Major funding for the pbs newshour has been provided by moving our economy for 160 years. Bnsf, the engine that connects us. Fathom travel Carnival Corporations small ship line. Offering sevenday cruises to three cities in cuba. Exploring the culture, cuisine and Historic Sites through its people. More at fathom. Org. Lincoln financial committed to helping you take charge of your financial future. Genentech. Supporting social entrepreneurs and their solutions to the worlds most pressing problems skollfoundation. Org. The ford foundation. Working with visionaries on the frontlines of social change worldwide. And with the ongoing support of these institutions and friends of the newshour. This program was made possible by the corporation for public broadcasting. And by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. Thank you. Woodruff the political and social struggle over bathrooms and gender blew up today. The spark came from a letter sent to School Districts across the nation by the federal government, and it drew immediate condemnation by conservative states. For the nations Public Schools, the issue was already simmering. After todays federal directive, its on the front burner. That is provide transgender students with access to suitable bathrooms and locker rooms that match their chosen gender identity. The challenge here is not to isolate anybody. Its not to discriminate against anybody, its not to make anybody unsafe. Its actually to ensure that our schools are as inclusive and respectful and safe as they can possibly be. Woodruff the u. S. Departments of justice and education issued the directive in a formal letter to School Districts. It does not impose new legal requirements. Instead, it cites title 9s existing protections against sex discrimination that are tied to federal funding. According to the directive when a student or the students parent notifies the School Administration that the student will assert a gender identity that differs from previous records, the school will begin treating the student consistent with that gender identity. U. S. Attorney general Loretta Lynch said the goal is to protect against harassment and address unjust policies in local schools. The Transgender Community welcomed the news. We have someone whos very powerful, able to help us. Woodruff woodruff 14yearold chicago student alex singh transitioned from female to male two years ago. He appeared in a frontline documentary, growing up trans, on pbs last year. Hen i first came out, i was in 7th grade, and before then, going to the bathroom was kind of uncomfortable for me, as it would be for any guy going into the female restroom. It was very uncomfortable, very nerve racking. I just felt out of place and like i did not belong. Woodruff and High Schoolers in arlington, virginia, offered their own reactions today. Equal rights is just a part of our government, our amendments. Like, i dont think it should be based on gender. If youre a u. S. Citizen you should be treated like one, not alienated just because you changed your gender. I would feel comfortable going into the bathroom because obviously they think theyre female, and im female so they wouldnt harm me in any way. Woodruff but the backlash began almost immediately. We will not be blackmailed by the president s 30 pieces of silver. We will not sell out our children to the federal government. Woodruff in texas, Lieutenant Governor dan patrick urged his States School superintendents to defy the Obama Administration even if it means forfeiting billions in federal aid. Hes either paying back the lesbian gay and Transgender Community that helped him defeat Hillary Clinton in 2008, or he believes in this policy. I dont know for what reason hes doing it, but it is the most damaging Public Policy he has put forth. Woodruff North Carolina governor pat mccrory takes a similar stance. His state and the Justice Department are already suing each other over a new state law restricting public bathroom use to a persons birth gender. This is an issue which is really about privacy vs. Equality and that balance. And people have an expectation of privacy, according to many of our citizens, not just in North Carolina, but, again, this is now going to be a nationwide issue. When you go to a restroom or to a locker room or to a shower facility, there is an expectation of privacy, that the only other people in that room, in a very private moment, i might add, will be people of the same gender. She said, mom i think theres a boy changing in my locker room. Woodruff some parents are worried as well. This woman in clovis, california, where schools already follow a state gender identity law, expressed her concern this week. I understand that times are changing and that there are issues that need to be addressed. I totally, completely understand that, but i dont think that this is the right solution. Woodruff and in another development, the u. S. Department of health and Human Services issued new rules today saying transgender people cant be denied health care by professional providers who receive federal funding. The transgender bathroom battle also spilled over into the president ial race today. Republican donald trump was asked about it, during phoneins to morning tv talk shows. He said everybody has to be protected, but he argued it is not a federal issue. I think the state should make the decision. Theyre more capable of making the decision. I felt that from the beginning. I just think it should be states rights. I think many, many things, actually, should be states rights, but this is a perfect example of it. Woodruff the two democratic president ial candidates, Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders, had no immediate reaction. We will get a full airing of the issue, after the news summary. The pharmaceutical giant pfizer has announced it will no longer allow its drugs to be used in lethal injections. With that decision today, all federally approved suppliers have now blocked sales of their products to prison systems. A number of states using the Death Penalty have begun buying the drugs covertly. Russian president Vladimir Putin stepped up his criticism of nato Missile Defense sites in poland. Putin scoffed at u. S. Arguments that the system is aimed at iranian missiles and not russia. He told Russian Military officials we will have to think about how we can fend off the threats. Meanwhile, polish and american officials symbolically broke ground for a new Missile Interceptor site. Another site went operational yesterday. In iraq, Islamic State militants attacked for a Third Straight day. This time, the target was the shiite town of balad, about 50 miles north of baghdad. Two suicide bombers and gunmen stormed a busy coffee shop there, killing at least 13 people. Four more were killed in a second attack, later. Isis bombings earlier this week killed nearly 100 civilians and soldiers. The u. S. Transportation Security Administration is appealing for patience as travelers face growing security delays at airports. Lines have gotten longer in the face of tighter security procedures and fewer transportation security officers, or t. S. O. s. At Washingtons Reagan National Airport today, the secretary of homeland security, jeh johnson, promised corrective action. Our job is to keep the American Public safe. Were dealing this spring and summer with increased travel volume which obviously puts an added burden on our t. S. O. s and increased demand on the system. But were not going to compromise Aviation Security in the face of this. Woodruff congress agreed this week to inject more money into the t. S. A. , to hire more officers and take other steps. In the meantime, officials are warning passengers to arrive at least two hours ahead of their flights. A cyber heist that stole 81 million from a Bangladesh Bank now appears to be part of a wider campaign. The Global FinancialNetwork Swift reported today the same hackers also hit an unnamed vietnamese bank. And europes largest weapons company, b. A. E. Systems, said the same malware is linked to the cyberattack on sonys Hollywood Studio in 2014. Wall streets week ended with a selloff, led by retail and bank stocks. The Dow Jones Industrial average lost 185 points to close at 17,535. The nasdaq fell 19 points, and the s p 500 slipped 17. For the week, the dow was down 1 . The nasdaq and the s p were off about half a percent. General lori j. Robinson made history today, taking over norad, the north American Aerospace defense command. A ceremony in Colorado Springs made her the first woman to head a u. S. Combat command. Shes one of only two female fourstar generals in the air force. She is said to have a keen interest in space, Cyber Security and drones. And, the worlds oldest person, Susannah Mushatt jones, has died at the age of 116. She passed away thursday at a seniors home in brooklyn, new york. Jones was born in alabama in 1899, and moved north as a young woman. She never drank or smoked, but said she did eat bacon every day. Susannah Mushatt Jones was the last living american from the 19th century. Still to come on the newshour reaction to the Obama Administrations sweeping directive on Public School bathrooms; a key hezbollah leader killed in syria; why some see alabamas overcrowded prisons as a sign of Racial Injustice, and much more. Woodruff the battle over the use of School Facilities by transgender students has already flared up in North Carolina and in other communities, including in southeastern virginia and a chicago suburb. But the directive to all Public Schools from the Obama Administration spreads it across the nation. Hari sreenivasan is in our new york studios tonight, and has more on the reaction and possible impact. Sreenivasan im joined by two people who have been involved on both sides of this issue. Alex myers is an english teacher at Phillips Exeter academy in new hampshire, an author and speaks frequently about gender identity. Hes transgender, came out in high school and was the first openly transgender student to attend harvard. And Jeremy Tedesco is senior Legal Counsel with Alliance Defending freedom, a faithbased legal advocacy group. It represents several groups of parents that oppose allowing students to use School Bathrooms based on gender identity. Alex, let me start with you. Why is this so significant to you . This is real lay moment of recognition unparalleled. I think the Transgender Community has been existing at the margins not only of Mainstream Society but also the lgbt communities and president obamas and Loretta Lynchs statements bring us out of the shadows. Sreenivasan Jeremy Tedesco, your organization is involved in two lawsuits in chicago and North Carolina to try to prevent these types of policy from rolling out. Are there a lot of students not transgender who are trying to go into the other bathrooms, so to speak . Why is this a step too far . I really appreciate you having us on. Im glad we can be on pbs and have a civil discourse. The alliance for freedom has been pushing out policies to School Districts for several years compassionate alternative that meets the needs of every student at the school. So our policy says, if students who for whatever reason are uncomfortable using the lockerroom or shower or restroom designated for their biological sex should be given alternative facilities, singlestall facilities or whatever is available at the school. Almost all schools have those available, but they shouldnt allow the privacy rights of other students to be violated io providing the accommodations. There are interests, rights on both sides of the equation in the bathroom and lockerroom contexts. Students have an expectation of privacy in those facilities. The Obama Administration is completely trampling those rights by directing schools to just let students of one sex into the lockerrooms androomsxdf the students ofni the other sex. Sreenivasan alex, how are the schools supposed to strike the balance to protect the privacy of all students not just the transgender sphwhuns. I think the basic thing a school needs to do is educate and train faculty, administration and students, just so people are aware. A lot of the problems are caused by ignorance rather than actual incidents. But in terms of privacy and what was just outlined, i think the problem with having a separate singlegender, singleuse bathroom is youre mandating that something that sounds like separate but equal but we want people to coexist together, for there not to be segregation of any kind. In terms of privacy rights, you might be looking at modifying particularly lockerroom facilities to allow every student privacy. You will find transgender want to go intorooms, locker rooms and use the facilities discreetly and they value their own privacy and are not likely to intrude on others. The conservative movement is mentioning privacy for a right when for so many years they inl acted sodomy laws which had no respect for privacy. Sreenivasan in the d. O. J. Today and the department of education, there were School Districts that all have created policies in figure ago way through this without any lawsuits. Why arent these fixes good enough . Sometimes it was as simple as a stall with a dar or a curtain. The illinois lawsuit where we filed the lawsuit against the department of education and a School District outside of chicago, they did install a few privacy stalls inside the girls locker room, but that doesnt solve anything because those stalls are inside the locker room. The biologically male student has to walk through the room when girls arenr changing for p. In class that are in a state of undress. It happens every day of the year because p. E. Is mandatory so these girls have to suffer the humiliation, the degradation, the affront to their dignity and the privacy violations on an everyday basis in the school. It doesnt solve the problem. See, privacy rights say the person of the opposite sex, they stop at the door to the locker room, not at a door to a private stall inside the locker room. The bar is at the door to the lo consistent with the expectation of privacy that weve always had in our society when it comes to the use of these kinds ofni facilities. Again, that right is protected by the u. S. Constitution. So with the Obama Administration what the Obama Administration is promoting isnr something that tramples the privacy rights and the dignity of girls at schools across the country and boys. You know, in illinois, we have 63 student plaintiffs, the 130plus plaintiffs altogether. These people, you know, theyre religious, theyre not religious. You know, privacy is something that cuts across religious and ideological lines and these people just want their childrens right to privacy protected by the schools and the federal government. Sreenivasan alex, what do you say to the parents who are in this lawsuit . I think that the time has come to be a little bit more educated and a little bit more open. I really have not heard of any incidents of harassment or assault. Im not aware of there being any legitimate problems voiced by sis gender students. I think the overwhelming majority of transgender people who use public facilities want to do so with respect to their own privacy and discresmghts it has not risen to any attention that i know of that theres been any problem with the use. Sreenivasan Jeremy Tedesco, on your site, you seem to be drawing an inference that allowing transgender people these rights is the equivalent of shielding sexual predators. The example youxdg cite on theg repeatedly seem like people who are political activists orconr perhaps sexual predators. Are you trying to equate the two groups . Well, of course not. We dont think that providing access to people who are truly struggling with gender identity issues is going to be a safety problem. The problem is theseco laws allw people to simply selfidentify as the opposite sex and l4 gain access. You cant tell menr based on all the evidence thats out there that people who have, you know, uncon