Barrington 220 board candidates discuss transgender student issues

Six candidates running seats on the Barrington Area Unit School District 220 board took mixed positions on the rights of transgender students when asked about it during a forum Wednesday.

While the debate surrounding transgender students' use of locker rooms and bathrooms has raged on at some neighboring school districts, it has not been publicly discussed in District 220.

The question was posed to the candidates seeking four, 4-year terms - incumbents Penny Kazimier, Sandra Finke-Bradford and Christopher Geier and challengers Christopher A. Karam, Michael Shackleton and Gavin Newman - by a parent who said they had a student in the LBGQT community at Barrington High School. It was discussed during the Barrington 220 PTO Presidents' Council forum at the Barrington Area Public Library.

The district doesn't have a blanket policy on how to treat transgender students at the elementary, middle or high school levels, district spokesperson Morgan Delack said. Instead, officials work with students individually to come to the solution that works best for them.

Karam said he respects the needs of all students but added it might be difficult and expensive to accommodate every transgender student.

Geier said he didn't think the district should try to accommodate transgender students.

"While I respect each individual's individuality, I think that an individual is the individual the doctor tells him he is when he's born," Geier said. "So can we accommodate someone who feels differently at some point in their life at a public school? My opinion is no."

Kazimier said she supports the way the district has handled the issue and hopes it continues to treat students on an individual basis as is done educationally.

Shackleton said it is important all students be provided social and emotional learning and a safe space to learn.

"If there's an easy solution, maybe we can put the controversy aside and try to provide a unisex bathroom that someone could choose to go in," Shackleton said. "And then go about their business of learning and achieving their potential."

Sandra Finke-Bradford said it's important to accommodate transgender students and listen to their needs.

Newman said he believes citizens have the responsibility to provide the children a safe space to learn, but added the measures taken to accommodate transgender children also have to make sense from a cost standpoint.