California State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond would like to increase the number of gender-neutral bathrooms on California school campuses.
The superintendent announced in late November that he will form a committee comprised of students, school staff and community organizations to make recommendations about how to best expand gender-neutral bathrooms in schools, according to an EdSource report.
The announcement came days after a Chino Valley Unified School District board member proposed a resolution that would exclude transgender students from being able to use bathrooms and other facilities designated for the gender they identify with.
Thurmond issued a warning to Chino Valley Unified officials stating that the proposed resolution violated state law. The proposal was defeated 3-2 at a school board meeting after students, state lawmakers and faculty spoke against the measure. There were no speakers in support of the measure.
State Senator Connie Leyva (D-Chino), who spoke against the resolution at the board meeting, has been asked to co-chair the committee, according to a news release from the California Department of Education. Her Senate district includes Chino Valley Unified.
The committee will be open to all California students, but a special effort will be made to engage students from Chino Valley Unified, according to the release. Anyone who wishes to join may contact safeschoolbathrooms@cde.ca.gov.