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Berwick Area SD meeting draws lengthy public comment over policies on names, pronouns and multi-user facilities
Summary
Dozens of residents and students spoke for and against proposed Policy 2-16 (preferred names/pronouns) and Policy 7-19 (multi-user facility use), citing research on youth mental health, potential legal exposure, and operational concerns; the board heard both calls for protections for transgender students and arguments that the policies risk litigation and community conflict.
Berwick Area School District officials heard more than an hour of public comment Tuesday focused on two recently proposed policies addressing preferred names and pronouns (Policy 2-16) and the use of multi-user facilities such as restrooms and locker rooms (Policy 7-19).
Supporters of protections for transgender and gender-diverse students told the board the proposals are a matter of safety and mental health. Jill Freeman, introduced herself as a borough resident, said the district likely has a small number of transgender students and urged the board to prioritize bullying prevention over policing identity: "This is not a trans pandemic." Heather Schrader, a Berwick resident, asked the board to "remember that these are not abstract policies. These are real children sitting in our classrooms right now," and said affirming…
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