Public commenters urge board to adopt policy on single-sex spaces, cite recent presidential order

Several members of the public used the meeting's public-comment periods to urge the Avon Grove board to adopt a clear policy on single-sex bathrooms, locker rooms and athletic spaces, citing a recent presidential executive order and expressing concern about student privacy and legal exposure.

Sandy Bowman told the board that the district is a federally funded entity and argued that the presidential executive order "Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government" requires clearer local policy. "By avoiding setting policy, you're continuing to provide uncertainty to the students, parents, and guardians in this district," Bowman said, urging the board to publicly discuss single-sex spaces and establish what she called "a clear and legal policy."

Charles Beatty read excerpts from the executive order and said it directs agencies to "recognize two sexes, male and female" and authorizes the Attorney General to issue guidance on single-sex spaces in federally funded entities. He urged the board to act, saying, "Now is the time to do the right thing and write the right policy."

Jerry LaMastra also urged the board to restrict access to girls' bathrooms, locker rooms and sports facilities to biological females and said the board had an "opportunity to do the right thing." The presiding officer interrupted LaMastra to remind him that public commenters should not refer to specific board members by name.

Board policy was invoked during the discussion: the presiding officer read the public-comment rules and reminded speakers that comments are limited to three minutes per individual and that public comment time is subject to an overall 30-minute limit under Policy 903. The meeting record shows the board did not take immediate action on any policy during the session; the public-comments segment concluded with the board hearing remarks and no vote.

The transcript records no motion or board direction to draft or adopt a specific single-sex spaces policy during this meeting. Commenters asked the board to clarify how existing district policies and federal guidance intersect; the board indicated no immediate change to policy at the meeting and reminded speakers of public-comment rules.