At least 160 people came to the Sarasota County School Board meeting Tuesday evening from as far away as Charlotte County to protest Pine View School’s new bathroom policy that better accommodates transgender students.
Pastors and members from about a dozen churches and others against the new bathroom policy wore white. About a dozen transgender people and supporters also spoke at and attended the meeting.
Unravel reporter Shelby Webb followed the meeting live.
Looks like it's going to be a long @sarasotaschools Board meeting tonight, but much of it will be about positive news
— Shelby Webb (@shelbywebb) February 2, 2016
WOW. There are more than 100 people at the Sarasota County School Board meeting dressed in white to protest new trans bathroom policy
— Shelby Webb (@shelbywebb) February 2, 2016
The over flow room (which I have seen used ONCE in my year and a half as a schools reporter) is already packed pic.twitter.com/nrGtsTWyfd
— Shelby Webb (@shelbywebb) February 2, 2016
Nate Quinn, the transgender student who first protested Pine View's bathroom policy, is also here with a few supporters
— Shelby Webb (@shelbywebb) February 2, 2016
@ChrisMZiegler I'd say at least 140 of the people here are in white/ against the trans bathroom policy
— Shelby Webb (@shelbywebb) February 2, 2016
For perspective, we're usually lucky to get 5 members of the public at School Board meetings (except when the calendar is on the agenda)
— Shelby Webb (@shelbywebb) February 2, 2016
For perspective, we're usually lucky to get 5 members of the public at School Board meetings (except when the calendar is on the agenda)
— Shelby Webb (@shelbywebb) February 2, 2016
Now into "quite a few" public comments
— Shelby Webb (@shelbywebb) February 3, 2016
First up is Nancy Hamilon(sp) I would not suffer any child to any exposure that would put them in harms way, thats physically or emotionally
— Shelby Webb (@shelbywebb) February 3, 2016
Claps from that side of the room, before Brown tells them not
— Shelby Webb (@shelbywebb) February 3, 2016
(2/2) is devestating. Turn down the proposal and keep kids innocent at this age
— Shelby Webb (@shelbywebb) February 3, 2016
Now Jared Gritton: What rational father will let an 18 bio male follow his 14 year old daughter into the bathroom?
— Shelby Webb (@shelbywebb) February 3, 2016
GRITTON: This is an endorsement of something not only nonsensical but utterly opposed to God
— Shelby Webb (@shelbywebb) February 3, 2016
People against the policy keep clapping, Brown keeps telling them not to clap
— Shelby Webb (@shelbywebb) February 3, 2016
Speakers arguing the DOJ's assertion discrimination against trans students violates Title IX doesn't compel the board to accommodate them
— Shelby Webb (@shelbywebb) February 3, 2016
I knew I should have brought a snack to this meeting *sigh*
— Shelby Webb (@shelbywebb) February 3, 2016
Benjamin Peck now speaking, said there are pastors and congregations from about a dozen churches are here tonight
— Shelby Webb (@shelbywebb) February 3, 2016
PECK: The district cant require stu or teachers to address students by anything other than student’s legal names & pronouns based on bio sex
— Shelby Webb (@shelbywebb) February 3, 2016
NATE QUINN, the trans student at PV, speaking now
— Shelby Webb (@shelbywebb) February 3, 2016
QUINN: Here to encourage a vote to implement policies countywide to allow students to ue the restroom or lockerroom coinciding with their id
— Shelby Webb (@shelbywebb) February 3, 2016
QUINN: To those who oppose these policies – Do you know what it means to be transgender?
I wasn’t born female and decided to be a male— Shelby Webb (@shelbywebb) February 3, 2016
QUINN: I was born a male, my life just requires more effort to be the man I am
— Shelby Webb (@shelbywebb) February 3, 2016
Gabrielle Nolton just told a tearful story about her trans daughter who was born a boy
— Shelby Webb (@shelbywebb) February 3, 2016
NOLTON: Middle school children told my child to pull down her pants and to show he belonged in that bathroom, it was terrifying to my child
— Shelby Webb (@shelbywebb) February 3, 2016
@lizballard09 No clapping, but two others went up with him while he spoke
— Shelby Webb (@shelbywebb) February 3, 2016
A trans woman just spoke trying to dispel some misconceptions
— Shelby Webb (@shelbywebb) February 3, 2016