Dave Wilson Civil Rights Essay

“We question why this trustee is working against the students he is supposed to represent...the call to remove politicitions who are no longer meeting the needs of the people they represent [is a time honored tradition]...we the board to start removal pocedures against this individual.”

K. Kelly Meine called for the removal of HCC Board of Trustee Dave Wilson at the board meeting on Sept. 17. Attempts to reach Wilson for comment were unsuccessful.

Meine is the president of Houston Community College Central chapter of OUT Student and Allies.

Trustee Wilson has petitioned the City of Houston to establish that gender identity is assigned at birth. He has also advocated against the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance, popularly known as HERO. Wilson also tried to remove HCC’s participation in the city gay pride parade.

Department of Education, transgender identities are protected under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. Two months ago, OUTSA form a petition against Wilson’s gender-assigned-at-birth petition on Change.org. It has garnered 48 signatures.

Here is a excerpt from their petition:

“Should Mr. Wilson’s petition to strictly assign gender identity at birth be successful, this will force Houston Community College (and every other federally funded educational system within Houston city limits) to violate Title IX. This will put HCC at risk of litigation and/or loss of federal funds. Both of these could possibly have extremely negative effects upon HCC’s financial stability.”

“...we ask that Mr. Wilson cease working to violate the civil rights of the students he is supposed to be representing.”

Read the full petition here: http://chn.ge/1VbyAAU

Meine said in an interview that, “...there are transgender students at this school. If he’s successful in his attempt, that actually creates a hostile environment for them...I’ve met staff and faculty who are transgender, so that would also affect