‘Huge disservice’: Pennsylvania school district quietly reverses sex-segregated bathroom policy despite community support, student protest

Just months after hundreds of students protested for same-sex only bathrooms, a Pennsylvania school board is quietly reversing its decision to avoid potential lawsuits.

The Perkiomen Valley school board voted 6-3 on Monday to reverse policy 720, which restricted use of gender-segregated bathrooms and locker rooms to biological sex.

The board had initially rejected policy 720 last fall, causing hundreds of students to protest.

After the mass walkout, the board approved the policy by a 5-4 vote. 

“Kids were upset,” recalled student John Ott, who organized the protest. “Girls, we wanted to protect them. They were upset. They didn’t want men in their bathroom.” 

“There needs to be some changes,” student Victoria Rudolph said, according to the New York Post. “It’s just uncomfortable seeing 19-year-old men or 18-year-old men in the bathroom.” 

“It makes me feel as if it’s me and my sister and the rest of us students’ rights are now compromised and not a priority to this school whatsoever,” added a third student, Brandon Emery. 

Now, the Perkiomen board has walked back its decision – claiming it fears legal blowback. 

“We became an anomaly in October,” board member Robert Liggett said, referring to when policy 720 was approved. “We need to return this district to normalcy. We need to protect the district from lawsuit we would probably lose.” 

Member Tammy Campli also previously claimed the district could be viewed as violating Title IX. 

“[Policy 720] does not consider Title IX, it does not bring into account the fact that we’re going to be in lawsuits,” she said in October.  

But not all the members were in favor of rolling back the measure.  

“There’s no way to make that decision without discriminating against women,” argued Rowan Keenan.  

Community members were also disappointed by the board’s about-face. 

“Thanks for failing us,” said one board meeting attendee. 

“You’ve done a huge disservice to many families,” said another.  

“Evil is here,” added a third. “Satan has come for our children right in front of us.”