Parents push back against elementary school's transgender bathroom policy

WASHINGTON (TND) — A Central Ohio mother says her two elementary school-aged daughters felt uncomfortable when a transgender student entered the girl's restroom.

“They went into the restroom and there was a little boy in the restroom, dressed like a little girl,” said Julie Szymanski. “And they immediately felt very uncomfortable.”

She said at an Olentangy Local School District board meeting that her daughters are afraid to use the restroom at school.

“They feel uncomfortable and afraid to go into the restroom for fear of being walked in on by the biological boy,” she said.

One parent at the school board meeting said the responsibility of the school district is solely to "develop our children academically."

“We are teaching the academics, but students need support in all areas in order to focus on the academics,” said Krista Davis, a spokeswoman for Olentangy schools.

Davis said Title IX protects transgender students.

“Transgender students are a protected class, so any student who identifies as a gender different than their biological gender assigned at birth is in a protected class," said Davis.

Nicole Neily from Parents Defending Education said the district is "wrong" about Title IX.

"Title IX prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in federally funded education programs. So the school is frankly hiding behind Title IX right now and saying, 'You're anti-discrimination,' does not justify eliminating single-sex spaces for all students," said Neily. "Title IX recognizes the differences between men and women and permits single-sex spaces."

Neily said the major issue is a lack of transparency from the district.

"The school did this policy without anybody knowing about it. And I think that's one of the reasons that families in the district feel so blindsided right now," said Neily.