WORCESTER — Concerned about the mental and physical well-being of students at North High School, some educators are pushing the Worcester School Committee to create gender-neutral student restrooms in the building.
Jonathan Hardy-Lavoie, a behavior specialist at the school, and Kirsten Frazier, an educator and faculty advisor for the school’s Gay-Straight Alliance student group, filed a public petition asking the committee to consider the request. They brought up the topic at the committee meeting Thursday evening.
“A number of staff who meet weekly for a health and wellbeing meeting have noticed that there is a significant lack of toilets at North High that are not gender specific” , declared Hardy-Lavoie. “And we have a number of students who need this resource.”
He said having access to “safe and comfortable” restrooms is important for students’ physical and mental health. He said the school’s principal, Sam FanFan, supported the change.
Frazier said currently the only bathroom in the school that is not gender specific is the nurse’s office.
“It’s problematic because of the time constraints to get there,” she said. “And also, it may inadvertently exclude students who are not ready to come out to their peers.”
Frazier said making bathrooms gender-neutral is a “relatively modest solution that would make a huge difference.”
While the petition calls for “all student restrooms” to become gender inclusive, district spokesperson Dan O’Brien said administrators will work with North High administration to find a solution regarding the creation of additional, gender-neutral student toilets in the building.
He said nothing had been considered to make group toilets gender neutral.
In St. Paul, Minnesota, students reported feeling safer after schools moved to gender-neutral, single-occupancy restrooms, according to a report. History of Minnesota Public Radio. School leaders reported a decrease in problems such as smoking and vandalism.
In 2019, Worcester students campaigned for gender-neutral bathrooms included in all newly built schools in the city.
New South High Community School building, opened in 2021has several gender-neutral bathrooms, O’Brien said, and the new Doherty Memorial High School, which is opening planned for next fallwill also have several.
O’Brien said creating gender-neutral bathrooms is a desired aspect of new school construction and ongoing facility management.
“Worcester Public Schools is committed to fostering safe, welcoming and affirming schools for students of all backgrounds, including transgender and gender non-binary students,” O’Brien said.
The debate over whether schools should have gender-neutral restrooms has grown across the country.
In Arkansas, according to USA TODAYGov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed a law in March banning transgender people from using public school bathrooms that match their gender identity.
In California, USA TODAY also reportedGov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill in September requiring schools serving grades 1 through 12 to have at least one gender-neutral bathroom for students by 2026.
The petition presented Thursday to the Worcester School Committee was sent to the Standing Committee on Finance and Operations, where a hearing will be held to further discuss the topic.
Asked about the petition, Mayor Joseph M. Petty, who chairs the school committee, said it was worth discussing how to move it forward.
“When two teachers come here, it’s an important issue,” he said. “I support it.”
Superintendent Rachel H. Monárrez said she would support whatever the committee’s final decision is.
She added that if the committee approves the change, it should happen at more schools than just North High.
“If we have to do it, we will do it for the whole district,” she said. “We need to figure out how to keep everyone safe – and when I say everything, I mean everything. But I wouldn’t do it just for one school.
