Delaware Valley board hears pleas to keep Office for Civil Rights protections as member says he will move to void agreement

Delaware Valley School District board members heard extended public comment Tuesday evening urging them to keep protections established in a 2015 Office for Civil Rights resolution as a board member read a draft motion to void that agreement.

Student speakers, local residents and nonprofit advocates told the board the OCR-related protections are essential to the safety and well-being of LGBTQ students. Taylor James, executive director of Triversity Pride Center, told the board: “Those 3 students would want to know why you hate them.” Alexander Latavore, who identified himself as a transgender man, said, “your silence right now in the face of discrimination is absolutely deafening.”

The comments followed remarks from Director Jack Fisher, who said he will introduce a motion next week that would declare the district—s OCR resolution agreement (case O3141056, dated 10/22/2015) null and void and direct the superintendent to implement policies limiting female restrooms, locker rooms and similar facilities to females. Fisher read part of that motion aloud, saying in part: “it is my position ... that female bathrooms, locker rooms,…