Wake Sheriff calls for policy regarding transgender students using restrooms
BEING HELD ON CAMPUSES.
UNC WILMINGTON AND ELOP ARE
MEMBERS.
>>> THE TRANSGENDER REST ROOM
DEBATE IS MAKING ITS WAY INTO
THE WAKE YOIPT SCHOOL SYSTEM.
>> TONIGHT, THE SHERIFF IS
THREATENING TO PULL HIS SCHOOL
RESOURCE OFFICERS FROM THE
SCHOOL IF THE SYSTEM-WIDE
POLICY ISN'T DEVELOPED.
SLOANE HEFFERNAN JOINS US TO
EXPLAIN WHAT LED THE SHAPE TO
TAKE SUCH A STRONG STANCE.
>> Reporter: IT ALL STARTED
FOLLOWING AN INCIDENT INVOLVING
A TRANSGENDER STUDENT AT A WAKE
COUNTY MIDDLE SCHOOL AND IT IS
CAUSING A LOT OF FRICTION
BETWEEN WAKE COUNTY'S TOP COP
AND THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.
AND THERE DOESN'T SEEM TO BE
ANY RESOLUTION IN SIGHT.
WHAT HAPPENED INSIDE THE LOCKER
ROOM AT WEST MILLBROOK MIDDLE
SCHOOL IS CAUSING CONCERN.
ACCORDING TO THE WAKE COUNTY
SHERIFF, A SCHOOL RESOURCE
OFFICER WAS ALERTED WHEN A
TRANSGENDER STUDENT BORN A BOY
WAS SEEP COMING OUT OF THE
GIRL'S LOCKER ROOM.
SHERIFF HARRISON SAYS THE
PRINCIPAL WAS OKAY WITH IT.
>> SHE HAD ALLOWED THE PERSON,
THIS MALE, THIS TRANSENDER WHO
WANTED TO BE A FEMALE TO GO IN
THERE AS LONG AS HE DID NOT
TAKE HIS UNDERWEAR OFF.
>> Reporter: BUT SHERIFF DONNIE
HARRISON IS NOT OKAY WITH IT.
>> I ASKED WERE THE PARENTS OF
THE GIRLS IN THE DRESSLING
ROOM, HAD THEY BEEN NOTIFIED
THIS WAS HAPPENING.
I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH ANYTHING
THAT IS GOING ON OTHER THAN THE
FACT THAT THE ANSWER CAME BACK
NO, WE ARE NOT LETTING ANYBODY
KNOW ABOUT THIS.
>> Reporter: IT TURNS OUT WAKE
COUNTY DOES NOT HAVE A POLICY
FOR TRANSGENDER STUDENTS USING
REST ROOMS OR LOCKER ROOMS.
IN A STATEMENT, A SPOKESWOMAN
SAID THE SYSTEM, QUOTE, IS NOT
CONSIDERING ONE AT THIS TIME
DUE TO COMPETING AND
CONFLICTING COURT CASES.
HARRISON SENT THIS LETTER TO
SCHOOL OFFICIALS ASKING THEM TO
PROVIDE A POLICY, QUOTE, IN
ORDER FOR OUR DEPUTIES TO
FAIRLY AND DISCREETLY ADDRESS
ANY CONCERNS BROUGHT TO THEIR
ATTENTION.
IN A LETTER BACK TO THE
SHERIFF, THE SUPERINTENDENT
SAID BATHROOM AND LOCKER ROOM
ACCESS WILL BE LEFT UP TO
SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS.
THAT DID NOT SIT WELL WITH THE
SHERIFF.
>> I'M THINKING ABOUT PULLING
MY SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS OUT
OF THE SCHOOLS.
IF THEY CAN'T WORK WITH US, I
DON'T KNOW HOW WE CAN WORK WITH
THEM.
>> LATE THIS AFTERNOON, THE
ACLU OFFICE HERE IN RALEIGH
RELEASED THIS STATEMENT.
SCHOOLED SHOULD PROVIDE
SUPPORTIVE LEARNING
ENVIRONMENTS THAT GIVE STUDENTS
ACCESS TO FACILITIES MATCHING
THEIR GENDER IDENTITY AND
FEDERAL COURTS HAVE SAID THAT
THEY HAVE THE OBLIGATION TO DO
SO.
THE SUPREME COURT HAS INDICATED
THAT IT WILL TAKE UP THIS ISSUE
IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS.
BACK TO YOU.
>> TOUGH TALK FROM THE SHERIFF.