Students and community members urge North Allegheny School District to adjust restroom policy over privacy concerns

At the North Allegheny School District board meeting on March 19, a ninth-grade student and several community members used the public-comment period to urge the board to change the district’s restroom policy, saying it compromises student privacy and safety. Board members did not take any policy action during the meeting.

Dominic Sillo, a ninth-grade student at NAI, told the board that students "deserve to feel comfortable and secure when using the restroom," and said that he has seen "members of the opposite *** inside" student restrooms. Sillo described the issue as one of "rights, our privacy, and our safety," and urged the board to hear students who feel overlooked. He referenced a violent incident in Loudoun County, Virginia, and said, "Are you willing to risk that happening here at North Allegheny?" Sillo recommended adding more single-use restrooms as a "reasonable solution," saying they would avoid "forcing an uncomfortable compromise and burden on the rest of the student body."

Mike Hatch, who identified himself as a McCandless resident, local business owner, pastor and Air Force veteran, expressed similar concerns and praised Sillo for speaking. Hatch said the district's approach risks sending "the message that as long as you identify with the favored ideology, you get preferential treatment," and warned that teaching special treatment undermines long-term character development. Michael Molinaro spoke briefly to express support for Sillo and urged the community and district to "figure this out ASAP."

The speakers addressed the board during the public comment portion of the agenda; the transcript contains no motion or formal board discussion to change the district’s restroom policy during the March 19 meeting. After public comment the board moved on to other agenda items and approved two routine actions.

Votes at a glance

- Approval of minutes (Feb. 12 and Feb. 26): Motion to approve was made by Miss Hardy. A second was recorded in the meeting but the transcript does not specify the second's name. The board vote "passes unanimously." No roll-call counts were recorded in the transcript.

- Consent agenda (personnel, professional development and seminars, retiree recognition and related items): The consent agenda was moved and seconded during the meeting; the vote "passes unanimously." No roll-call counts were recorded in the transcript.

The board noted upcoming meetings: a work session on April 9 that will include a BCIT curriculum review and a proposed final budget presentation, and a regular voting meeting on April 23. The March 19 meeting record shows the restroom-policy remarks were limited to public comment; the board did not announce or vote on any changes to district restroom policy at that session.