South Jersey School District Ready To Adopt Policy For Transgender Students
By Mike DeNardo
CHERRY HILL, N.J., (CBS) -- The Cherry Hill School District is ready to adopt a policy accommodating transgender students when it comes to using bathrooms and locker rooms.
The change would put Cherry Hill in line with state laws that ban discrimination, says Superintendent Dr. Joseph Meloche.
"In our current set of policies, the word 'transgender' occurs once in our nondiscrimination policy. And this just actually spells out what poised to do and what we are ready to do for students," said Dr. Meloche.
The board is expected to approve a policy next month that allows transgender students to use a restroom consistent with their self-declared gender identity. Or, a single-stall, "All-gender"restroom, should they choose.
"The gender-neutral bathrooms, anybody can use. They are not for transgender students, they are not for any specific student. They're gender-neutral. Anybody that wants to use them will be able to use them," said Dr. Meloche.
Under the policy, the district would accept the student's declaration of his or her gender identity, with a confirming letter from a parent.
Meloche says Cherry Hill is in the first wave of New Jersey school districts banning discrimination based on gender identity.
He says Cherry Hill has transgender students, but he couldn't say how many.
