Editor’s Note: An earlier version of this article erroneously stated that the policy was unanimously approved by the Board of Trustees. In fact, the policy passed in a three to two vote with Kate Mead and Jerry Bosch opposed. Buckrail regrets the error.
JACKSON, Wyo. — The Teton County School District (TCSD) #1 Board of Trustees voted to implement the district’s new policy on sex-designated facilities on Wednesday, June 11, despite their personal opposition to the state-wide mandate.
SF0062 – Sex-designated facilities and public schools went into effect immediately when it was signed into law by Governor Mark Gordon on March 3. The statute requires “public school children to use restrooms, sex-designated changing facilities and sleeping quarters that align with their sex at birth.”
TCSD’s policy states that “no person shall enter a changing area, restroom or locker room that is designed for males or females unless that person is a member of that sex.” For students who don’t identify with their birth sex, the policy would make an allowance for “reasonable accommodations,” including a single-stall restroom, changing room or sleeping quarters upon a written request to the school district.
According to the Board of Trustees, Summit Innovations School is the only high school in the district that doesn’t currently have a single-stall bathroom.
“Because it’s the law, we have to build a single-stall bathroom at Summit,” Board of Trustees Chair Betsy Carlin said.
Trustee Jerry Bosch called the new law “offensive,” and Trustee Kate Mead said that sex-designation was “stupid.” Trustee Reade Dornan asked if the district would get fined if the Board of Trustees refused to vote. Superintendent Gillian Chapman explained that there are penalties for noncompliance, including ineligibility for emergency funds. Carlin added that the policy would automatically pass into law even if the Board refused to vote.
“We have to go along with the law,” Carlin said. “We are just deciding if we have to have a policy.”
According to the policy, those who refuse to comply with the sex-designated regulations could receive disciplinary action.
