A transgender former student at Palatine High School, who filed a lawsuit against the state's largest school district in 2017, says the district's decision to give transgender students unrestricted locker room access is a "huge step forward."
At a tense and emotional meeting on Thursday night, Township High School District 211's board voted to give transgender students unrestricted access to locker rooms, lifting a requirement that transgender students use privacy stalls.
Nova Maday, a 2018 graduate who says she asked to use the girls' locker room since she was a freshman, said she "jumped in joy" when she heard the news.
"It finally means a huge step forward in equality," Maday said.
Maday's lawsuit against the school district is pending.
Although she and others were ectastic, some members of the school district said the board isn't accurately representing the community.
"We have two good school board members who represent us," said parent John Parker. "The other five [are] in their own reality in my opinion."
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The new policy, which will go into effect Jan. 7, drops the mandate that the students must use the stalls, but those changing areas will remain available for those students who choose to use them.
"Whatever your view on the policy, we all share the same goal of supporting the young people in our schools to experience the best possible learning environment and navigate the challenges and opportunities of young adulthood in healthy ways," District 211 Superintendent Dr. Daniel Cates said in a statement.
