday night for two-day old Bentley Tuttle has been cancelled. The newborn and his mother have been found.
At approximately 10:15 Sunday night, an Amber Alert was issued for Tuttle, as he was taken from Faith Regional Health Services and thought to be in danger. The suspects were the child's mother, 35-year old Lacy Tuttle, and 29-year old Chad Raff. There have been no updates on the condition of the child except that he has been found safe and the suspects are in custody. Police are searching for a green Pontiac transport van plates 40-F703 in connection with an Amber Alert issued from Norfolk.
A child has been abducted from Norfolk in/near NE Nebraska. The Norfolk Police Department is looking for a child who was last seen at Faith Regional Medical Center, Norfolk and is believed to be in danger. The child's name is Bentley Tuttle. He is a 2 day old male, with short, dark hair and was last seen wearing White t shirt, Winnie the Pooh diaper, blue checkered fleece blanket. The child may be in the company of Lacee Tuttle, 35 year old white female, 5'5, 195, brown hair, blue jean capris with blue shirt. Chad Raff, 29 year old white male, 5'10, 150, blonde hair, bluejeans, brown shirt, black hat. They may be traveling in a Blue or Black Chevy Venture Van, possibly no plates or a Gold 2008 Buick Lacrosse Utility, 40-F416 that was last seen heading leaving the hospital parking lot. If you have any information on the whereabouts of Bentley Tuttle, please call 911 or contact Norfolk Police Department at 402-644-8700 immediately. An Amber Alert has been issued for a two-day old child missing from a Norfolk hospital.
A child has been abducted from Norfolk in/near NE Nebraska. The Norfolk Police Department is looking for a child who was last seen at Faith Regional Medical Center, Norfolk and is believed to be in danger. The child's name is Bentley Tuttle. He is a 2 day old male, with short, dark hair and was last seen wearing White t shirt, Winnie the Pooh diaper, blue checkered fleece blanket. The child may be in the company of Lacee Tuttle, 35 year old white female, 5'5, 195, brown hair, blue jean capris with blue shirt. Chad Raff, 29 year old white male, 5'10, 150, blonde hair, bluejeans, brown shirt, black hat. They may be traveling in a Blue or Black Chevy Venture Van, possibly no plates or a Gold 2008 Buick Lacrosse Utility, 40-F416 that was last seen heading leaving the hospital parking lot. If you have any information on the whereabouts of Bentley Tuttle, please call 911 or contact Norfolk Police Department at 402-644-8700 immediately.
When the microphone cut out during the National Anthem at the Swim Trials in Omaha, the crowd didn't miss a beat.
According to Sam Murphy, a UNO Student Athlete who was there, after the first verse the microphone crackled and then stopped working. "The crowd didn't miss a breath. They immediately picked up where he was and then belted the anthem as one," Murphy said. "The singer never stopped singing either and it was cool because the crowd went at his tempo too." People all around the country are sharing videos of this magical moment. The body of a 2-year-old Elkhorn toddler attacked by an alligator at a Disney resort in Florida was recovered Wednesday afternoon, according to officials during a press conference.
Officials said Lane Graves, 2, the son of Matt and Melissa Graves of Elkhorn, was pulled into the Seven Seas Lagoon at the Grand Floridian Resort & Spa by an alligator at about 9:30 p.m. Tuesday. The family, which also included a 4-year-old daughter, was at the shoreline when the alligator attacked the toddler. Officials said Matt Graves entered the water and tried to pry the child away from the alligator but could not. Authorities recovered the body at about 3:30 p.m. Eastern Wednesday. Five alligators were found and euthanized Wednesday during the search for the toddler. A search for a Nebraska toddler continues this morning at a Disney resort after the 2-year-old allegedly was dragged into a lake by an alligator on Tuesday night.
Neither the name name of the family or where they are from in Nebraska has been made public at this time. The Orlando Sentinel is reporting that a Nebraska family was vacation at the Disney World’s The Grand Floridian Resort & Spa and was at the Seven Seas Lagoon when the attack occurred Tuesday at 9:30 p.m. Eastern. During a press conference, Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings said young boy was playing at the edge of the water and his father attempted to grab the toddler from the alligator but was unsuccessful. Lifeguards were immediately notified by the parents but were too far away to help. According to Orlando Sentinel, the Florida Fish and Wildlife official said they have already caught four alligators in the lagoon early Wednesday but found no evidence that any of the reptiles were responsible for attacking the boy. |
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