Residents, students urge Mount Lebanon School District to add gender‑neutral bathrooms and allow elementary bike access

Residents and students used the Mount Lebanon Board of School Directors’ public comment period on June 16 to press the district for gender‑neutral bathrooms at school and for a change to an elementary‑school ban on biking.

Stacy, a Mount Lebanon resident, told the board that gender‑neutral bathrooms are about dignity and safety for transgender and nonbinary students and said the district should make them available as an additional option rather than a replacement. “This is not just about bathrooms, this is about dignity, safety, and ensuring that every student in our schools feel respected, included, and able to focus on learning without fear or shame,” she said.

A soon‑to‑be fifth grader at Washington Elementary School, who identified herself as Sophia, said elementary schools currently lack gender‑neutral restrooms and described the district practice of directing students to the nurse’s office when a gender‑neutral option is needed. Sophia also told the board that the elementary student handbook currently bans riding bikes to school and said that many families would prefer the option to walk or bike. “Students should be able to choose to walk, bike, or be dropped off at school,” she said.

Board members did not take immediate action on either request during the meeting. The board’s public comment rules state that questions requiring follow‑up will be referred to the administration for later response, and members directed administration to respond to public‑comment questions in the coming weeks.

Speakers who raised these items asked the board to consider practical steps, including creating accessible gender‑neutral restrooms at school buildings and adding bike racks and handbook language to permit supervised bike travel for elementary students. The board did not vote on changes to facilities or student‑handbook language on June 16.