High school students in Pennsylvania staged a walkout to protest a school district policy. The policy permits transgender individuals to use restrooms corresponding to their gender identity. This controversial topic raised concerns among many girls who felt uncomfortable and unsafe.
On Friday, numerous Perkiomen Valley School District students walked out of their classes after the school board rejected a proposed policy requiring students to use restrooms aligned with their biological sex. The students who aren’t transgender need their voices to be heard, too.
This event mirrors a growing opposition to transgender rights, especially within school systems. According to John Ott, the student who orchestrated the walkout and spoke about it, “Kids were upset. Girls… we wanted to protect them. They were upset. They didn’t want men in their bathroom.”
Students today from @PerkValleyHS exercised their first amendment rights walking out to support women’s rights & protecting girls. Very proud of this student body right now with an estimated 400 coming together for this noble cause. @Moms4Liberty @againstgrmrs @libsoftiktok pic.twitter.com/9AolhAHi5P
— Vicki (@_vickiflannery) September 15, 2023
Ott’s mother, Stephanie, criticized the school district for what she perceived as bias toward transgender students and for failure to consider the needs of others. She emphasized the need for female safety and privacy. She said, “This is about protecting our children and our privacy and boys and girls. It’s simple biology.”
The district’s rejection of Policy 720 came after a father expressed on social media that his daughter felt “too upset and emotionally disturbed” to use school restrooms following an encounter with a transgender biological male. Young women need and deserve access to bathroom facilities without such stress.
Tim Jagger, the parent in question, told local news outlet WPVI, “The fact of the matter is, my daughter will go to school and not use a restroom here now.” Victoria Rudolph, another student, also expressed concerns about the presence of biological males in the girls’ restroom, describing it as “uncomfortable.”
Brandon Emery, another student, expressed worries that the district was not receptive to their concerns and noted the lack of consideration for students’ comfort and privacy. Melanie Marren, Emery’s mother, emphasized the impact of these policies on teenagers and their sense of privacy and security.
In response to the controversy, the President of the Perkiomen Valley School Board stated, “Although I voted differently than the majority of the board, as board president, I respect the outcome of the vote and those who voted against expediting the policy.”
The president also appreciated students exercising their First Amendment rights to voice their opinions during the protest and the previous board meeting. Amid this heated debate, one thing remains clear— the need to prioritize the safety and privacy of girls and women in restrooms.
Women’s rights should not be compromised because someone identifies differently from their biological sex. Bathrooms already accommodate both genders, one for biological men and one for biological women. Biological gender and gender identity are distinct and should remain so.
High school girls need restrooms for more than just relieving themselves. It will undoubtedly affect their mental health if they cannot tend to their feminine needs or sanitize themselves. Forcing young women to “hold it” out of fear or discomfort increases their risk of urinary tract infections and future bladder dysfunction.
These radical and cruel policies put young women and girls at risk when we must protect them. It harms their health, both mentally and physically. These students in this recent walkout are living, breathing examples of why this nonsense must stop.
This walkout highlights the necessity for secure spaces, especially for those who may feel vulnerable or uncomfortable in shared facilities. While discussions around gender rights are expected today, they cannot come at the expense of the rights and comfort of biological females.
