Glens Falls Chronicle Serving the Glens Falls/Lake George region; Warren, Washington and northern Saratoga counties since 1980
By Cathy DeDe, Chronicle Managing Editor
Monday night’s Queensbury Board of Education meeting was moved to the elementary school cafeteria in anticipation of the large crowd that turned out, expecting discussion regarding the issue of tran students’ use of boys or girls’ locker and bathrooms.
It was not an issue on the Board agenda, but 11 people spoke on the subject during the open comment period at the end of the meeting, including one young girl accompanied by a second child.
Board members did not respond to comments, except when a speaker questioned the “ladies” on the dais. Board vice president Brad Goertzen said that comments must be addressed to all of the board generally. Mr. Goertzen also thanked the young girl who spoke for coming forward. “That takes a lot of courage.”
President Timothy Weaver said the Board would respond to any questions raised via the contact information provided by speakers on the sign-up sheets.
Below is some of what was said.
Trent Sano said, “I respect parents who show up and advocate for their children. Parental involvement matters, asking questions, raising concerns, and wanting your child to feel safe is not something that anybody should mind or dismiss as long as it is respectful.”
“There are no verified, documented cases in national research or law enforcement reviews showing that transgender girls using school locker rooms have committed sexual assault or harassment as a result of inclusive school policies. None. Sexual assault is overwhelmingly committed by boys and men, specifically cisgender boys and men,” he said, referring to the term for those whose gender identification is consistent with that of their birth.
“Data shows when trans students are required to use separate or single occupancy spaces, rates of harassment increase, absenteeism goes up. Mental health outcomes worsen and suicide risks for a population that’s already disproportionately affected by suicide rises.”
Deborah Pietrangelo, a psychologist who said she works with trans youths: “I was very sad to hear about the Social Media postings out there targeting a particular student, and I was disappointed to see a local paper put an article in that I think fomented the issue as well.”
“It’s not a choice to be transgender. It’s like knowing what your dominant hand is. It’s not an easy life, and no one chooses it. I would encourage the board to please continue to follow New York State law on this. I would encourage the public, educate yourself. If you don’t know what it means to be transgender, there are millions of ways to find out.”
Koren Sheehan questioned board transparency, noting published minutes from a previous Board of Education meeting listed public discussion of “boys and girls bathrooms,” rather than “boys in girls bathrooms,” among other examples.
Brian Howard asked, “Why can’t we reallocate some money and build all-gender locker rooms? Why didn’t you do something like that? You don’t care about the safety of every child. You only care about the safety of the few.
“You guys teach biology in the middle school. You’re teaching conflicting ideologies — first, where you teach XX, XY chromosomes, boys and girls, which is, facts backed by science. Now you’re telling these boys and girls, boys are girls and girls are boys, and shut your mouth, go along and do what you’re told.
“No more. Give these kids a safe place. Not every kid is safe. Just because they’re physically safe doesn’t mean they’re not mentally okay with dealing with this.”
He asked board members, “gentlemen” and “ladies,” separately — “When did you start exposing your genitals to (young ladies or young men) in locker rooms?”
A young female student said, “If someone wants to be transgender, I’m perfectly fine with that, but they should at least go to the correct gender facility.
“A few weeks ago, I saw him in the girl’s bathroom, and had to leave, feeling the worst feeling that a boy was in the girl’s locker room with me. I’m standing up for all girls, and something must be done before somebody gets hurt.”
Wade Moulton: “The message has got to be clear, these girls do not feel safe. I just hope something’s done soon to help these girls feel a little less scared, nervous, anxious about coming to school. There are state guidelines that Queensbury is recommended to follow. But I think there’s a lot of room for interpretation.”
Tatiana Denford: “This is about supporting all children so that they don’t feel singled out. Unfortunately, although people keep saying they aren’t choosing sides, they seem to be creating a lot of division. My concern now is how this is being framed publicly by adults on social media.
“Being uncomfortable is not the same as being at risk. When a trans child’s identity is treated as unsafe under the excuse of protecting the rights of another child, children on both sides are being used.
“The responsibility of the board is to reassure the community that you are following New York state guidelines and ensuring respectful options for all children.
“This should have stayed a private matter to be resolved with any affected families, but your silence has allowed people to fill the gaps with online outrage.”
“Adults have to stop using children as props for their frustration and their fear. A trans child is not going to harm anyone, but creating a narrative that labels a trans child as dangerous harms everyone in the community.”
Charles Neal: “Here’s the facts, guys, XX, XY. You can’t change that.
“Should my 10-year-old daughter be exposed to a boy’s penis while changing for swimming class because that kid feels like they’re a girl or a boy or whatever, vice-versa?
“You’re telling me it’s okay to see a boy fully naked in a girl’s locker room, penis, testicles, everything out, and that’s okay for a 10-year-old girl to have to see? They just have to like it, they can’t do anything about it, and if they have a problem with it, they need to go somewhere else?
“This could be, the kids can have PTSD from this.
“I’m just really worried. In the gym class, is there a teacher in there while these people are changing?”
Kevin Stephenson: “Not every concern is legitimate. A concern stops being valid when it confuses discomfort with danger and uses that confusion to justify discriminatory language. Safety is about behavior. It is about actions and accountability, and what I’m hearing instead is fear being attached to people’s existence.
“Some of this fear has to do nothing with safety. It is about moral discomfort, about purity, modesty and control over how others live. People are allowed to feel that difference, that discomfort, but they’re not allowed to weaponize it through public institutions.
“When discomfort is repackaged as safety, minorities become the problem to be managed, and that’s not protection, that is moral control.
“Fear leads to stigma, and stigma permits harm.”
Ross Dumont: “I’m not telling you, send your transgender son into the girl’s bathroom. I’m asking, make single use bathrooms for everybody. You can send whoever you want to school dressed however they want. My daughter won’t be affected if she has a stall with a locking door to just go to the bathroom.”
Thomas Powers asked whether the district had considered budget impact of Title 9 — the federal non-discrimination law cited as the basis of gender-affirming policies mandated by New York State.
“What if our students who have cultural or religious beliefs that don’t fall party to what Title 9 is asking — What if the district were to have to pay tuition to let our students go to a different district or type of school,” for example, he asked. Did the district seek extension for these mandates, as it has with mandates to switch to electric vehicles?
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