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Waynesboro public comments sharply divided over restroom access and student safety
Summary
Dozens of residents, parents, teachers and students urged the Waynesboro School Board either to change restroom arrangements to increase privacy for girls or to protect transgender students from discrimination, with speakers offering competing evidence and policy suggestions. The board listened but took no policy vote at the meeting.
Dozens of residents, parents, teachers and students used the public‑comment period at the Waynesboro School Board meeting to press opposing views on restroom access, privacy and student safety.
At the start of public comment, Dana Harris said she was speaking as a grandmother and described accounts from female students who told her they felt "uncomfortable, unsafe, and afraid to speak up" while using school bathrooms. "No student should feel that way in an environment where they are supposed to learn," Harris said, urging the board to pursue "solutions that protect dignity, privacy and comfort for everyone." (Speaker: Dana Harris)
Several parents amplified that concern. A speaker who identified herself as Elizabeth Wade described a daughter who she said had felt unsafe in a restroom and had been disciplined for being late after seeking an alternate stall; Wade cited state‑level data in the meeting: "Virginia school districts reported more than 12,000 incidents of assault and harassment K through 12 canvases over [a] five year period," and said officials should not let girls "carry the burden" of finding safe space. (Speaker: Elizabeth Wade)
On the other side, speakers urged caution about singling out transgender students. Aaron Anderson said the discussion often misidentifies the problem and called efforts to blame trans students "a lie designed to diminish them." Stefan Octo, who identified himself as a volunteer firefighter and friend to trans youth, described the personal harm of ostracism and said adults should protect vulnerable students from dehumanizing rhetoric. "Everybody deserves a place at the table," Octo said. (Speakers: Aaron Anderson; Stefan Octo)
Several education professionals at the meeting framed the incidents described by parents as supervision or discipline problems rather than a facilities policy issue. A district teacher and the Waynesboro Education Association president, Catherine Brown, said transgender students are among the most vulnerable and that there is no evidence that allowing students to use facilities that align with their gender identity harms others. "What does cause harm is singling students out," Brown said. (Speaker: Catherine Brown)
Other speakers proposed concrete changes that could reduce conflict without singling out students, including more single‑stall or gender‑neutral restrooms, full‑coverage stalls, and strengthened supervision. Cameron, who identified themself as a concerned parent, urged the board to "start addressing directly" and suggested single‑stall options as an example that "protects everybody equally." (Speaker: Cameron)
The meeting recorded both emotional testimony and competing appeals to district values: some commenters urged urgent policy changes to protect female students’ privacy, while others emphasized inclusion, the mental‑health risks to transgender students, and the need for measured, evidence‑based responses. The board did not take a formal vote on a change to restroom policy at this meeting; the chair moved to the consent agenda after public comment and the meeting proceeded to regular business.
The board’s next steps were not determined during the meeting; speakers repeatedly urged the board to hold focused discussions with students and staff and to consider practical options such as improved stall privacy and targeted supervision changes.
