Utah school district takes stand against White House bathroom directive


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BRIGHAM CITY — At least one Utah school district is refusing President Barack Obama's directive mandating that transgendered students get to choose which bathroom they want to use.

In a letter sent last week to parents and staff, Box Elder School District Superintendent Ron Tolman said his district will not sacrifice the rights of the general population for political reasons.

Earlier this month, the Obama administration issued a directive allowing students who declare a gender identity in writing to use the restroom of their preference. The president has threatened to take away Title XI funding from school districts that do not comply.

But many Box Elder parents said Thursday they were not surprised about the district's decision, and there seems to be very little opposition to it.

"I thought it was really inappropriate for (Obama) to make that choice for everybody," said parent Scott Watts.

The letter from Tolman states: "At no time do we intend to sacrifice the rights of the general population of students for political reasons. We do not believe that President Obama has the moral nor bureaucratic authority to issue such a far-reaching federal directive."

"I'm just grateful it's not my decision to make," said parent Aubree Nickle.

Even though she's engaged to another woman and stands for equal rights, Nickle admitted the bathroom directive is a complicated issue and said she doesn't have a strong opinion either way.

"We need to have protections in the bathrooms, regardless of who's going in them," she said.

There are also parents who disagree with the superintendent's stand.

"People should be able to use the restroom that is, you know, for the gender that they identify as," said parent Shawna Ferguson.

For their part, Box Elder School District leaders said it's still not clear whether the president can legally take away funding as a punishment for noncompliance. Still, the superintendent's letter stated administrators "will continue to work with individual students and parents who have unique requirements on a case-by-case basis."

The Utah State Board of Education has already said this decision should stay with the individual school districts. On Wednesday, the state of Utah joined with 10 other states in suing the Obama administration over the bathroom directive.

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Mike Anderson

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