Transgender Bathrooms in Walton County Schools

Once again poppaj you are talking apples and oranges. This has ZERO to do with gays and lesbians and where they use the bathroom. To be blunt, this is about people with penises using the men's room and people with vaginas using the ladies room and preventing people from using whichever one they choose based on how the "feel" that day. Especially in a school setting. If you would use some of the intelligence you claim you could figure out how allowing such would disrupt the learning process and place students and staff in uncomfortable positions.

I have to admit I changed my name to HE-MAN because I was insecure. Deep down I was worried I might be a HER-MAN. On my first trip to France I was scared to use the toilette because there were not separate ones hor HEs and HERs. But I finally had to tinkle. As I was standing over the hole in the floor, a SHE-MAN leaned against the wall over the other hole and had a huge diarrhea explosion. A woman on the other side of me farted like a trucker.

I left that bathroom that day understanding equality.

Do some basic research. I have a friend who knew at eight years of age she was a lesbian.
I think we should prevent Republicans from using the same restroom as children since it is my deeply held belief their bigotry poses a danger to young minds.

You had a friend who at 8 years of age knew she was a lesbian. Ok. And? Did she pee in the boys room standing up? Or did she pee in the ladies room? My guess is she peed in the bathroom of the sexual identity she was given at birth! What's the problem? Not one in my opinion. If you're anatomically female your a$$ belongs in the ladies room and vice versa...especially if you're talking about CHILDREN!

I'm not a Republican but I do tend to agree with you about the well publicized indiscretions of congressmen in bathrooms and/or caught with their proverbial pants down.

WHAT is it about bathrooms? I'll never understand it. Whatever happened to conservative tea party small government, deregulation and staying out of people's lives? What's the fascination with the bathroom for anyone? I've seriously never heard of bathroom issues in need of laws except maybe some child molesters or men meeting men in bathrooms. And these laws already exist.

Teresa, this has to do with the rights of the vast majority and allowing the school administration to handle the very small minority of issues in a tactful and private way. Think of the consequences of what you are proposing. Say a 15 year old girl decides she is a boy today and enters the boys locker room. First, no teacher is going to be in those locker rooms anymore because of the liability issues. So that child is going to be in a room with a bunch of 15 year old boys. Bullying and sexual harassment would probably be the mildest thing that would occur. This disaster is contrasted with what would happen now. That child would be allowed to use a private bathroom and other students would not have much if any knowledge or interaction.

Teresa, this has to do with the rights of the vast majority and allowing the school administration to handle the very small minority of issues in a tactful and private way. Think of the consequences of what you are proposing. Say a 15 year old girl decides she is a boy today and enters the boys locker room. First, no teacher is going to be in those locker rooms anymore because of the liability issues. So that child is going to be in a room with a bunch of 15 year old boys. Bullying and sexual harassment would probably be the mildest thing that would occur. This disaster is contrasted with what would happen now. That child would be allowed to use a private bathroom and other students would not have much if any knowledge or interaction.

I am not proposing anything. None of these situations have happened or will happen. Suddenly, due to new bathroom laws we have to fabricate these situations? Leave schools and children alone.

The image that accompanied WZEP's news blurb is offensive and does not shed WZEP in a very positive light either.

Teresa, this issue was started by radical LGBT activists. But once again you try to justify your position by claiming the Tea Party or such is responsible. If you try and do things that in the opinion of many parents and school officials will be harmful to students and disruptive to the school environment just so some activist will feel good do not be surprised when those people push back. Many of the people I have talked with who are most outraged are liberals who have children and do not want this to happen in the schools their children attend.

I am not proposing anything. None of these situations have happened or will happen. Suddenly, due to new bathroom laws we have to fabricate these situations? Leave schools and children alone.

Please contact President Obama care of the White House, Washington DC and express your sediments to him. I agree, leave things as they have been and leave our schools and children alone. Glad we see eye to eye on this situation.

The image that accompanied WZEP's news blurb is offensive and does not shed WZEP in a very positive light either.

The image that accompanied WZEP's news blurb is offensive and does not shed WZEP in a very positive light either.

So dumb. Transgender people deserve much better than this Dbag. You would never know the person's birth gender in real life or if suspected then who cares. I'm not in danger.

You had a friend who at 8 years of age knew she was a lesbian. Ok. And? Did she pee in the boys room standing up? Or did she pee in the ladies room? My guess is she peed in the bathroom of the sexual identity she was given at birth! What's the problem? Not one in my opinion. If you're anatomically female your a$$ belongs in the ladies room and vice versa...especially if you're talking about CHILDREN!

I'm not a Republican but I do tend to agree with you about the well publicized indiscretions of congressmen in bathrooms and/or caught with their proverbial pants down.

I am shaking my head and saying to myself WTF? I never said she identified as transgender. The purpose of the example was to refute your claim that young children have no real ideal as to their sexual identity and that sexual identity is more than a penis or vagina. You know what? Forget it. Cling to your beliefs, it's your right.

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Teresa, this issue was started by radical LGBT activists. But once again you try to justify your position by claiming the Tea Party or such is responsible. If you try and do things that in the opinion of many parents and school officials will be harmful to students and disruptive to the school environment just so some activist will feel good do not be surprised when those people push back. Many of the people I have talked with who are most outraged are liberals who have children and do not want this to happen in the schools their children attend.

I really don't like the fear behind the bathroom laws. I don't think it's warranted or fair to innocent people. or needed.

Thanks for the thought process. It is enlightening somehow. I haven't heard it quite described this way. Always interesting and thanks for your honest opinions.

WHAT is it about bathrooms? I'll never understand it. Whatever happened to conservative tea party small government, deregulation and staying out of people's lives? What's the fascination with the bathroom for anyone? I've seriously never heard of bathroom issues in need of laws except maybe some child molesters or men meeting men in bathrooms. And these laws already exist.

Using that logic Teresa...don't parents have the right to keep little boys out of the lives of their young daughters when they use the rest room? There have seriously not been bathroom issues for our kids because historically children in school have been protected by administration and are told to use the bathrooms of the sexual identity they were born with.

Once again poppaj you are talking apples and oranges. This has ZERO to do with gays and lesbians and where they use the bathroom. To be blunt, this is about people with penises using the men's room and people with vaginas using the ladies room and preventing people from using whichever one they choose based on how the "feel" that day. Especially in a school setting. If you would use some of the intelligence you claim you could figure out how allowing such would disrupt the learning process and place students and staff in uncomfortable positions.

Two points Danny. One, Sexual identity is more complicated than sex organs at birth. Two, I have never and I repeat never claimed intelligence. Who would believe me if I did?

I am shaking my head and saying to myself WTF? I never said she identified as transgender. The purpose of the example was to refute your claim that young children have no real ideal as to their sexual identity and that sexual identity is more than a penis or vagina. You know what? Forget it. Cling to your beliefs, it's your right.

You sexual identity is directly linked to your anatomical gender assignment at birth! Change the sexual assignment and the issue for me goes away. If you have a vagina use the ladies room. If you have a penis use the men's room especially if we are talking about CHILDREN!

Using that logic Teresa...don't parents have the right to keep little boys out of the lives of their young daughters when they use the rest room? There have seriously not been bathroom issues for our kids because historically children in school have been protected by administration and are told to use the bathrooms of the sexual identity they were born with.

Yes. Agree. You have to hear some of the stories from older kids, primarily highschool age, who are truly struggling with their own personal issues. The bathroom just isn't one of them.. Until now. Schools work with them and help find solutions as they always have. They were never the object of a bathroom scandal until state bathroom laws were actually written to single them out and start something that was just not an issue, bringing unnecessary fear to people and parents and children. Sad. Fear. Ignorance. Bigotry. Leave them alone. No person wants to upset anyone in a bathroom. The issue literally did not exist before North Carolina.

Teresa, you are crossing up two different issues. The North Carolina law was passed in response to a Charlotte city ordinance. The schools issue came about when the Obama administration sent school districts a letter stating they would allow children to go to whichever locker room or bathroom they "felt" they belonged in. If the refused the government would pull their school lunch funding. So, do as Obama says of poor children will go hungry. You are right, schools have been handling this quietly and privately. Leave them alone.

Teresa, you are crossing up two different issues. The North Carolina law was passed in response to a Charlotte city ordinance. The schools issue came about when the Obama administration sent school districts a letter stating they would allow children to go to whichever locker room or bathroom they "felt" they belonged in. If the refused the government would pull their school lunch funding. So, do as Obama says of poor children will go hungry. You are right, schools have been handling this quietly and privately. Leave them alone.

The school issue began with North Carolina bathroom law that directly effected schools. Yes it was in response to Charlotte's anti-discrimination ordinance that passed the city council that addressed several equality issues including transgender rights. So much for human rights there. I think it will all work out eventually. We usually get there after lots of back and forth. Meanwhile, I hate that children and families are hurt.

Yes. Agree. You have to hear some of the stories from older kids, primarily highschool age, who are truly struggling with their own personal issues. The bathroom just isn't one of them.. Until now. Schools work with them and help find solutions as they always have. They were never the object of a bathroom scandal until state bathroom laws were actually written to single them out and start something that was just not an issue, bringing unnecessary fear to people and parents and children. Sad. Fear. Ignorance. Bigotry. Leave them alone. No person wants to upset anyone in a bathroom. The issue literally did not exist before North Carolina.

I get it Teresa! I realize that kids today are struggling with their sexual identity but I'm simply unwilling to concede that little boys belong in a girls bathroom because because of an identity crisis. I have said from the get go on this thread that I think this is government overreach to the extreme. What I think you also fail to understand is that parents are EXTREMELY concerned about issues which have the probability to effect the lives of their MINOR children. We are NOT talking about ADULTS who are LGBT...if you're an adult struggling with gender issues, you should be grown up enough to deal with them the best way you know how. CHILDREN do not have the coping skills of adults nor should they be placed in situations where they would have to!

I get it Teresa! I realize that kids today are struggling with their sexual identity but I'm simply unwilling to concede that little boys belong in a girls bathroom because because of an identity crisis. I have said from the get go on this thread that I think this is government overreach to the extreme. What I think you also fail to understand is that parents are EXTREMELY concerned about issues which have the probability to effect the lives of their MINOR children. We are NOT talking about ADULTS who are LGBT...if you're an adult struggling with gender issues, you should be grown up enough to deal with them the best way you know how. CHILDREN do not have the coping skills of adults nor should they be placed in situations where they would have to!

I understand. And I don't think anyone is asking small children to be in any uncomfortable bathroom situation.

I'm only saying it was a total non issue before the ridiculous state bathroom laws. What is a bathroom law needed for?

Small children do experience issues of many kinds. Few of which should effect their bathroom situation. There are a few cases of small children with identity issues and just saw a news report about a four year old girl who insists she's a boy. She looks and acts like a boy. Her family goes with it and so does the school. No one is offended or effected. Stop the fear mongering. It's all about the support given to that child, whatever that may entail. its really not a big thing to do. If he is causing classmates to freak out (which I highly doubt) in the bathroom then hopefully a solution can be found. Let's not teach our children to fear these innocents.

The issue is with older kids in cities all over the world, more than I imagined.. Still, they can and do find a bathroom that they know is right for them and won't upset their peers, usually a private one. Schools often help with any of these things. Total non issue. The fear is not fair to them. They are the ones who live and experience fear in this society for their whole lives. Laws that target them are not right. Don't we have better ways to spend time in legislation? Just seems to me our obsession with bathrooms is just a terrible distraction.

Charlotte did start it, as Danny says, by including in their anti discrimination ordinance a section allowing transgender people access to the bathroom appropriate to their identity. But NC squashed it by passing an unnecessary law that had been in the works by those who are trying to go after LGBT rights.

I have since learned a lot about transgender people and kids. So maybe the issue is good to teach us more and increase our understanding of a large group of people. Learning more about their lives and obstacles and issues is eye opening. Hear the stories from real people. Learn about their families and loved ones. Replace fear with knowledge and we'll eventually pass good laws. Or at least broaden our definition of equal rights. I think we'll come to realize that bathroom laws are unnecessary.

I understand. And I don't think anyone is asking small children to be placed in any bathrooms except the usual. I'm only saying it was a total non issue before the ridiculous bathroom laws. It's still a non issue except where parents have been told to be fearful. For what?

And that's really at the heart of this Teresa...you don't understand. The Federal Government is mandating these changes and refusal to do so could result in the loss of federal funding (locally about 5 million dollars) and forces parents to accept the notion that little boys should be able to use the same restroom as their daughters. It's not going to fly in this County

And that's really at the heart of this Teresa...you don't understand. The Federal Government is mandating these changes and refusal to do so could result in the loss of federal funding (locally about 5 million dollars) and forces parents to accept the notion that little boys should be able to use the same restroom as their daughters. It's not going to fly in this County

I totally understand. I just don't think it forces anything except the protection of all children.

I have a lot of respect and trust in our schools and teachers. They'll be fine. Just say no to fear.

Here's why this blog of SoWal is so silly.

There are people, registered users that support men entering my daughter's restroom. It's called pedophilia .

Our school superintendent is and has been a week puppet of this and any agenda that keeps her and her dependant hubby with making $$$.

Sad state of affairs when a very simple issues are raised, and now thrown right back in the faces of those that allowed it's creation.

When you say your a Rep but act like a Dem, you fit the Rino Walton mold just fine. Main problem of this area.

Men pee in men's urinals.

Women sit in a stall.

Can't figure that out, we've got dunes that don't care who pees on them just try it out for kicks. No one cares.

Wonder if Bud N Ally's will have ??? Bathrooms. I'll try both and see where I fit in...

This is exactly why males do not need to be in a girls bathroom.

Police Investigate Video of Sex Between Girl and Boys

• By TAMARA LUSH, ASSOCIATED PRESS

May 24, 2016, 9:41 PM ET

Florida sheriff's detectives are investigating a cellphone video purportedly showing a 15-year-old girl having sex with multiple boys in a public high school bathroom after school.

Authorities originally decided not to pursue any criminal charges, but when the video surfaced and was sent to news outlets and posted online, detectives and the Florida Department of Children and Families decided to investigate further, Lee County Sheriff's Office spokesman Tony Schall said Tuesday. Schall declined to elaborate on what possible charges could be filed in the case.

According to a police report, the girl confirmed she had sex with a number of "willing males" in the bathroom on May 17. The report said a school-based sheriff's detective watched a security video and saw 25 teen boys walk into the restroom. The girl and her parents were unwilling to press charges, Schall said.

The video was posted on Snapchat and Twitter, and forwarded to local news media, and at least one TV station contacted police, Schall said.

Lee County School spokeswoman Amity Chandler said in a statement late Tuesday that while 25 boys were seen going into the bathroom, the number of boys the girl had sex with "is less than the number seen going into the restroom." She did not elaborate.

Greg Adkins, the county's school superintendent, posted a letter Tuesday saying that officials "were shocked to hear of the events at South High," but added, "I am certain you appreciate the privacy afforded to the students involved."

Tampa-area defense attorney John Trevena said officers are almost certainly looking into whether anyone who shot cellphone video — or posted it — can be prosecuted under child-pornography laws.

"If a video was taken, it's unquestionably child pornography. There's no ambiguity there," he said. "Just the sheer volume of participants, allegedly 25 boys, suggests mental health issues with a 15-year-old girl. It should be investigated as a crime, taking advantage of someone with a mental health issue."

The case has stunned area parents, who are left wondering if the school is safe, and national victims' advocates.

"It just sort of takes my breath away," said Scott Berkowitz, the president of the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network. "It's hard to imagine how something like this even happens."

Berkowitz said a key question is whether a 15-year-old can consent to sex. Florida's age of consent is 18, but state law contains a provision allowing 16- and 17-year-olds to consent to having sex with someone age 16 to 23.

The ages of the boys who allegedly had sex with the 15-year-old girl at the high school were still unclear, and Chandler said the district won't disclose how many students were disciplined. A note from principal Melissa Layner to parents said students were disciplined "quickly."

Superintendent Adkins wrote that "conversations about right and wrong have occurred in many contexts, and with the parents present."

"We recognize that this is not just an issue of student behavior, but also of supervision."

But he also asked that "we move forward from this incident without further harsh judgment of those involved."

"They are adolescents who have made a serious mistake. They have been disciplined. They must now be afforded the opportunity to learn from their mistakes."

Transgender is not child molestation nor is it about teenagers behaving badly. Those terrible incidents can happen anywhere... So awful. But totally unrelated. Transgender people are not child predators or rapists. Molesters and rapists don't care about laws.

Seeing people lump these issues together is unfortunate.