Colorado parents of transgender 1st-grader file complaint over restroom ban

[Aractus]

By Colleen O'Connor
The Denver Post


The parents of a transgender 6-year-old have filed a complaint with the Colorado Civil Rights Division because Eagleside Elementary School in Fountain banned the first-grader from using the girls' restroom.

The child, Coy Mathis, was born male but identifies as female. She had attended the school since December 2011 before being pulled out by her parents.

There are two issues here, and the first one is one that nobody in this thread has touched on at all.

Firstly it is up to the school to make decisions that some parents will disagree with. They often take into account the opinions and feelings of other parents when making difficult decisions that are likely to upset one or two parents.

This includes things like banning nuts. While it puts out a lot of parents, usually for the benefit of only one child in the school, kids are known to share food no matter what you tell them they can and cannot eat.

Also children's behaviour that may be acceptable at home, may not be acceptable at school - and vice-versa. So the first issue is the fact that the school has a responsibility to the children entrusted in their care, and to the parents of the children.

Secondly, and less importantly, there is not a huge issue with boys using girls toilets, generally, since all cubicles are private anyway.

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I think I gotta side with the OP on this one.

I'm curious about how a 6 year old came to question their own sexuality at such a young age. I mean, I might be talking out my ass here, but at 6 I wasn't wondering about my sexuality or gender. I was wondering how to stop the excessive bleeding from my Stretch Armstrong. It just seems a little...off...for someone that young to be considering topics of gender without outside influence (i.e. the parents).

I agree it indicates a psychological problem may be present (or the kid may be in an innocent phase), in either case it would be advisable that the parents seek the advice of one or two psychologists on the matter.