PEARLAND, Texas – The mother of a transgender kindergartner is pleading with the Pearland Independent School District to let her child – who was born a boy – use the girl’s bathroom at school.

“You are increasing the risk of suicide among these children,” mother Kimberly Shappley told the school board Tuesday, according to the Houston Chronicle.

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Shappley contacted district officials this spring to request that her transgender daughter Kai has access to girl’s bathroom facilities at school when she starts this fall, because district policy segregates students based on their biological gender, ABC News reports.

“I went to the campus and approached the school district to try and work with them,” she said. “I wanted to make sure Kai wouldn’t be discriminated against and be able to use the girl’s bathroom, but it soon became very apparent that the superintendent has a very strong, prejudiced stance against the LGBTQ community.”

A month after Shappley approached district officials about her daughter, the Obama administration issued a directive to all schools receiving federal funds ordering them to comply with the president’s interpretation of Title IX antidiscrimination laws.

The Obama administration contends Title IX requires schools to allow transgender students to use whatever facilities they choose, a position that’s refuted by numerous legal experts and the subject of multiple ongoing lawsuits.

Regardless, Pearland Superintendent John Kelly issued a statement to The Pearland Journal about the federal edict that left little question about where the district’s leadership stands on the issue. He explained that the district’s policy calls for “transgender” students to use school facilities consistent with their biological sex, or a private bathrooms made available to all students.

He explained that Pearland ISD receives $9 million in annual funding from the federal government for low-income and at-risk students, and the Obama administration could withhold that funding to force its agenda. Kelly also pointed out that several Texas lawmakers are fighting the federal intrusion into local education decisions.

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“In my personal opinion, this is one more example of unconstitutional interference and social engineering by the federal government,” Kelly wrote of the Obama administration’s recent Title IX letter. “When the Supreme Court re-defined marriage and invented new constitutional rights, the door was open for re-defining all social norms, now including Executive Branch dictates about bathroom and locker room rules in local schools.

“It is astonishing to watch the flip flop by leaders who 10 years ago strongly endorsed traditional marriage. A hostile vocal minority now rules in America aided by an apathetic, unengaged majority, he continued. “What’s next? Legalizing pedophilia and polygamy? Unless we return to the Biblical basis on which our nation’s laws were established, we are in serious trouble – and cannot expect God’s continued favor.”

Kelly was among a long list of public school leaders who lashed out at the federal government over the transgender issue.

KTRK featured Shappley in a two-part series about the evolution of her relationship to her daughter – originally named Joseph – that centered on the mother’s struggle to rectify Kai’s situation with her Christian convictions.

“I knew my kid was different before the age of 2,” Shappley said. “My child was very feminine, flamboyant and dramatic. No matter how I tried to punish, reshape or discipline her, she continued being very feminine.”

Shappley said she later decided to advocate for Kai’s transgender rights after she found the child “constantly praying for Joseph to go to heaven.”

“Kai was begging the Lord to let her die,” she said. “My child would pray and ask the Lord to let Joseph go to heaven and be with Jesus.”

District officials issued a statement to KTRK that “Pearland ISD’s stance on transgender students remains children whose parents declare them transgender must go to the bathroom for the sex indicated on their birth certificate.”

Some locals are also speaking out about why they support of the district’s policy.

“It’s not just about Kai, it’s about Sarah who was born a female and believes she’s a female and her safety in a situation where a man walks in that bathroom and says he identifies as a woman,” Rick Torrison said. “What do you do with Sarah?”