The Frisco Independent School District (FISD) voted unanimously Monday night to require students to use bathrooms corresponding to their assigned gender at birth.
The new policy, brought by newly-elected FISD trustees Stephanie Elad and Marvin Lowe, applies only to multiple-occupancy bathrooms and changing rooms.
FISD’s new policy does not explicitly prohibit the district from continuing its previous de facto policy of providing specific accommodations upon request on a carefully-considered case-by-case basis.
Such requests generally result in the student being granted the use of a single-occupancy bathroom, as previously reported in The Dallas Express.
The matter of continued exceptions was clarified by Lowe and the school district’s attorney, Lucas Henry.
“If [students and their parents] decide that using a single-use bathroom is not acceptable … and they want to use a bathroom of their chosen gender, this will prevent that?” Lowe asked.
Henry said no.
“This policy leaves the opportunity to make an accommodation for a student to use a restroom that is not of their biological sex, but rather lets them use one of their choice,” stated Henry. “A [single-occupancy] restroom is usually the option that is preferred by the families.”
While the new policy does not appear to upend the district’s previous practices, it does seem to set a new default policy, the first of its kind in the district.
Public comment on the agenda item evoked a mixed response.
Some parents expressed concern over the new policy, arguing that it further stigmatized transgender students.
Ellie Patel, for instance, said she was disappointed in the board’s position. Addressing the board Monday night, she claimed a recent study revealed that 75% of transgender youth felt unsafe at school.
“They need to be accepted and treated with respect and kindness,” she said. “No one should be a second-class citizen.”
While most speakers addressing the board opposed the new policy, a number of parents supported it.
Lennea Hartoonian criticized the de facto policy of providing accommodations, stating that it is “not fair to those that do not believe in gender theory. It usurps the faith of many and not just Christians … Demeaning and demoralizing a female in the name of equity is inequality.”
Others echoed Hartoonian’s point about female students, voicing concern over possible increased vulnerability to harassment or assault.
Still, FISD claimed that out of the last 361 documented “bathroom incidents,” there have been no reported incidents in any of its campus bathrooms involving transgender students.
FISD has more than 62,000 students. Fewer than 50 have asked for restroom accommodations, according to the district.
Later in the evening, trustees also voted unanimously to update the district’s policy on reviewing library books. More than 300 books have been removed from libraries because of sexually-explicit content. The new policy provides an expedited review for books allegedly containing obscene passages.
Its shame that we need to VOTE on an issue like this. Mental illness is something we can no longer ignore.
Correct. And that mental illness goes all the way to the White House. We need to get the crazies out. You think a transgender would be going into the restroom with Prissy Pelosi? She probably has a restroom designated specifically for her. Talk about white privilege.
one preety fair moronic comment. Pelosi is fairly liberal. Now take someone from the red party, they would most likely seek out someone using a trans restroom.
is this actually an issue? Are trans kids taking over your area???
“FISD has more than 62,000 students. Fewer than 50 have asked for restroom accommodations, according to the district.“
The issue is CLEAR and for those who do NOT understand I will say the following:
In the locker rooms of schools there are young MEN who claim to choose female identity. They change openly with their JUNK exposed to the young women of the school. Many of them have not started chemical change or physical change and some chemical change only, leaving them as MALES physically and technically and from birth.
This act violates the religious and personal beliefs, ideals and even the innocence and sensibilities of at least SOME of the young women involved.
Since when does the personal DESIRE, CHOICE, and BELEIF of one person count for more than the unchosen natural born gender, personal comfort, sensibilities, and beliefs of another in a structured government ordered situation? It can NOT according to law and the Constitution. IT is a fraud upon the public to believe otherwise.
There have been many cases (not usually printed in media but I have found dozens over the years) of these young males in aroused state in those rooms with those young women and girls. Some even physically or sexually harass these girls because they can get away with it and the girls can do NOTHING about it…after all it was a GOVERNMENT decision. (School districts are actually governmental bodies in almost every state).
I thank GOD that I did not have to deal with that with my three daughters. I would most likely be in prison today for what would have been my vivid response.