Lawsuit planned over new restroom protocol

A national law firm that advocates for the LGBT community said a federal suit will be filed against Pine-Richland School District for putting into place this week a “sex-specific” protocol that requires transgender students to use bathrooms that match their biological gender or, as an alternative, to use a unisex bathroom.

“We'll see them in court,” said Omar Gonzalez-Pagan, an attorney with Lambda Legal, based in New York City.

He said the school district distinguished itself Monday by becoming the only district in Pennsylvania to have adopted such a “discriminatory” resolution — one that was passed on a 5-4 vote.

“They created a problem where none existed before,” Mr. Gonzalez-Pagan said.

The new resolution overturns a longtime practice that allowed transgender students to use the bathroom of the gender with which the student identifies.

District spokeswoman Rachel Hathhorn said the district on Tuesday contacted families of transgender students to inform them of the change. She declined to disclose how many transgender students are in the district. Mr. Gonzalez-Pagan said Lambda represents three students and their families in the district but noted there are several others in addition to the firm's clients.

Ms. Hathhorn said the district had no comment, other than to reference statements on the district's meeting agenda for Monday.

It was noted on that agenda: