Moment hundreds of Pennsylvania high school students walk out after school board said transgender students must be allowed to use whichever bathroom they choose

In Pennsylvania, hundreds of students walked out of school to protest a new rule allowing transgender students to use the bathroom of their choice.

High school students in the Perkiomen Valley School District organized the protest after officials chose not to adopt a policy that would require students to use restrooms corresponding to their biological sex.

They accused education officials of “compromising” their rights and putting female students in danger during last week’s protest.

The policy was proposed by local father Tim Jagger, who said his daughter became upset after encountering a transgender student in the restroom.

However, neither Jagger nor her daughter could be sure that the person she met was a biological male, according to 6abc.

Board members voted against the bathroom ban last Monday, sparking fury from some parents and students.

High school student John Ott, who organized the walkout, said Fox News “(The students) were upset. They didn’t want men in their toilets.

His mother, Stephanie Ott, added: “It’s about protecting our children and our privacy, and the boys and the girls. It’s simple biology.

Meanwhile, fellow student Victoria Rudolph also told the outlet: “There needs to be changes. It’s just uncomfortable to see 19 or 18 year old men in the bathroom.

Perkiomen Valley High School student John Ott (left) said he organized the march because “the kids were upset” about the decision, while his mother Stephanie Ott (right) said he was a matter of protecting the privacy of children.

Superintendent of the Perkiomen Valley School District. Dr Barbara Russell (pictured) said the proposed toilet ban was not necessary.

But Superintendent Barbara Russell defended the decision not to adopt the bathroom ban, citing Policy 103, an anti-discrimination code that states that gender identity is a protected class.

The board also heard concerns from current and former trans students about bullying in the bathroom, including one student being too scared to go there during the school day.

The student said WFMZ: “I hate having to be afraid in a place that promotes support for children.”

The Perkiomen Valley School Board serves 5,100 secondary, middle, elementary and kindergarten students.

Perkiomen Valley School Board President Jason Saylor said, “Even though I voted differently than the majority of the board, as board president I respect the outcome of the vote and those who voted against the vote. acceleration of politics.

“I also appreciate our student body, those who came out to vote at our previous board meeting, and the more than 300 students who used their First Amendment rights to voice their opinions in support of the policy during their protest on Friday.”

Battles over transgender issues have roiled several school boards and public agencies in recent years.

The concerns are primarily about transgender girls and women – and whether they should have access to spaces reserved for biological women.

Supporters say transgender women are vulnerable to harassment and physical violence and should be allowed to use spaces where they feel safe.

Critics say that by protecting trans women, women’s spaces potentially open up to male predators who claim to be trans or non-binary.

Separately, discussions also continue over whether it is right to let transgender women compete in sports against biological women because they fear male puberty will give them an insurmountable physical advantage.