Pittsburgh-area school district has new policies on student records, bathroom use and participation in athletics
HOOKSTOWN, Pa. (KDKA) — A Beaver County school board approved several new policies that will impact its LGBTQ students.
The South Side Area School District said the policies focus on student records, bathroom use and participation in athletics.
The proposals were first introduced in December 2023, shortly after a slate of newly-elected Republican board members were seated.
The first policy lays out guidance for using students' preferred names and pronounces. It states when enrolling a child, a parent must indicate the child's sex for school records. If that changes, the district needs the new identity in writing.
The second policy states students must use bathrooms, locker rooms and showers that correspond to their biological sex.
The last policy affects sports participation. Under the new policy, boys will be allowed to play on a girls team as long as it's before puberty and as long as they are not taking a spot away from a girl. A doctor's note is required.
Coetty Schneider is a graduate of South Side Area High School and is gay. He said he's elated to learn of the new policies and wishes they were in place when he was in school.
"It's wonderful," Schneider said.
He said he's happy to see the strides his alma mater is making when it comes to its LGBTQ students. He says he knows how difficult it is not to be able to freely be who you are.
But others are pushing back on the policies.
"I think it's insane," said Savannah Bailey, a graduate of the high school. "A boy playing on a girls team is basically not fair. Boys are usually stronger and faster than girls."
"I don't agree with it," said Sara Bailey, her mother. "Boys are boys and girls are girls."
"I played sports before and think it should be girls on one team and boys on the other team 'cause that's how it's always been," student Cadence Bailey said.
In a statement to KDKA-TV, the district solicitor said, in part:
"The district policies promote an environment of mutual respect by providing consistent standards for record keeping and addressing students. These policies provide reasonable accommodations to benefit all students while still protecting the purpose for which women's sports and separate multi-user privacy facilities exist."
