PALATINE SCHOOL VOTE COULD SEND MESSAGE ON TRANSGENDER RULES
School board candidates who supported a plan to let a transgender student use the girls’ locker room at a northwest suburban school survived an election challenge in one of several local races that took on an issue that has been the focus of state and national debate.
Tuesday’s contest in the roughly 12,000- student, fivehigh school district was a unique referendum on transgender bathroom use.
Experts say the results in Palatine’s Township High School District 211 could provide guidance, and political cover, to other districts. Two incumbents and a former board member supporting the policy won despite three challengers whose top priorities included changing it.
“It’s encouraging,” said Christopher Clark, a regional director for Lambda Legal. “The attempt to deny these students the ability to be who they are and be safe in school serves no legitimate purpose. This may be a sign that the public is starting to understand.”
The issue played a less prominent role in other Illinois elections Tuesday, including in the nearby Elgin School District U- 46, which is Illinois’ second largest with 40,000 students. There, unofficial results showed three school board candidates won after supporting a district policy allowing students to use bathrooms based on gender identity.
The Palatine district’s current practice allows the student, who has lived as a girl since middle school, to use the girls’ locker rooms with the understanding she would use a private changing station that other students also can access, as well as the girls’ bathrooms. The policy followed a 2013 federal complaint, packed board meetings and intervention from former President Barack Obama’s administration.
Opposition to its practice re- emerged on the campaign trail, with three candidates saying a top priority was to overhaul the policy.
The three challengers received backing from Parents for Privacy, which sued the district over claims that the transgender policy violates other students’ privacy rights. But Vicki Wilson, who cofounded Parents for Privacy, said she didn’t see the election as a referendum on the issue, since candidates also stressed fiscal responsibility.
“We’re going to continue,” she said Wednesday. “The children are not all being respected.”
Irvin in Aurora
Longtime Alderman at Large Richard C. Irvin claimed the Aurora mayoral seat after a close battle with Richard “Rick” Guzman, according to unofficial totals.
Results show Irvin garnered 7,574 votes and Guzman finished with 7,404 to fall 170 votes behind with all 116 precincts reporting from the Aurora and DuPage County election commissions. Marie Wilson, Daily Herald