A group of high school students walked out of their classroom in Loudoun County, Virginia, on Wednesday to protest the district’s transgender restroom policy.
Loudoun County Public Schools, which saw ugly scenes at board meetings following a boy’s sexual assault in the girls’ restroom in May 2021, implemented the trans restroom policy in August 2021.
The policy, officially called 8040, passed by a vote of 7-2 and allows transgender students to use the restrooms and locker rooms of their choice.
On Wednesday, a group of students at Woodgrove High School in Purcellville marched out of class at 8040 in protest, arguing that it made them feel unsafe. It was unclear why the protest was happening now.
“It’s a huge security risk, and they.” [LCPS] “Don’t do anything about it,” said one student.
A student (pictured) told WJLA that the use of the girls’ restrooms by students born male poses a “massive safety risk.”
Students walked out Wednesday demanding the repeal of Policy 8040, which allows trans students to use the restroom of their choice
About 50 to 100 students walked out of class Wednesday afternoon in protest of the policy
She told 7News they were tired of being “completely ignored” by the school district.
“We raise these concerns and they ignore us and write us off as right-wing lunatics.”
“We’re not crazy.” We just don’t want to be in danger in this building every day. I think it’s because people are finally getting up and just tired of it. “We’re tired of being here and just being completely ignored.”
The student said she felt her concerns were widely shared.
“I stopped using them [the bathrooms] Because I don’t know what’s going to happen to me in there,” she said.
“And people can say, ‘Well, that’s paranoid.’
“I’m telling you, half the women in this building feel the same way right now. We don’t use the toilets. We hold back our pee until we can’t anymore. “I mean, there are girls in gym class who are still changing in the bathroom stalls there because they’re afraid of who might walk in.”
A male student said he didn’t want to share the locker room with students who were born female.
“I would like to be able to, when I stop soccer practice, put my pads away and change, not feel uncomfortable with other genders in there watching me,” he told 7News.
“I feel like girls see the situation the same way.” How would you feel if you, as a woman, married a man?
Another male student agreed.
“In the locker rooms in the morning, it’s an invasion of privacy, like I said, because when men and native men are in our locker rooms in the morning and showering, native women can go in whenever they want,” he said.
Students unfurled placards demanding repeal of the 2021 policy
“And that’s not okay.” And it goes against what we believe.”
The students were met by a small group of counter-protesters – including adults – who said they believed people should use the restroom of their choice.
“I am here to support all children,” said one adult. “No matter who they are. Yours, mine, all of them.’
The students said more students wanted to join their protest but were warned not to by their teachers.
reached out to Woodgrove High and Loudoun County Public Schools for comment but did not receive a response.
Loudoun County has become the epicenter of disputes over transgender restrooms following the May 2021 attack.
A male student (pictured) said he wanted to relax and shower and feel comfortable in the men’s locker rooms
Another male student (pictured) said he felt it was “an invasion of privacy” to allow female-born students into the men’s locker rooms.
An adult counter-protester said she was there to support “all the kids.”
The 14-year-old boy, who wore a skirt but was believed not to be transgender, was transferred to another school – and then attacked another girl.
The May 2021 victim’s father erupted in anger when the school board publicly denied the incident during a routine meeting and police were called.
Sparking further outrage, the National School Boards Association wrote to Attorney General Merrick Garland amid the drama, arguing that some violent threats against school officials “could amount to a form of domestic terrorism.”
During Glenn Youngkin’s campaign for governor of Virginia, he capitalized on widespread anger over the incident and, upon his election, immediately authorized an investigation into Loudoun schools – one of his first acts in office.