11:08am June 17, 2014

➸ This Kentucky High School Just Set The Bar For Protecting Transgender Students

In a move the school’s principal hopes will set an example for others across the state, a Louisville, Kentucky high school overwhelmingly approved a transgender student nondiscrimination policy that allows students to use the locker rooms and restrooms in accordance with their gender identity.

On June 5, a decision-making council at the high school approved the policy in an 8-1 vote, ending weeks of debate over the issue following Atherton administrators’ decision to allow a transgender freshman student to use the female restrooms at the school. Aberli said the ensuing debate and discussion over discrimination transgender students face ultimately led to educating himself and the community.

“Gender identity is a relatively new idea — at least in these parts of the woods,” he said. “I knew relatively little than what I know now. And once I was able to define the issue, our obligation as a school was to respond to this issue and ensure we understand what each and every child needs in order to be treated with dignity and respect.”

Aberli said the Atherton High School community, which includes about 1,250 students, showed “overwhelming” support for the policy with only a handful of parents and students who have since continued to voice their concerns.

“I’ve always been proud of Atherton, but I’ve never been prouder,” said Harper Jean Tobin, who graduated from Atherton in 1999 and has gone on to become the director of policy at the National Center for Transgender Equality in Washington D.C.

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