Cd'A trustees approve draft bathroom policy

A draft policy regarding school restroom and changing facility access and overnight lodging will soon go out for public comment in the Coeur d'Alene School District.

Coeur d'Alene School Board trustees unanimously voted during a special meeting Tuesday to accept a draft of the policy presented by Vice Chair Casey Morrisroe with a few amendments made during workshop discussion as well as considerations made for a similar draft presented by Trustee Allie Anderton.

"I know there's a lot of interest in this policy," Board Chair Rebecca Smith said. "Based on our work here, as you can see, it very closely follows statute."

The policies were drafted in the interest of protecting the privacy and safety of all students as well as in response to Idaho's new gender-specific bathroom law Gov. Brad Little signed March 22. The law forbids students who identify as transgender from using multi-person bathrooms, locker rooms and overnight accommodations that don't align with their biological gender.

In the draft policy, it is stated reasonable accommodations may be made for students who are unwilling or unable to use a multi-occupancy restroom or changing facility designated for that person’s sex and located within any district building, or multi-occupancy sleeping quarters while attending a public school-sponsored activity; and provides a written request for reasonable accommodation to the district, signed by the student's parents/guardians.

Exemptions at this time include:

• Single-occupancy restrooms and changing facilities designated for unisex or family use

• Restrooms and changing facilities temporarily designated for use by that person’s biological sex

• A person of one sex who uses a single-sex facility designated for the opposite sex, if such single-sex facility is the only facility reasonably available at the time of the person's use of the facility

• A person employed to clean, maintain or inspect a restroom or single-sex facility

• A person who enters a restroom or facility to render medical assistance or to a person who is accompanying a child in need of such assistance

• Coaching staff and personnel during athletic events when advance notice is given prior to entry

• During an ongoing natural disaster or emergency, or when necessary to prevent a serious threat to good order or student safety

Morrisroe said this isn't a transgender issue, but rather provides individual bathrooms for any student who requests such accommodations.

"It's for any student," he said. "It's not a gender issue, necessarily."

The school board's draft policy will be posted to cdaschools.org.

The draft policy will reappear during the May 8 board meeting with a potential vote for approval.

"You may find that community members make some suggestions that hit home, and you need to address that," Superintendent Shon Hocker said.

No public comment was heard during Tuesday's meeting, which was attended by a smaller audience than recent meetings.

Smith said the board will have another special meeting Tuesday.

"There are a lot of public comment opportunities at that board meeting," she said.