U.S. President Barack Obama has defended his transgender bathroom directive using his Christian faith as a reason to order it.

During a town hall in Elkhart, Indiana, the president was questioned on the controversial issue. Obama explained his reason why he has decided to allow transgender students to access bathrooms of their preference, Breitbart reports.

(Reuters/Pool New) U.S. President Barack Obama attends a press conference at the International Convention Center in Hanoi, Vietnam. May 23, 2016.

"My reading of scripture tells me that that [the] Golden Rule is pretty high up there in terms of my Christian belief," said Obama.

In addition, the president said transgender students tend to get bullied and ostracized in school. When asked by a local resident why he is making it a big issue, Obama said he was doing no such thing, but schools were just having a hard time properly implementing his transgender bathroom directive.

"What happened and what continues to happen is you have transgender kids in schools and they get bullied and they get ostracized and it's tough for them," Obama added.

Although he said he respects every person's religious beliefs, Obama said children in public schools should be treated with kindness.

Meanwhile, President Obama's transgender bathroom policy has prompted Georgia ACLU head Maya Dillard Smith, a Democrat, to step down from her position. In an interview with Megyn Kelly of Fox News, she recounted how she was with her three young daughters in a public restroom when three tall transgender men entered.

Smith said the incident left her daughters frightened, and it also made her feel very uncomfortable. Although she wanted to talk with the ACLU about the implication of the transgender bathroom policy, she later found that the organization has a different view on the matter, Town Hall relays.

In addition, Smith released a statement accusing ACLU of being an organization that promotes selected progressive rights based on the person or entity who gives financial support for its activities.