On Thursday, parents of daughters and their supporters packed the Peoria Unified School District Governing Board meeting to call for the development of a bathroom policy in response to the concerns of female students about males, who identify as transgendered, using their facilities.
The Peoria Unified School District Governing Board’s agenda included an item, proposed by Board member Rebecca Hill, that merely instructed staff “to prepare the first draft of a facility use policy for PUSD student bathrooms and locker rooms.”
Although the item consisted of just seventeen words, opponents viewed it as a threat to the LGBTQ+ community and attempted to whip up opposition to it. That effort largely failed, as opposition to the simple proposal failed to draw more than a few “allies.” Instead, the “Call to the Public” portion of the meeting was consumed mostly by mothers defending their daughters’ right to safe single-sex bath and locker rooms.
“I won’t pretend to know, or care about your motives for avoiding the bathroom issue,” said mother, Pam McCoy. “From my perspective the price of these girls’ safety, sanity and purity is basically the dollar amount you think the district will be sued for if you put a policy in place. To me, this is an underhanded way of prostituting kids. I also viewed the so-called transgender student’s social media. He is clearly out of his mind, and nobody, including the majority of this Board, cares anything about him. This Board can’t be bothered to put boundaries in place. Boundaries that not only protect girls but would start a process of getting this kid some real help, and so for that your leadership at this point is useless at best.”
“But thank you Ms. Rooks for always putting kids first,” continued McCoy referring to Board member Heather Rooks, who has been an advocate for a bathroom policy. “In a moment, the parents in the community will see whether your colleagues grew some spines and some hearts since the last Board meeting. We need more than a second to protect all students.”
“I have never been to a board meeting before, so I don’t know the protocol or anything like that so bear with me,” said the first mother to speak, Kayley Skelly. “I am a mom to four children who all attend Peoria Unified School District. I have three daughters and one son, and I wanted to come today to speak on behalf of my daughters. Specifically, my oldest daughter who is in sixth grade. Sorry, I’m really nervous and when I asked her how she would feel if a person who was born a boy and identified as a girl wanted to change in a girl’s locker room or go into the girl’s bathroom, she said she would be extremely uncomfortable. She said to me that she would choose not to use the bathroom at all at school. She said that she would rather hold her bladder and not go to the bathroom versus going into the bathroom.”
“We raise our children – my husband and I – to be kind and respectful to everyone and we believe that we are called as Christians to love everyone, but loving someone does not mean agreeing with them on everything.” continued Skelly. “It does not mean condoning behaviors, and it does not mean sacrificing our identity and beliefs for others. I feel that a policy needs to be written to protect our girls, my girls, and all the other girls in this district, and the transgender students but in a way to make everyone feel comfortable and safe in their environment. My daughters should not have to hold their bladders because they do not feel comfortable. Whatever the policy may be, I don’t want to have to leave Peoria Unified. I love this district, but I have to stand up for what’s right for my girls.”
“I want to say this: I am not here out of hate. I don’t hate anyone, and I especially don’t hate children that are struggling with their gender identity,” said a mother identified only as Mia. “I along with other parents just want the safest environment for my children when we send them off to school for seven hours a day. Not just my children, but all children. What I don’t like is the hateful rhetoric that’s being put on parents like me. I don’t speak truth out of hate, but sometimes truth is hard to hear. The fact is the district needs a bathroom policy. Currently there is no policy in place. I recently saw an email that was sent out to high school admins basically telling them that the trans student and their parents get to do whatever they want when it comes to bathroom and locker rooms, and they need to deal with it on a case-by-case basis. You’re putting so much unnecessary burden on your already exhausted admins. You’re leaving them out to dry and having to deal with every single one of these cases. If you put a policy in place this will remove the burden from them. They are exhausted. You guys do this a lot. The Board always puts everything on the admins to deal with it. I ask that you put an agenda – or your agenda – your narrative aside, and make a common-sense policy. Don’t force the entire student body to accommodate for one or a few students. If trans students don’t want to use their biological bathroom, then give them an accommodation. That’s not hateful, that’s how it’s always been done. You don’t accommodate the ninety-nine for one student. So, please vote to put a bathroom policy on the agenda.”
Former Superintendent of Public Instruction Diane Douglas, who previously served on the PUSD Governing Board, also weighed-in on the matter.
“I’m Diane Douglas. I had the honor of serving on this board for 8 years, two years as president. I also had the privilege of serving as AZ Superintendent of Public Instruction,” began Douglas. “During the April 14th meeting Board Clerk Heather Rooks provided a draft policy regarding bathroom privacy requesting it be placed on the board agenda. Instead, Superintendent Reynolds, Board President Sandoval agendized this vote “Whether to direct administration to prepare the first draft” of a bathroom policy.”
“According to several board members administration told them this is “the process” – the board votes to direct administration to pursue a specific policy or not. Clearly these board members have been misinformed,” explained Douglas. “PUSD Board Policy Process BG © reads: ‘Suggestions regarding the content of policies may originate with a member of the Board, the Superintendent, a staff member, a parent, a student, a consultant, a civic group, or any resident of the district. The policy proposals shall be referred to the administration for detailed study prior to recommendation(s) being provided to the Board.’ Under the law “Shall” is a requirement not a suggestion. Mrs. Rooks has brought suggested policy language that administration – per board policy – is mandated to pursue. The policy does not allow for the Board to shut down recommendations prior to administrative review.”
“Likewise, yesterday’s press release deceived the community about the process alleging the board vote tonight determines ‘if the district begins work on a draft policy…’ No, administration shall begin the study of the suggested policy – per board policy. The presser continues ‘…the vote tomorrow night does not change how students currently use bathrooms.’ But does not advise parents that the current practice is to allow boys in the girls’ bathrooms or vice versa,” stated Douglas.
“Every member of this board, regardless of your opinion of this issue, should be outraged that administration has created such a controversial practice without a board policy for direction. Bathrooms in public places, privatized by sex, have existed in our society since the advent of indoor plumbing. Even in our homes’ bathrooms have doors for privacy. That our girls aren’t entitled to private space protected against invasion by boys during the most personal of activities as using the restroom or changing is mindboggling. But that the superintendent, the board president, possibly with the help of the board’s attorney, would coordinate to delay discussion, send private information after the board voted for public discussion, mislead board members about the policy process and the community about the current bathroom practice is reprehensible,” concluded Douglas.
The Board voted 3-2 against the item, but not before a spirited debate:
The issue of males, who identify as transgendered, using biological girls’ bathrooms and locker rooms has been a hot button issue in the district’s Liberty and Sunrise Mountain high schools and across the country. So, it was surprising that Board member Melissa Ewing claimed that female students’ fears of sexual abuse were unfounded.
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