MARION COUNTY, Fla. — The Marion County School District passed a resolution 4-1 Tuesday that will force students to use the restroom of the gender on their birth certificate.
Bobby James, the board’s chairman, asked both sides to remain calm so they could come up with a policy that will not tie up taxpayers with an expensive lawsuit.
"As a Christian, I believe we are born what we are born, and I also do not want my little girl going to the bathroom with a male,” parent Katie Shetrompf said.
“As time goes on, like, things are going to change, so like, I don't know, I just feel like we shouldn't be regressing,” student Angelica Ibarra said.
With the majority of the school board voting to pass the resolution that says students must use the restroom for the gender on their birth certificate, transgender students will now be offered comparable facilities or gender-neutral bathrooms.
Those against the policy said their fight is not over.
“I think there is still hope, and I think that eventually the right thing will be done and transgender people will have the rights they deserve,” said student Josephine Broen.
Mathew Myers was born a girl, but has identified as a boy since he was 12 years old.
“I want to be able to use the male bathroom. I want to be treated like any other guy,” said Myers.
Myers is now a senior and wants to be able to the men’s restroom at his high school.
He currently uses the nurse’s bathroom in the front of the school.
“It’s very inconvenient and I miss class. I’m in ROTC, so I have to miss part of my lunch so I have time to change,” he said.
A spokesperson for the school district said they had no choice but to come up with a solution.
“At this point, we would be sued regardless because we do have a male student who felt that his privacy was encroached upon when a student identified as a male entered the restroom with him,” said Kelly King, vice chair of the Marion County School Board.
There were about 250 people outside in the parking lot because of the crowd that filled the meeting room.