Penta, Van der Kloot Did Great Job with Transgender Discussion

Dear Neighbors,

I would first like to thank Mr. Penta for doing a great job with a very sensitive topic. As everyone is aware Transgender issues are still in their infancy to the general public. Policies are still being hammered out as we speak as they should be. Ms. Van der kloot was at the City Council as a representative of the School System and assured everyone that they are on top of this issue. As I see it, there are two issues, one being education of the general public and two privacy for all needs to be respected. Bathrooms and shower areas are areas that need to be worked out so that the transgendered person does not feel, "separate but equal" but also, the privacy of the other girls and boys is not denied. If some unisex single bathrooms need to be rehabilitated then that is what this city needs to pay for. As I female veteran in the VA, most of the female bathrooms are what used to be the janitors closets with slop sinks. There was no existing women's bathrooms. Boys and girls of all genders should not be afraid of their transgender classmates and everyone's privacy should be respected. Outside of bathrooms and shower adjustments, this should be a non-issue. Unfortunately, we also need to be aware that some boys and girls could "use" this issue to wrongfully gain access to opposite bathrooms or showers. Should this occur, their should be consequences to said person. It is not funny and should be taken seriously by the school system and the administration. This "joke" causes harm to the transgender community and to the girls (should the offender be a boy). He or she (should the offender be a girl) risks emotionally harming the other kids and makes life harder on the true
transsexuals. This issue can be accommodated and should be. Mr. Penta and Ms. Vanderkloot did a great job tonight. No pun intended but this issue needs to come out of the closet.

Respectfully,

Jeanne Martin