Petition circulating to reverse updated Waterloo CUSD #5 bathroom policy
By Deion Broxton
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WATERLOO, Illinois (KMOV) — Parents of students in a Metro East school district are gathering signatures to encourage the school board to reverse an updated policy regarding transgendered students using the bathroom.
Parents of students in the Waterloo Community Unit School District #5 are promoting a petition to convince district officials to rescind the district’s policy that allows transgendered students to use the sex of the bathroom they identify with, as long district officials, parents and the students involved agree to the changes.
Students and parents told News 4 several transgendered students started using bathrooms opposite of the sex they were assigned with at birth. This led to multiple students using the nurse’s bathroom for privacy, but this caused a big disruption and later resulted in a protest at the school.
“I’m very concerned about all of my classmates’ privacy,” rising Waterloo High School sophomore Ashley Mathes said. “I, personally, will use the nurse’s bathroom. I do not feel safe going in to the other restrooms.”
Ultimately, this led to the district school board to update its policy to clarify that transgendered students can use the sex of the bathroom they identify with.
“Me trying to protect my children, I’ve been getting some pushback,” district parent of three Zac Scheetz said. “But it [the new policy] put these transgender kids into being bullied even more than–may–what they are already.”
Scheetz–like many parents–argue the district should allow transgendered students to use single-stall bathrooms or the nurse’s bathroom, and build more gender neutral restrooms.
Recently, district superintendent Brian Charron, told News 4 gender identity is a protected class by the Illinois Human Rights Act. Charron also pushed back against Republican politicians suggesting the district should ignore the law.
“I feel the school district gonna get into some legal obligation no matter what,” Scheetz added.
The school year starts for students on August 16.
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