Kettering schools alters bathrooms in wake of transgender debate

Months after a national debate over how transgender students use school restrooms, Kettering City Schools is making modifications to existing boys' bathrooms at Fairmont High School "to increase privacy for all students."

Like many districts, Kettering follows last year's federal directive — currently facing court challenge — that calls for students to have access to the bathroom of the gender they identify with.

Over Christmas break, the district added partitions inside boys’ bathrooms to separate the sinks and stalls area — the area a transgender boy would use — from the area that contains a row of four urinals.

“The reason we made this change was to give more privacy to those students using the urinals from people in the restroom who are using the sinks and for those who are finished using the toilet,” said Fairmont Principal Tyler Alexander.

School officials tried to dispel rumors, clarifying that they have not constructed special transgender bathrooms, or bathrooms that can be used by all students of either gender. District spokeswoman Kari Basson said no modifications were made to girls’ bathrooms, since they already have stalls only.

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About the Author

Jeremy P. Kelley

Jeremy Kelley is the assistant news editor for the Dayton Daily News. Jeremy is a Cincinnati native and has lived in the Dayton area for 30-plus years.