New Hampshire school board votes to consider all-stall restrooms after public debate
There was a heated meeting in Milford Monday night after the town's school board considered changing the current guideline allowing students to use whichever bathroom or locker room that corresponds with their gender identity.
By Marissa Tansino, Ray Brewer
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MILFORD, New Hampshire (WMUR) — There was a heated meeting in Milford Monday night after the town’s school board considered changing the current guideline allowing students to use whichever bathroom or locker room that corresponds with their gender identity.
This is a topic that’s been visited time and time again in Milford.
The board ultimately decided to set aside the proposed policy and investigate the cost of having all-stall bathrooms and locker rooms.
Students, parents, teachers and community members took to the podium with passion Monday night on both sides of this topic.
“Especially those in the LGBTQ community, with me, you never have to hide who you are,” one teacher said. “I see you, I support you and I stand with you.”
Community members from around Milford voiced their opinions.
“The message is they do not have a right to privacy. They do not have a right to feel secure or comfortable when changing out of their clothes,” one community member said. “To speak up and use their voice and say I don’t feel comfortable with a male watching me change out of my clothes.”
Public comment lasted for nearly two hours at the Milford School Board meeting.
The proposal Monday night requires students to use the bathroom associated with their biological sex.
“Currently, I’m considered illegal in 14 countries just for being who I am,” one student said.
“I don’t want boys in the girl’s bathroom or locker room,” someone else said.
From all corners of the community, people came out to speak on both sides of the issue.
“I hate to say this, but if this goes through, I think every one of you should resign,” one parent said.
“Some of the little voices of our children saying, this makes me feel uncomfortable, and no one at school will listen to me,” another community member said.
The next step in this will be to see how much it would cost to get full-length stalls put into the bathrooms and locker rooms at the high school, but there’s no clear timeline on when that could come back.
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