Transgender rights divide candidates

APS hopefuls differ sharply on bathroom, locker room access

Albuquerque Public Schools District 7 board candidates sparred over transgender rights Thursday night, with incumbent Dave Peercy voicing strong support for non-discrimination policies.

Speaking during a community forum at district headquarters, the four candidates were sharply divided on the issue: two spoke in favor of a recent APS transgender directive and two were opposed.

The policy, instituted this school year, essentially allows transgender students to live in accordance with their gender identities by changing their names, gender pronouns and clothing style. Most controversially, transgender youth may also access restrooms and locker rooms where they feel comfortable — for instance, a child who was born male but transitioned to female can use the girls’ facilities.

In opening remarks, candidate Brian David Tierney called the directive an egregious violation of public safety and trust.

“I speak for every father in America that if somebody with the male anatomy goes into my little girl’s restroom, I will be furious, and I will not ever stand for that ever,” Tierney said later in the forum.

William Steinberg was also opposed, saying he feels APS is giving transgender students special treatment over others.

The two candidates who support transgender

rights were equally vehement.

Peercy, a Sandia scientist who is running for a third term, has consistently spoken in favor of the directive.

“These transgender students are our students — they are part of our system,” he said Thursday.

Candidate Ian Burch cited a federal government mandate to protect transgender students from discrimination and added that they are “not some shadowy cabal” trying to get into bathrooms.

“They are the victims,” he said, highlighting transgender students’ high suicide rate.

Thursday’s forum also included a quieter debate among six candidates fighting for the District 6 seat vacated by incumbent Don Duran, who is not seeking another term.

Both groups of candidates fielded a wide variety of questions submitted by audience members. The transgender issue did not come up during the District 6 portion of the forum.

Candidates did share their views on charter schools, including the moratorium bill that would stop the state and districts from opening new charter schools for two and a half years.

Paula Maes, an APS board member from 2001 to 2013, said she supports a moratorium because there is “an abundance of charter schools” — so many that they could essentially operate as a separate district.

The idea also had support from Abbas A. Akhil, who said charters and traditional public schools are competing for the same students.

C. Douglas Brown and Paul Louis Sievert were both charter supporters, calling the schools an important alternative.

“Choice is a good thing,” Brown said.

Melissa Ann Finch said she worries some charter schools cherry pick their students and advocated for more oversight.

Elizabeth Armijo questioned whether APS could compete with the charters by developing more magnet schools focused on particular fields or student groups.

This was the second public forum held this week for APS board candidates. On Wednesday, the district hosted the nine candidates vying for districts 3 and 5.

In all, 19 people will fight for four board seats on election day, Feb. 7.