Concerns raised by conservative and pro family groups that a new policy in the San Antonio ISD will allow males to use female rest rooms and locker rooms prompted a massive debate at last night's school board meeting, News Radio 1200 WOAI reports.
At issue is the district's new policy adding 'gender orientation' to it's non discrimination policy. Several groups, including Texas Values, and the American Family Association, accused the district of 'quietly conspiring' to open rest rooms and locker rooms to the opposite gender.
Pastor Charles Flowers, who is a prominent family rights advocate, accused the district of 'pushing an agenda,' and trying to stifle public debate by including the issue in a vaguely worded agenda item.
"If it were not an agenda being pushed, why not lay out clearly just what you want to do in a school district and give parents the right to have a voice in that," he asked.
The SAISD says the new policy has nothing whatsoever to do with restroom or locker room use. It simply adds a person's 'gender identity' to the list of areas in which they cannot be discriminated against, ridiculed, or bullied, adding it to such common protections as race, sex, and national origin.
But Jonathan Saenz, an attorney who heads Texas Values, says the definition of 'discrimination' is easily manipulated."If boys are not allowed to use the girl's restroom based on their gender identity, rather than their biological sex, they consider that to be discrimination," he said.
Saenz predicted that the new policy will lead to a flurry of lawsuits from activist groups which want the definition of 'gender identity' expanded.
The district released a statement about it's policies toward restroom and locker room use:
"Irrespective of whether someone is transgender, much like UIL regulations that require students play on a team that corresponds with the sex on their birth certificate, we require students to use the facilities that correspond with the sex on their birth certificate," the SAISD statement read. "If requested, we will work with students on a case by case basis, to provide a single occupancy restroom, as well as private areas for changing and showering, as much as possible."
Alan Parker, an attorney with the traditional values Texas Justice Foundation, says an agenda is in play. He says this is an attempt by social activists to 'normalize' what he called 'gender dysphoria,' which is recognized by the American Psychiatric Association as a mental disorder.
He says under the SAISD's new policy, any student who does not, for example, admit that Caitlyn Jenner, the former Bruce Jenner, is a female, could be expelled from school.
"The children of San Antonio are going to be forced to recognize him and others who choose to that, that 'you are a girl,' and if you don't recognize a man dressed in women's clothing as a woman, you would be violating district policy."
After the meeting, Nicole Hudgens, the policy analyst for Texas Values, said the policy, and what she said was an unwillingness of the district to openly debate the policy, could put it in the bulls-eye for a lawsuit.
"These are very contentious policies and are being litigated on across the country, and an open and transparent process should take place before a final decision," she said, pointing out that a federal judge has already blocked attempts to redefine federal discrimination law to include transgender individuals. "Parents and taxpayers should not be pushed to the back fo the bus, the school board should make the discussion of this new policy an official agenda item at the next school board meeting."