FORT MYERS, Fla. — On Tuesday, the Lee County School board will revisit the debate over the district's LGBTQ code of conduct.
In the current code of conduct, it says "All students are allowed to access the restrooms that are consistent with their gender identity," an idea that had emotions running high at the board meeting in April.
The SWFL Coalition for LGBTQ Youth told Fox 4 this poster provides a guide for LGBTQ children to follow and feel supported in their school.
“Every child, transgender, gender non-conforming, cisgender deserves the right to feel safe at school. Deserves the same educational opportunities that every other child in that school... and if we stand firm in our resolution and we continue to lead the way in progress we are going to set the way for the entire state for every student to feel safe in Florida,” said Crystal Czyscon, a member of the organization.
Czyscon says the other idea being discussed is removing the rainbow Florida image that is located at the top of the LGBTQ code of conduct page.
She says that is not a problem but removing the page altogether would tell our LGBTQ students they are not supported.
Parents who oppose the code of conduct spoke out at the meeting in April, telling Fox 4 the decision does not fall to the school.
“It is not the right of the school district to determine morality for children. it is the right of the parents to determine morality for their children,” said Denise Nicestrom, who opposes any policy that allows children of the same biological sex to use the same bathroom.
Czyscon says parents should understand
that students can't just walk into whatever bathroom they want.
“It’s not just any child says, today I’m transgender and I am going to use the bathroom that I choose. It doesn’t work like that. Most of the children who identify, gender non-conforming, will have a bathroom made available to them privately. They have the option to use any restroom that they want but it’s something they have to discuss ahead of time,” she said.
The board did not make any policy decisions at the last meeting.
The meeting on Tuesday will start at 6 PM.
