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Marion County school board blocks transgender kids from choosing restroom

 
Published April 27, 2016

OCALA — The Marion County School Board has approved a measure to limit restrooms to students based on their birth sex, not their gender identity.

The board approved the ban — effective Wednesday morning — during a meeting Tuesday. The decision came despite a warning from the American Civil Liberties Union that the ban is unlawful.

Board member Carol Ely says transgender students shouldn't get to choose which restroom to use, adding it's "reverse discrimination."

The district started allowing transgender students to choose their restroom two months ago. But a parent claimed his son's privacy rights were being violated because he's not comfortable sharing a restroom with a student who was born female but now identifies as male.

ACLU attorney Daniel Tilley tells the Ocala Star-Banner ( tbtim.es/zxz) the group will represent any student needing assistance.