The district’s current policy requires students to use the bathroom that matches their biological sex.
A revised bathroom policy allowing transgender students to use the bathroom that aligns with their gender identity has been put on hold by the Pennridge School Board following the release of new Title IX rules.
The revised policy was unveiled in April after a legal review of the district’s current policy, which requires students to use the bathroom that matches their biological sex. The policy, among others, sparked a federal civil rights complaint against the school district for sex discrimination.
At Wednesday’s policy committee meeting, the board announced that the revised policy will be put on hold while the administration reviews the federal government’s recent overhaul of Title IX, a 1972 law that prohibits sex discrimination in education.
Among other provisions, the new 1,577-page regulation forbids blanket policies that bar transgender students from using the bathroom that matches their gender identity. While the regulation is set to take effect on August 1, several Republican-led states have filed lawsuits to block the change.
In addition to pausing the revised policy, the board announced that the current policy will be suspended at the next board meeting in order to remain in compliance with Title IX.
“Title IX is very important to the school district. We need to be in compliance with it,” said board President Ron Wurz. “We receive $6 million every year from the federal government. One of the requirements is that we follow Title IX.”
Moving forward, Wurz said that the administration will review the new Title IX rules over the summer and propose a policy that respects the rights of all students.
“We would like to affirm our belief that the administration will be able to do this in a way that respects the rights of all students to privacy, dignity and safety,” said Wurz.
The next Pennridge school board meeting is on May 13 at 7 p.m. For more information, visit pennridge.org.
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