School board hears dozens of public comments about student privacy as state law on facility access is cited

Dozens of community members addressed the Douglas County SD 4 School Board during the board’s public-participation period, urging the board to act on student privacy in restrooms and locker rooms and pressing for immediate safety solutions.

The comments concerned policies that allow transgender students to use facilities that align with their gender identity. Clay Tillman, who identified himself as a marriage and family therapist, told the board: “We are all here committed to a safe, inclusive environment for every single kid,” and said recent medical and legal developments support concerns about girls’ privacy while affirming that protections are needed for all students. Andrea Schumann, speaking as a parent, urged the board to focus on funding and classroom needs and said, “trans women are not assaulting cis women,” adding, “Just leave people alone and let the educators do what they need to do.” Kelsey Leach, another parent, cited statistics about victimization and suicide among transgender students, saying, “Trans students are not the perpetrators of harassment, but are often the victims of it.”

The board’s chair, Chair Minor, opened the public-participation segment with a statement explaining procedures and noted the district’s responsibility under state law. Assistant Superintendent Michelle Nee explained the timing and three-minute limit for speakers and that the board would listen rather than engage in back-and-forth during the public comment period.

Why it matters: Speakers framed the issue as both legal and safety-related, asking the locally elected board to pursue short-term adjustments at school sites while acknowledging constraints from Oregon law. Several speakers asked the board to pursue immediate, low-cost privacy or security changes at Roseburg High School; board directors agreed to site visits to assess options that could be implemented without changing state law.

Board response and next steps: Board members repeatedly reminded the audience that the district must implement Oregon law. Director Emerson proposed site tours at the high school in small groups so directors could identify “duct-tape, band-aid” fixes that might improve privacy and security quickly; multiple directors supported scheduling visits and reporting findings at an upcoming work session. No formal policy change or vote was taken at the meeting.

Community context and legal references: Speakers referenced Oregon statutes and specific bills by name as the legal framework that governs district policy. Clay Tillman referenced “House Bill 2,002” (as cited) and various national and international medical and legal studies; several commenters urged state or federal review of applicable laws. The board’s public reminders emphasized the district’s obligation to follow state law while seeking site-level accommodations where possible.

Ending: Board leaders closed the public comment period after the allotted time and moved to the business portion of the meeting, instructing staff to coordinate the requested site visits and to pursue any immediate safety improvements that are allowable under state law.