Maryland state Sen. Bob Cassilly spearheaded concerns over a policy allowing students to use locker rooms that corresponded with their preferred gender instead of their biological sex after a Harford County middle schooler’s parents reached out to him to voice their child’s discomfort.
“They related their child’s embarrassment at having to change for gym class in the presence of a classmate who is of the opposite biological sex,” Cassily said, according to a Baltimore Sun report.
Cassilly took the concerns to the Harford Board of Education, relaying the student’s “considerable embarrassment and mental anguish” after the school allegedly pressured the student to change in front of another student of the opposite sex before gym class.
He stressed that the incident not only caused mental anguish for the student whose family reached out with the complaint, but also for the rest of the students, according to the report.
When reached for comment, Cassilly passed along an email sent to his constituents.
“Per HCPS’s unwritten policy, if any other student voices discomfort with this arrangement, that student who complains of being uncomfortable with changing in front of a member of the opposite sex is to be removed to an ‘alternative space’ to accommodate a sense of modesty that HCPS apparently believes is undesirable,” the email read.
“This form of progressive virtue shaming has no place in our schools,” it continued. “I asked HCPS to reverse this policy, but it remains.”
The Harford school system defended the policy, citing its conformity with policies put in place by the Maryland Department of Education.
“Harford County Public Schools follows Maryland State Department of Education guidance regarding issues of gender identity,” president of the county school board Rachel Gautheir wrote to Cassilly on Oct. 4.
“Importantly, the guidelines seek to not only ensure non-discrimination relating to a transgender or gender-nonconforming student, but they seek to offer respect, safety and comfort for all students in these sensitive situations.”
The board maintained that the fairness extended to students and parents who feel uncomfortable with the policy as well, claiming they could voice their complaints to the school to request accommodations.
However, neither the student involved nor their parents raised a complaint with the school itself, and the board defended the existing protocol.
“We encourage students to share their comfort level with staff so that appropriate arrangements can be made to address these matters,” Gautheir added, according to the outlet.
Cassilly fired back against Gauthier’s claims, however, claiming to local Harford news outlet The Aegis that the issue has been kept secret from most parents.
“I have received responses from a number of parents thanking me for informing them about this issue,” he said, adding, “this is not a matter the board should have undertaken without notifying parents, and their failure to do so shows poor judgment.”
When the Harford County Public School system was reached for comment, they offered a response:
“This is not an HCPS policy… it is consistent with guidance from MSDE… and federal law,” they wrote.
“As noted in the Board response to Mr. Cassilly, we were not aware of any student concern prior to Mr. Cassilly’s letter. At the time of this email to you, no student or parent/guardian has come forward with any concern related to that presented in Mr. Cassilly’s letter.”
