Proposed Policy Would Expand Rights For Transgender Students In Toms River Schools
TOMS RIVER, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- It's becoming increasingly rare for public schools to refuse a child the right to dress and be identified as the gender they choose, but what about in the bathroom and locker room?
As CBS2's Meg Baker reported, under a new policy proposed in the Toms River school district transgender students will be able to be identified by the name and gender they identify with rather than the gender they were born with.
"I have friends that are transgender and you know what, it's a beautiful thing, let them be," Sal Cagnina said.
The policy was proposed at a board of education meeting last week. It joins a national conversation of what some are calling the civil rights issue of this generation.
"It's about time for equal rights," Josh Solly said.
Some in town oppose the policy. Shawn Hyland, President of Move the Earth Ministries, started a petition against aspects of the policy.
"When they want to access the bathrooms and locker rooms of biological opposite sex, that breaks the contract of the student body and puts everyone's privacy and safety at risk," Hyland said.
Hyland does not have children in the district, but some students agreed with him.
"It's kind of awkward because like, say you know a boy, then you see a girl. Awkward at the moment," Ilisia Ortiz said.
Under federal law Title IX protects transgender students and those rights include using the bathroom and locker room facilities of the gender that the child identifies with.
"You have to accommodate these kind of people. You can't just shun them," Niko Fernandes said.
The district said it will work with the transgender students on access to rest rooms and locker rooms, as well as physical education classes and sports programs.
Superintendent David Healy said it's a proactive effort to provide support to staff while ensuring the proper education, safety, privacy, and healthy development of all students including transgender students.