PALATINE, Ill. (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- The High School District 211 board in the northwest suburbs voted Thursday night to give transgender students unrestricted access to locker rooms and restrooms at its five schools.
The board voted 5-to-2 to approve the new procedure. It replaces one that set up privacy stalls for transgender students who choose to use facilities based on their chosen gender rather than their gender at birth.
The new procedure requires transgender students to work out special arrangements with the district in such cases.
Mandy Logan is a student at Palatine High School who supports the change.
"Having someone who is transgender in the bathroom or locker room does not make these spaces anymore uncomfortable," Logan said. "I encourage you to recognize this and honor gender identity."
Parents joined students and other community members at the hearing. Joyce Slavik, the mother of a student at Fremd High School, was at Palatine High School and supported the vote and said adults need to respect gender identity.
I do not want to see a transgender student naked in the locker rooms," Burca said.
The board also rejected a motion to put the issue to voters in a referendum.
Supporters say the policy will stop forcing transgender students to follow their birth genders rather than the ones they have chosen, as well as make District 211 more welcoming and supportive of transgender students.
Critics say students shouldn't be forced to share locker rooms and restrooms with students who were born the opposite gender. Critics also say the policy violates the privacy of non-transgender students and will make some feel uncomfortable using the district's locker rooms and restrooms.
The new procedures take effect in January at Schaumburg, Conant, Hoffman Estates, Fremd and Palatine high schools.