DeKalb County school officials say school administrators should have conversations with students and their families on transgender issues after the Obama administration issued guidelines saying transgender students can use restrooms specific to their gender identity.
There currently is no restroom policy regarding transgender or transitioning students in the DeKalb County School District. It was unknown Friday whether conversations about a future policy are taking place at the district level. A release issued to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Friday suggests all children should have access to an environment that supports them — and their lifestyles.
“Every school and teacher in the DeKalb County School District wants a welcoming and supportive environment for students, including our transgender ones,” Superintendent Steve Green said. “This issue requires us to consider the best ways to maximize each student’s social development and equal opportunity.
“We will do so in a way that promotes a wholesome learning environment.”
The Obama administration sent out guidelines Friday morning about bathroom use for transgender students. The directive comes on the heels of a new law in North Carolina, House Bill 2 (HB2), that stipulates bathrooms at public agencies — including schools and government buildings — are to be used according to a person’s biological sex.
Included in the uproar over the law is the fact that $4.58 billion in federal education dollars could be lost to districts not complying with federal law.
DeKalb County School District expects approximately $96.5 million in federal funding for the current fiscal year, which ends June 30.
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