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Lancaster city schools adopts transgender guidelines

LANCASTER, Pa. — The School District of Lancaster adopted new guidelines to address the rights of transgender students. The recommendations are for studen...

LANCASTER, Pa. -- The School District of Lancaster adopted new guidelines to address the rights of transgender students.

The recommendations are for students who identify with a sex that's different from the one in which they were born.

The 8-page guidelines for the rights of transgender students.

It applies to all activities on campus, as well as on school buses, or any school-sponsored function.

The guidelines are designed to help support and protect transgender students from elementary school to high school.

Mother Jasmine Burgos said "I think that they feel more supported, they feel more heard, that their voice is doing something now, which I'm glad, because I've been gay growing up all my life."

The guidelines give students who identify with a sex that's different from their biological sex, the right to chose the way they want to dress, which name to be called or pronouns to use, which restroom to use, as well as which sports team to play on.

Eighth grader Amela Espinosa said "It's their decision, whether if they want to, I think that people should respect that 100 percent."

Not all parents or students at school may agree with the guidelines.

School District of Lancaster Director of Student Services Dr Arthur Abrom said "but education is always the key, so ensuring that people understand, what are those parameters, we deal with every situation on a case by case basis, because we don't want to pigeonhole any type of student to say they must or must not do that."

There is one thing the guidelines advise students to not do while at school.

"The idea of being honest and transparent about that and putting these things out there are to reduce bullying," Dr. Abrom said.

"I would stop that, because it's very important, and it's big deal and it's hurtful, because I've been bullied before but not about transgender so I would know how it feels," Espinosa said.

"it's good that they're doing that for the transgender people, and they're supporting them, and now they feel they have a back," Burgos said.

There are a few other things, in the guidelines that both parents and students may want to know.

Transgender students will be able to use the locker room that matches the sex they identify with, but alternatives may be provided. Those issues will be handled on a case by case basis.

The School District of Lancaster guidelines for transgender students.

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