Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/03/us/illinois-district-violated-transgender-students-rights-us-says.html?action=click&pgtype=Homepage&module=first-column-region®ion=top-news&WT.nav=top-news&hp&_r=0
Title:
Illinois District Violated Transgender Student’s Rights, U.S. Says
Date: November 2nd, 2015
Summary: Recently, the school district in Palatine, Illinois, was under fire for violating transgender rights which was because they were limiting them the use of gender specific bathrooms. In this specific case, a transgender female was restricted in using the women's bathroom, for it "made other students feel uncomfortable." The school decided that she should change behind a curtain, however, "the school district in Palatine, Ill., has not yet come to an agreement, prompting the federal government to threaten sanctions." The Office for Civil Rights of the Department of Education sent in a letter to the school board stating that all transgender students should have access to the facilities of their choosing, and that restricting transgender people is a violation of their rights under Title lX, which bans sex discrimination in schools and the use of private and separate bathrooms. The superintendent, Dr. Cates, said "parents had made it resoundingly clear that they favored 'maintaining some measure of privacy expectation' in the locker rooms." This is not an uncommon issue, for many school districts all around the US are struggling to find common ground on integrating transgender students in school, which includes locker rooms and sports teams.
Questions: What is more important, freedom of privacy or expression? Do you believe that transgender people should have the choice in what bathroom to go in or what sports team to join? Why or why not? Lastly, should this be a school wide decision, state wide decision or a nationwide decision?
This this seems like a pretty clear case of federalism. I believe the Supremacy clause is in full effect.
ReplyDeleteI would say this is not an issue of privacy. The student that is transgender is in a tough position of how it is, why maker tougher on them by limiting what they feel. I agree with Demoya Gordon who said that the student has the right to choose. They know who they are the best, so why force them into a position they do not want to be. Yes it is awkward and uncomfortable for others students but for the STUDENT as well. Yes I believe they should be given the choice. This should be a nationwide descion, because it should be for all people that are in that position.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Skippy that this is an issue regarding freedom of expression. I believe that transgender people should have the freedom to choose the facility of their choice. Although this is a controversial topic that will most likely take a long time to come to a consensus, it is important that the school board looks at the issue through the perspective of a transgender student. I believe this should be a nationwide decision because this is an issue that the majority of schools in the US are currently discussing.
ReplyDeleteThis would be an issue of freedom of expression. I do believe that transgender people should be allowed to decide where they belong. Transgender people are only hurting themselves when being forced to identify themselves as a sex they do not feel they belong to. This issue should be considered a nationwide decision because it regards people all over America attending thousands of schools.
ReplyDeleteThe bathroom and locker room issue is completely ridiculous. Protecting students from slight discomfort is no justification to violate a whole group of people's human rights. We live in a new time and if one is uncomfortable with a person for how they personally identify, they have to get over it. If someone felt uncomfortable because they had to change with black kids, there would be little to no discussion apart from telling them they are racist. Regardless, the article mentions using more stalls, which completely solves any of the mentioned issues. The issue with sports is slightly different because a man's body does have physical advantages in most sports and I don't have a clear opinion.
ReplyDeleteIn this case, it would be an issue of freedom of expression. Transgender people should have the freedom to choose the gender they want to identify with. The school board does not have the right to force transgender students to using different facilities because it is an individuals own right. I think this decision should be nationwide because it is affecting the population as a whole.
ReplyDeleteWhat is more important, freedom of privacy or expression? Do you believe that transgender people should have the choice in what bathroom to go in or what sports team to join? Why or why not? Lastly, should this be a school wide decision, state wide decision or a nationwide decision?
ReplyDeleteI believe that there is no fine line between freedom of privacy and expression and for this reason also believe that neither is always more important than the other. In the case of transgender people trying to use bathrooms or join sports teams, I feel that the decision should ultimately belong to the transgender people as not all scenarios are the same and they can make the best decision for themselves. Finally, I think that this issue should be resolved through a nationwide decision as bigotry and misrepresentation would most likely get in the way in some states.
I think that it is a good idea to have freedom of expression, however, there will be people who will take advantage of the situation. A boy who is not transgender can pretend to be and go into the girls bathroom. This disrupts those around him and violates their privacy. Overall there is a significantly smaller amount of transgenders in society that it is not a huge issue. Freedom of expression is valuable however I believe that privacy is more important in this case. The new decision will be difficult to monitor, thus privacy is more important.
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ReplyDeleteI believe that there should be a large amount of importance on freedom of expression. The transgender population has had to deal with so much misunderstanding and this would extremely help them with feeling accepted by the government as well as the other citizens of this country. I understand that there is a fear that people could abuse this new regulation and pretend to be the other gender in order to invade the privacy of individuals. This should be considered, but the fact that there is a way to help citizens feel more valid should be enough for at least some form of change from the state or national level.
ReplyDeleteThere is a large amount of importance in freedom of expression. But Americans simply aren't ready to let Transgender people have the right to choice which restroom or which changing room they want to use yet. The change to a more accepting society won't happen overnight, so I believe that transgender individuals need to keep doing the same things they've always done until more people understand and respect the plight of transgender people.
ReplyDeleteThis is an issue about freedom of expression. Transgender people should have right to choose which side they belong to regardless what others thinking about. Because they have their own right to make dicision of theirselves. this should be a nation wide decision, and it will be hard to really make this work because it also invade others freedom of privacy who does not understand transgender.
ReplyDeleteI think that in this situation, freedom of expression is of a higher importance. Transgendered teens have enough to deal with (the bullying, the insecurities, the feeling of not being accepted in society, etc), they should at least be able to choose witch bathroom they want to us. Transgendered people are not trying to make people uncomfortable, or violate others' privacy, they are simply just trying to be themselves.
ReplyDeleteSimilarly, Transgendered people should be able to choose which sports team they want to use. This needs to be a nationwide decision in order for more people's rights to be protected.
I feel transgender people should have the freedom to choose the gender they want to identify with and to choose what bathroom they please. The school board can not force transgender students to using different facilities because it violates the individual's right of freedom of expression.
ReplyDeleteOf course transgender people should be able to choose what bathroom they go to. What difference does it make to everyone else? The world we live in today preaches inclusion, acceptance, all that great stuff. This is just another example of where society needs to walk the walk.
ReplyDeleteBoth of these rights are important, but I lean towards the right to privacy as it we should not have to be scrutinized for our personal lifestyle choices. Transgendered people should have every right to select which bathroom they would like to use. Much like single restrooms that are gender specific, it is useless. The decision of integration however is up to the individual schools themselves. If there is enough backlash or criticism, then a school must take action to be more inclusive.
ReplyDeleteI believe under our right to express ourselves as we choose, transgenders should be allowed to pick which bathrooms they want regardless of how it makes other people feel. Going to the bathroom isn't an issue of a disruption or a distraction to others meaning it its not within reason to make a rule against. Just like it took time for gay marriage to pass, transgender rights is at the new topic of controversy that will slowly gain respect as time goes on. Even today, gay marriage isn't accepted in all states, but the federal law requires people to oblige to their rights. Trans rights have a long way to go and maybe a federal law is in the distant future, but for now, creating rules to acknowledge people'd feelings of discomfort is a step in the wrong direction and as a country that accepts gay marriage, we too should accept transgenders.
ReplyDeleteAnd why this law is so important is really simple - we as a country have said that all kids get to be educated, all kids get to have access to public education. And over the years, particularly over the last 40 or 50 years, small accommodations have had to be made for lots of different kinds of kids. There have to be wheelchair accessible facilities, there have to be individualized education plans for certain students. And this is a simple accommodation that allows all students - not just trans students - but to have access to all programs and all facilities based on their gender identity.
ReplyDeleteI think, in this case, the freedom of expression is more important because it is a violation of transgender people's right to express themselves. Transgender people should definitely chose whichever bathroom or sports team that they want to join because it is their right to express who they are, not the school's. I believe, by allowing transgender students to have the same basic human rights as any other student, the US will follow schools' footsteps and make mandates according to transgender rights.
ReplyDeleteI feel that the freedom of expression is most important. Transgender students are already going through so much in their lives. They have to deal with not feeling like they fit into the sex category that they were born into. The least schools can do is help them feel normal and letting them choose the facilities that correspond to the gender they are. After all, it is a schools job to make EVERY student feel equally safe and comfortable. On top of that, transgendered students obsoletely should have the option to play for whichever sports team they want. It is only fair to let the m participate in activities without discriminating against their gender identity. Lastly, I believe that this should be a nationwide decision as these types of laws protecting transgendered students should be enforced in every state.
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