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Mary Beth Napier, a psychologist from Evanston and her dog Rainbow, Rich Balabuszko of Palatine, Julie Balabuszko and Joe Balabuszko or Minnesota all hold signs and flags in support of Transgender students in District 15. Photo by Tim Carroll -
Event co-organizer Lindsay Christensen and her daughter Tiggy hold a Transgender Rights flag in support of Transgender students in District 15. Photo by Tim Carroll -
People attending a District 15 School Board Meeting pass through over 150 supporters of Trangender students on their way into Walter R. Sundling Jr High School. Photo by Tim Carroll -
Event co-organizer Gearah Goldstein (trans woman) listens to questions from a reporter as Lindsay Christensen looks on during a rally in support of Transgender students in District 15. Photo by Tim Carroll -
Over 150 supporters of Transgender students in District 15 gathered in front of Walter R. Sundling Jr High School to show their support before a meeting of the School Board. Photo by Tim Carroll -
Retired US Marine Bud Jones from Park Ridge showed up to support his trans daughter and to support Transgender students in District 15. Photo by Tim Carroll -
Tom Wilhelm of Palatine holds a Trans Flag to show support for Transgender students in District 15. Photo by Tim Carroll -
Jane VanWolvelear dresses down the School Board because she claims parents in District 15 were not given advanced warning about the changes that allowed transgender students to use the restrooms and locker rooms that match their gender identity (from what I heard during the meeting, the policy has been in place for many years, back to 1994, with modifications made in 2012 and 2014, so I’m not sure of the validity of her claim). Photo by Tim Carroll -
Retired Palatine school teacher Roger Fraser speaks to the School Board about the positive changes he’s seen in his 28 years of teaching in District 15, and the years since his retirement. He complimented the School Board on their policies on diversity and acceptance of all children regardless of race, creed, sexual orientation, gender identity, etc. Photo by Tim Carroll -
Civil Rights Attorney Lesley Arizmendi speaks to the District 15 School Board and discusses the legal justifications for the gender identity inclusive policies of the district. Photo by Tim Carroll -
Adrian Summerville speaks of his experiences going through high school as a trans man and explains why policies like the one the District 15 School Board have in place regarding trans students makes such a positive difference in their development. Photo by Tim Carroll -
Teri Paulson (Parents for Privacy) addresses the District 15 School Board and made numerous unsubstantiated claims about transgender teenagers, including that there is no such thing as a transgender person (i.e. how you are labeled at birth is the only possible gender you can ever be), how the only reason trans positive policies exist in schools is because of a multi-million dollar lobbying industry, how teenagers who experience gender dysphoria are only going through a phase and they will grow out of it, etc. She ended by quoting from the Bible and issuing a veiled threat to the School Board that they will go to hell if they don’t change their policy. (This woman made a similar scene at the District 211 School Board meetings as part of the Parents for Privacy group, you can find references online). Photo by Tim Carroll -
Vicki Wilson (Parents for Privacy) explains to the School Board that they should create three separate restrooms and locker rooms in their schools, one for male students, one for female students, and one for transgender students (she seemed to miss the idea that there are transgender male students and transgender female students). She too made the unsubstantiated claim that being a transgender teenager is a stage and that children grow out of it when they reach adulthood. Photo by Tim Carroll -
Kim Cavall speaks before the District 15 School Board and thanks them for their acceptance of diversity in the student body and asks them not to capitulate to pressure from groups like Parents for Privacy. Photo by Tim Carroll
Sundling, Jr., High School in suburban Palatine to support transgender students and District 15 school board members who have likewise supported transgender rights.
In late 2015, a transgender girl in suburban High School District 211 sued for the right to change in an isolated part of the girls’ locker room. The Department of Education, then under the auspices of the Obama Administration, weighed in in the student’s favor, and threatened to cut federal funds for the school for violating Title IX policies. The district cut a deal with the government and the student was allowed the access she wished.
According to a Progress for D15 & D211 press release, the March 8 rally came in response to stepped-up actions from another local organization, Parents for Privacy (P4P), which objects to the trans student’s arrangement with District 211 and its accompanying policy change. A group of families also sued that district and the federal government with the help of the anti-LGBT legal group Alliance for Defending Freedom.
Progress for D15 & D211 said that PRP members and their supporters have been disrupting District 211 meetings regularly in order to speak out against the policy and that it did not want to see such disruptions occur at District 15 meetings.
“Our community is one of diversity, tolerance, and inclusion,” said the press release. “This vocal minority does not represent us. We will show our numbers and our support for students and the school board who is dedicated to protecting their human rights.”
During the meeting, one speaker, Linda Kapko, challenged board members to change their clothes there, in order to make a point about privacy. She also said that allowing a trans woman to change in the girls’ locker room was granting to her special rights.
Retired Palatine school teacher Roger Fraser, however, complimented the board on positive changes he’d seen during his 28-year tenure in District 15, and the years since his retirement. He especially praised policies perpetuating diversity and acceptance of all students, regardless of factors such as race, creed, sexual orientation and gender identity.
—Tim Carroll contributed to reporting of this story