Manchester Wrestles With Transgender Bathroom Issue
December 17, 2019 at 2:21 a.m.
By Maddie Jo Shultz-
A livestream of the Dec. 10 meeting is available on MCS’ YouTube channel.
“This is all new territory for us,” Gremaux said. “We do not have all the answers, so please don’t think that we do. But I believe that with your help, we can learn, we can listen to others’ concerns, and we can develop positive outcomes.”
The controversy regarding the school’s policy now surrounds a first-grade student at Manchester Elementary School who was born a boy but identifies as a girl and uses the girls’ restroom.
Gremaux explained MCS’s current process regarding bathroom and locker room choice. Students must speak with both a counselor and a principal if they identify with a gender that does not align with their biological sex.
“Students who do not go through this process and choose to use a restroom other than the one that matches their biological sex will be disciplined,” she added.
Since last week’s meeting, Gremaux said in an email, “We have put several things in place and will be sharing that information at our Dec. 18 meeting.”
Other administrative staff, including MES Principal Amy Korus, did not return phone calls requesting comment.
The public was first made aware of the schools’ procedure in late November when Nate Gephart released a petition via Facebook at protectingourchildren.net. In his petition, Gephart announced that MCS allows “boys that identify as girls to use the girls bathroom and locker room” and urged the public to join the meeting Wednesday.
The meeting will be held at the MCS Administrative Office and begins at 6 p.m.
A livestream of the Dec. 10 meeting is available on MCS’ YouTube channel.
“This is all new territory for us,” Gremaux said. “We do not have all the answers, so please don’t think that we do. But I believe that with your help, we can learn, we can listen to others’ concerns, and we can develop positive outcomes.”
The controversy regarding the school’s policy now surrounds a first-grade student at Manchester Elementary School who was born a boy but identifies as a girl and uses the girls’ restroom.
Gremaux explained MCS’s current process regarding bathroom and locker room choice. Students must speak with both a counselor and a principal if they identify with a gender that does not align with their biological sex.
“Students who do not go through this process and choose to use a restroom other than the one that matches their biological sex will be disciplined,” she added.
Since last week’s meeting, Gremaux said in an email, “We have put several things in place and will be sharing that information at our Dec. 18 meeting.”
Other administrative staff, including MES Principal Amy Korus, did not return phone calls requesting comment.
The public was first made aware of the schools’ procedure in late November when Nate Gephart released a petition via Facebook at protectingourchildren.net. In his petition, Gephart announced that MCS allows “boys that identify as girls to use the girls bathroom and locker room” and urged the public to join the meeting Wednesday.
The meeting will be held at the MCS Administrative Office and begins at 6 p.m.
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