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Parents press Cabarrus board on restroom safety and a federal Title IX inquiry; superintendent says district is cooperating
Summary
During a heated public-comment period, parents and student advocates pushed the Cabarrus County Board of Education to act on restroom safety amid a Department of Education/Title IX investigation; Superintendent John Capiki said the district is cooperating and cited a 2.4% share of disciplinary incidents occurring in bathrooms.
A wave of public comment at the June 8 Cabarrus County Board of Education meeting focused on student restroom safety and the district’s response to a U.S. Department of Education Title IX inquiry.
Superintendent John Capiki told the board he would not comment on investigative details but said the district is cooperating with the federal review. “We are fully cooperating with the investigation,” Capiki said, and outlined steps to review supervision, safety protocols and the student code of conduct. He also noted that the district provides private, single‑user restrooms for any student who prefers that option.
Several students and parents said the district’s reliance on a 2.4% statistic — which Capiki presented as the approximate share of disciplinary incidents occurring in bathrooms in 2025–26 — understates harm and fails to account for underreporting. “Citing a statistic that only 2% of incidents occur in bathrooms is not an argument against policy,” said Alexis Hughes, founder of the advocacy group You Heard Her, arguing that low reporting rates can mask serious harms.
Seventeen‑year‑old speaker Trista Ruck said she had been harassed and threatened after raising bathroom concerns earlier in the year. “Me coming to you, me coming to speak to you is not an issue… You can dismiss me and put me in harm’s way,” Ruck said, urging the board to take action. Another commenter, Jay Shane, publicly demanded Superintendent Capiki’s immediate resignation.
Board attorney Dave Stevens said the district is watching relevant Supreme Court decisions — he named Hecox v. Little and West Virginia v. B.P.J. — and expects opinions by late June or early July, a timetable he said the district is monitoring closely.
Board members and staff discussed next steps for policy review, additional supervision and communication with families. Several parents asked for clearer reporting channels and protections against retaliation; speakers alleged reluctance to report incidents because of fear of social or administrative consequences.
The board did not adopt a new restroom policy at the meeting. Staff said they will continue to review procedures and consult legal counsel as needed while cooperating with the federal investigation. Members urged civility and careful consideration as the district balances compliance, student privacy and community concerns.
