SAN ANTONIO – A revised bathroom bill, now in the Texas Senate after being passed Sunday in the House, focuses only on public schools, grades K-12.
It was tacked onto SB 2078 late Sunday as an amendment. The original text in the bill dealt with only "multi-hazard emergency operations plans and other school safety measures."
Transgender students either would have to use bathrooms that coincide with their gender at birth or those that are single-occupancy.
Ginger Chun, the mother of a trans daughter in high school, said if it becomes law, students like hers would have to go to the nurse’s office, like she did at first, or the faculty lounge.
“That certainly brings attention to those kids and it’s not fair,” Chun said. “There are transgender children who are totally stealth. They’re not coming out.”
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Chun said school administrators may know, but otherwise, making transgender students use separate accommodations betrays a personal decision they’re not ready to make public.
“That almost seems like a violation of privacy,” she said.
Chun said even though many in her daughter’s school already know she’s transgender, “She doesn’t want to be different. She just wants to be herself at the school.”
She said becoming transgender is stressful enough, and the revised version of the so-called bathroom bill makes it even more so.
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Chun said using separate bathrooms, locker rooms or changing rooms singles out those students, making them potential targets.
The mother said if schools are unable to provide separate facilities, districts may be scrambling this summer to retrofit schools.
Barry Perez, spokesman for the Northside Independent School District, said he believes existing facilities in nurse’s offices and faculty lounges will be enough under the proposed law.
He said otherwise, retrofitting schools would be costly.
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Perez said Northside ISD always has dealt with the issue on a case-by-case basis on the campus level by working with those students, their parents, administrators and staff, and any other parents that may have concerns.
“We are going to work to find a solution for them that maintains their dignity and treats all students with respect,” Perez said.
Edgewood ISD issued a statement echoing that of Northside.
Our main priority at Edgewood ISD is to provide an exceptional learning experience for all our students. Should any situation arise that could potentially impede this goal and as with any case involving our students, it will be handled on a case by case basis always securing the privacy, safety and best interest of our students.
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