Gov. Gary Herbert says he worries that the Obama administration's recent directive that students be allowed to use facilities that match their gender identity could be harmful to transgender children.
Herbert said at his monthly news conference on KUED Thursday that transgender students could be bullied if the directive forces them to use a bathroom that's not private.
The Republican governor says federal officials should not have weighed in and instead should leave it to states and schools to deal with.
The guidance from the Obama administration is not legally binding but schools could lose federal aid if they don't comply.
Utah lawmakers plan to hold a hearing this summer looking at how the directive impacts schools and transgender students.
