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A6 U.S. NEWS
Monday 18 February 2019

School board in Virginia may end transgender bathroom ban

By BEN FINLEY “I have fought this legal uled arguments for 2017.
Associated Press battle for the past four But they were scrapped
NORFOLK, Va. (AP) — For years because I want to after the Trump Administra-
nearly four years, Gavin make sure that other trans- tion withdrew recommen-
Grimm has been suing his gender students do not dations from the Obama-
former school district after have to go through the era to allow students to use
it banned him from using same pain and humiliation the bathroom of their cho-
the boys bathrooms in high that I did,” he said. sen gender.
school. The Gloucester County As recently as December,
Along the way, he’s be- School Board’s meeting Gloucester was still fight-
came a national face for comes just months before ing the lawsuit as well as
transgender rights. His case a trial is set to begin over its Grimm’s efforts to bring his
almost went to the U.S. Su- current bathroom rules. transcripts into it.
preme Court. He graduat- Grimm said the proposed Grimm and the American
ed and moved to Califor- policy “is far from per- Civil Liberties Union claim
nia but kept fighting. fect, but would represent the policy violated his
The school board in Virginia an important first step for rights under the U.S. Con-
may finally be giving in, al- Gloucester.” The policy stitution’s equal protection
though not in court. It will “would also send the mes- clause and federal policies
hold a public hearing Tues- sage to school districts that protect against sex
day to discuss the possibil- across (Virginia) and the discrimination. They make
ity of allowing transgender country that discrimination the same argument about
students to use restrooms is unacceptable,” he said. Grimm’s transcripts.
that correspond with their Grimm has also been ex- The school board had ar-
gender identity. panding his case against gued that its bathroom pol-
icy did not violate Grimm’s
In this March 6, 2017, file photo, Gloucester County High School rights but protected stu-
senior Gavin Grimm, a transgender student, listens to a speaker dents’ privacy.
during a news conference in Richmond, Va. Regarding the transcripts,
Associated Press the board says such re-
the school board. A fed- ward to schools. cords are a matter of state
eral judge ruled Thursday “The issue is certainly rising law, which shouldn’t be ar-
that he can sue over its as more students express gued in federal court.
refusal to change the gen- their gender identity,” said Plus, the board said, Grimm
der on his high school tran- Francisco M. Negron Jr., has ignored federal guid-
script, which still lists him chief legal officer for the ance on such matters. The
as female. Grimm said the National School Boards As- guidance recommends
unchanged transcript will sociation. holding a hearing with
stigmatize him every time “We would hope states school officials to discuss
he applies to a college or offer clear guidance,” he changing “misleading” or
potential employer that added. “The alternative is “inaccurate” information
asks for it. “I shouldn’t have that students would have on a record.
to be outed against my will to make the case on their If the board refuses to make
in every situation where I own, and school districts a change, the guidance
would have to give that would not have the benefit says a person can then
document,” Grimm said of clarity under state law.” place a statement with the
during a phone interview Paul D. Castillo, an at- contested record that lays
from the San Francisco Bay torney for the LGBT rights out his or her point of view.
Area, where he moved af- group Lambda Legal, said It’s unclear if a change in
ter graduating in 2017. Grimm’s effort to update the board’s bathroom pol-
A court order legally made his transcript is “not an iso- icy could lead to a change
Grimm a man. And he is lated incident.” on Grimm’s transcripts.
listed as male on his birth “But it might be one of Since moving to California,
certificate, passport and a the first challenges based Grimm has been studying
state-issued identification on federal law to update at a community college
card in California. a student’s legal record,” and working as an activist
The issue of Grimm’s tran- Castillo said. and educator.
script highlights another David Corrigan, the lead He’s been able to avoid
concern in the transgender attorney for the Glouces- submitting his transcript to
community that, like bath- ter County School Board, anyone so far. But that will
room policies, remains far declined to comment on likely change soon. He’s
from settled across the na- the case or on how it could looking for more traditional
tion. be impacted by a possible work and will eventually
Federal law does not di- policy change. The district apply to four-year schools.
rectly address the issue. is located about an hour “I’m still tethered to 2017
Some states, such as Mas- east of Richmond. by this document,” he
sachusetts, provide explicit Grimm’s lawsuit has fol- said. “It’s unfair that a high
guidance to schools for lowed a circuitous path school that put me through
updating records. Others, that almost included a stop so much is able to wield
such as Virginia, do not at the U.S. Supreme Court. that much negative influ-
provide a clear path for- The high court had sched- ence over my adult life.”q