Pennsylvania’s South Western School District just baffled parents and students alike after they installed windows that allow passers-by to look into restrooms specifically designated for transgender youth.
In 2023, the school board tried to appease both trans students and anti-trans activists with its bathroom policy. The board’s solution was to establish five different bathrooms – two for students based on assigned gender at birth, two based on gender identity, and one gender-neutral restroom.
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This year, a new set of far-right candidates were voted onto the school board. In August, these officials opted to place windows in the bathrooms based on gender identity, saying that they would add “privacy in the toilet facility” and “increase oversight of the wash area.” The windows cost over $8,700 to purchase and install.
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“We are adding privacy in the toilet facility,” board President Matthew Gelazela at an August 14 board meeting. Students said the new windows enable passers-by to hear bowel movements and other restroom activities.
These changes were brought about in part by the Harrisburg-based Independence Law Center, a right-wing Christian organization that also helped instate the district’s anti-trans sports and pronouns policies.
Students and parents alike expressed shock at these changes. Students who use the gender-identity bathrooms no longer use them due to these windows.
“I found it really strange,” said Jennifer Holahan, who had her child take images of the windows that she then posted to social media, which went viral online.
Additional changes are reportedly also being made, including removing the front wall of the restrooms and installing taller stalls.
Board member Matthew Smith told The York Dispatch that new board adopted these changes to avoid getting sued.
“I feel like the whole thing is just a deterrent to keep kids who might want to use those restrooms from using them,” Holahan said, describing how her son uses the gender identity bathrooms because they’re closest to his classes. She said her child’s school officials were reasonable when talking to her, but said that their hands are tied by the school board’s policies.
“The one thing I do know is that bullying kids or deterring a child from being comfortable with who they are, I do know that’s wrong,” Holahan said. “These are actions of a school board that have their own agenda, politically fueled and using our children as pawns. That’s not caring for them.”
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