Ill. official survives flap over trans rights

GLSEN-Baltimore will hold a Students of Color Organizing Conference at the end of April. (Wikimedia photo by Mario Sanchez Prada)

AURORA, Ill. — Assistant Superintendent Dr. Christie Aird will retain her position in the East Aurora, Illinois school district, despite controversy over implementing and then rescinding policies protecting transgender students.

On Oct. 14, the school board unanimously approved gender protections proposed by Aird that would have allowed students to use bathrooms matching their gender identity, and compelled teachers to refer to gender-variant students by the name of their choosing, according to the Chicago Phoenix.

However, controversy following the vote led to the school board rescinding the policies just five days later, and called a community meeting regarding Aird’s continued employment in the district on Nov. 5, where teachers, parents and students overwhelmingly expressed their support for Aird and her policies.

“Have you ever taken a step forward, when everyone asked you to take a step back?” one mother asked board members, according to the Windy City Times.