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TRANSGENDER STUDENTS IN DeKALB COUNTY
County schools await state policies on transgender students By KATIE SMITH
ksmith@shawmedia.com DeKALB – As schools around Illinois revise policies to accommodate transgender students, officials at some local districts said they will wait until state agencies adopt policies of their own. Although Sycamore, DeKalb and Genoa school district boards’ policies include sections affording students freedom from discrimination based on sex, gender identity and sexual orientation, none of the districts specifically outline the rights of transgender students. DeKalb schools, however, are expected to follow a set of procedures to accommodate transgender students and employees, Superintendent Doug Moeller said. “When it came up years ago it was kind of like, ‘What’s the big deal?’ ” Moeller said. “We consider ourselves to be an open and affirming school district. People who don’t go along with the culture, don’t agree with that culture, generally choose to work somewhere else.” In July, the U.S.Department of Justice said in a court filing that transgender students must be allowed to use the restroom that corresponds with their gender identity and failure to do so amounts to sex discrimination under Title IX of the U.S. Education Amendments of 1972. The opinion was in response to a federal lawsuit filed in Virginia by a 16-year-old transgender student who wanted to use the boys’ restroom. Closer to home, Palatine Township School District 211 recently approved a deal allowing a transgender student, who was born male and identifies as female, to use a separate changing area in a girls locker room. There is no comprehensive number for students in the United States who identify as transgender. Estimates suggest less than 1 percent of the population consider themselves transgender, but these are based only on those who have sought mental health services, according to the Sexual Information and Education Council of the United States. A spike in advocacy for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights might be encouraging transgender students to speak up about what schools can do to accommodate them, said Owen Daniel McCarter, policy and advocacy director for the Illinois Safe School Alliance. As school district’s scramble to update their policies, DeKalb County’s districts aren’t alone in looking to the state for guidDoug Moeller ance. Superintendent “They don’t have that guidance from the state board of education,” McCarter said. “It would be really “We just allow them to use private helpful to have that state support.” washrooms for that.” In the meantime, Sycamore and None of the students who use the Genoa schools plan to hear their trans- faculty bathrooms and locker rooms gender students’ needs on a case-by- have complained of feeling stigmacase basis. Students at DeKalb schools tized; rather, they prefer to use the are addressed by their preferred gender-neutral facilities, Moeller said. pronoun and allowed to use private, While DeKalb schools know of gender-neutral faculty bathrooms and students in the district who idenlocker rooms, Moeller said. tify as transgender, Sycamore and “It’s not a big deal for us. We don’t Genoa superintendents said they tell students who are biologically one have yet to be asked to make an acgender who identify as another, ‘No, commodation for a transgender you have to use a boys’ locker room student. because you are biologically a boy,’ or See TRANSGENDER, page A6 the other way around,” Moeller said.
Review set for DeKalb’s proposed unlawful assembly ordinances By BRITTANY KEEPERMAN
bkeeperman@shawmedia.com
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Illustration by R. Scott Helmchen – shelmchen@shawmedia.com
“When it came up years ago it was kind of like, ‘What’s the big deal?’ We consider ourselves to be an open and affirming school district. People who don’t go along with the culture, don’t agree with that culture, generally choose to work somewhere else.”
DeKALB – More than 15 people voiced concerns Monday at DeKalb’s City Council meeting about controversial unlawful assemblies ordinances that passed on first reading two weeks ago. Hours before the meeting, the mayor requested council members table the item and send it to the city’s Human Relations Commission, which is what will happen next. “There has been significant concern raised from persons in the community,” Mayor John Rey said. “I am convinced that more education is needed and more conversations need to be had.” The topic generated a 20 minute debate before Monday’s agenda was even approved and was the topic of discussion for nearly three hours. Sixth Ward Alderman Dave Baker and 7th Ward Alderman Anthony Faivre voted against removing the item from the agenda. Baker said he wanted to hear from the public before removing the proposed ordinance – which passed on first reading at City Council’s Jan. 11 meeting. “I want the opportunity to vote it down tonight,” Baker said. “The whole idea of trying to interpret the constitution puts the hairs up on the back of my neck.” Representatives from Northern Illinois University’s Black Student Union, NIU faculty members, the chairman of DeKalb’s Human Relations Commission and numerous residents all criticized the ordinances Monday. “Students were not consulted on this,” said Timi Adeboje, president of the NIU Black Student Union. “The idea that an ordinance that would alter the constitutional rights we have as students without even being consulted comes off as very sneaky, it comes off as very inauthentic. ... We want to have an opportunity to make our voices heard.” Residents protested the procedure of the vote – it was voted on without going before a committee or discussed at the DeKalb Committee of the Whole – and the fact the the vote took place when NIU students were on winter break. Bob Snow, 4th Ward Alderman, said that he was in favor of slowing down the process to allow further discussion but
See COUNCIL, page A5
Who’s Obama for? Clinton has reason to smile By KATHLEEN HENNESSEY The Associated Press
WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama hasn’t endorsed a Democratic successor, but he’s now revealed some personal pros and cons in the fight between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders. Clinton has reason to smile. In an interview published Monday, Obama casts his former secretary of state as a “wicked smart,” progressive
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pragmatist and Sanders as a “bright, shiny object” fueled by Democrats’ long-standing frustrations. He defends Clinton as burdened by her perceived front-runner status while Sanders benefits from “the luxury of being a complete long shot.” “Her strengths can be her weaknesses,” Obama said in the interview with Politico’s “Off Message” podcast. “Her strengths, which are the fact that she’s extraordinarily experienced - and, you know, wick-
ed smart and knows every policy inside and out - sometimes could make her more cautious and her campaign more prose than poetry. But those are also her strengths. It means that she can govern and she can start here, day one, more experienced than any non-vice president has ever been who aspires to this office.” The comments, coming a week before the Iowa caucuses, were Obama’s most detailed yet on the unexpectedly tight
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contest to replace him. After months of keeping to his promise not to interfere, Obama’s analysis showed he’s been watching closely and thinking deeply about which candidate is best positioned win – and carry on his policies. In framing the debate, Obama was notably on board with the Clinton campaign, which promotes her as battle-tested and experienced.
See DEMOCRATS, page A5
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Baker: NIU operations will continue despite budget stalemate / A4
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Sycamore meets Moving forward Special meeting leaves Planning Commission with little direction / A3
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President Barack Obama is seen inside his armored SUV for a short ride Monday at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md. for a visit with wounded military personnel.
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