Public comment on the subject of a transgender policy took up most of the time at the Oct. 5 policy committee meeting at Northwestern Lehigh School District.

The subject was mentioned during public comment at the September policy meeting and again at the Sept. 16 school board meeting.

Committee Chairman Phil Toll opened the floor to Jessica Long of Germansville.

A graduate of Northwestern, she has a daughter in fourth grade.

She said her daughter, with the physical attributes of a boy, knew she was a girl at a young age ... a person whose mind and soul did not match her body.

Long’s daughter was raised as a girl and had her name changed for legal documents.

According to Long, Michele Angello Ph.D., a sexologist and gender specialist from Wayne, explained to the parents what is involved with being transgender.

Her parents offered to let her go to a charter school where she would not be known, but she preferred to stay with her friends.

Third grade was a success and her daughter made many new friends, Long explained. She has used the girls bathroom for more than a year with no problems.

This year, people are concerned. She goes in a stall and locks the door. If she used the boys bathroom there would be questions with that.

Omar Gonzalez-Pagan, Longs’ attorney, commended the school for having a nurturing environment, but said the reality is the school district has a legal responsibility, as Title IX requires students to use the bathroom of their identity.

This puts the onus of using another bathroom (such as the nurse’s bathroom) on the concerned party.

The Supreme Court has said a person has the right to express his or her identity.

“I encourage you to create an inclusive policy,” Gonzalez-Pagan said.

Matthew Van Allen, a paramedic, said he supports the Long family in the use by their daughter of bathroom and locker room facilities.

Transgender is not a choice and the students do not have a problem with classmates who identify other than by their biological sex, he said.

“This is about equality and civil rights,” Van Allen said.

Patty Solt said people will forget what is said and done but not how she or he was treated.

There are no cases of transgenders being attacked. Seventeen school districts support transgender students with no problems.

Many people fear what is different. Educate yourselves, Solt said. Discrimination of transgender is illegal.

Chris Ford said everyone loves their children.

“I want to make it clear, this is not an attack on transgender people,” Ford said. “It is to draw attention to lack of a policy. It would be wrong to check each child. Privacy is eroding.

“There should be one unisex bathroom in each school.

Lori George said discussion is needed about what it means to be transgender.

Lisa Bowman of Emmaus, the mother of a transgender child, offered her comments.

“Many of us fear what we don’t understand, especially if it seems irrational,” Bowman said. “Once you read the research fear goes away.

“We called him ‘she’ long after the girls chased her out of the girls. bathroom. The men’s room was three floors away.

“Rather than using the nurse’s, she learned to hold her bladder all day but that can lead to dehydration. She got lower scores in the afternoons.

“Making them use separate facilities is a form of bullying. Seventeen school districts say they can use the bathroom that matches their identity.

“Dr. Angello does not know of any transgender child who has caused problems. It is the adults who focus on transgender. Concerns come from lack of knowledge.”

Anthony Schaffer said he submitted a policy for study. In Pennsylvania only a letter from a doctor for any gender issues is required.

Paul Spatz said there is a problem with older students sharing a bathroom with younger ones.

District Solicitor Jessica Moyer explained what is involved during an executive session preceding the policy committee meeting.

Moyer said she has reviewed policies from other districts. There is no federal law that extends protection specifically to gender issues. Inclusiveness is not always extended in this area of law.

Toll said it is not a black or white issue.

“We have to see what is best for the students,” Toll said. “It will be discussed.”

School board President Paul Fisher said they received information from the board’s legal counsel and asked for the people in the audience to give them time to think it through.

The committee has the possibilities to create new, change or to edit policies.

“My recommendation is we take more time to study it and look over documents people brought to the meeting,” Fisher said. “We will not decide tonight.

Board member Bill Dellicker said for the comfort of all the families they want to clarify the issue.

“I would ask you give us patience and understanding,” Dellicker said. “It is difficult for me to think through this. We need to be compassionate.

“We need to focus on the children and community. We have worked on this for three years.

If we continue on that path, we can work through this without all the advocacy groups but in the community.”

“We will pick this up at the next policy meeting,” Fisher said.