Tennessee Bill Passes
Unanimously; Transgender Students Must Use Bathroom of Birth Sex, by Kerry
Lear, 3/22/16
A
bill that would require transgender students to only use the bathroom that
matches their birth sex was passed this Tuesday by the Education and
Administration and Planning Subcommittee.
Although
it passed unanimously by the Tennessee legislature, the state’s republican
governor, Bill Haslam is in opposition of the bill. As are the transgender
students.
"I'm
a little concerned that it passed unanimously," said Henry Seaton,
transgendered senior at Hendersonville’s Beech High School.
Haslam
believes that this issue should be left to individual school districts. “I
actually trust our teachers and local school boards to figure out how to make
those accommodations in those situations.” However, right now students like
Seaton, are being asked to use completely separate bathrooms altogether. In
Seaton’s case, this one bathroom is a teacher’s one that is often locked. This
demonstrates that leaving this judgement call in the individual district’s
hands is not proving to be effective
But,
conservative supporters, including Rep. Susan Lynn, R- Mount Juliet, and Sen.
Mike Bell, R-Riceville of the bill argue that it protects all students and
their privacy. Not to mention, it clearly defines how to handle this situation
for every district; keeping it consistent state-wide. This includes students at
both grade schools and universities.
Last
month, a similar bill had major support in South Dakota when it was passed
requiring transgender students to visit on the bathrooms of their birth
certificate sex.
In
Kansas, bills were introduced this week by the House and Senate that also
require transgender students to use restrooms corresponding to their sex at
birth at public schools. I think any child or young adult has a right to have
their privacy protected when they’re in various stages of undress,” said Sen.
Mary Pilcher-Cook to the Kansas City Star. She points out that youths commonly
feel uncomfortable when undressing and “someone of the opposite gender just
walks in. This protects them from that situation.”
http://punchingbagpost.com/tennessee-bill-passes-unanimouslytransgender-students-must-use-bathroom-of-birth-sex
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