AZ Repubs Say Biden Nondiscrimination Policy Is 'Woke' And 'Dangerous'

PHOENIX, AZ — Arizona Senate Republicans are claiming that the United States Department of Agriculture nondiscrimination policy, updated under President Biden, threatens to take free school lunch away from poor kids if boys in public schools aren't allowed to use the girls bathrooms.

But that's not what the policy says.

The Arizona Senate Republicans published a news release Thursday, claiming that the updated nondiscrimination policy, announced last month, pushed a "woke" and dangerous agenda on public school children.

"The federal government is literally threatening to stop feeding the poorest of children if schools don’t allow boys in girls' bathrooms, boys in girls' showers, or boys on girls' sports teams," the Senate Republicans said in the release.

The news release was in response to the USDA's announcement that it would require school programs that receive Food and Nutrition Service funds for their school lunch programs, along with other programs and agencies, to update their nondiscrimination policies to include protections for sexual orientation and gender identity.

“Whether you are grocery shopping, standing in line at the school cafeteria, or picking up food from a food bank, you should be able to do so without fear of discrimination,” Stacy Dean, USDA Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services Deputy Under Secretary, said in a news release. “No one should be denied access to nutritious food simply because of who they are or how they identify.”

The USDA did not anywhere in its announcement say that it would deny funds to schools that don't allow boys to use girls bathrooms.

It did say that agencies which receive USDA school lunch funding must investigate allegations of discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, and could lose funding if they don't.

"Vilifying trans kids during pride month is very on brand for Republicans but this is just a distraction," the Arizona Senate Democrats tweeted in response to the Republican news release. "Children are worried about getting shot in their classrooms not their classmates gender identity."