Illinois School District Dissolves Committee on Transgender Issues

Citizens at an earlier East Aurora board meeting

The East Aurora School District in suburban Chicago has dissolved a committee that was working on antidiscrimination policies for transgender students, “effectively ending that effort,” Windy City Times reports.

The school board Monday voted to dissolve the committee, which was formed just this fall, after the board in October approved a transgender rights policy and then within days revoked it in the face of right-wing opposition.

About 100 people attended a meeting November 29 to discuss the policy, with many expressing disapproval of the effort.

Shannon Sullivan, executive director of the Illinois Safe Schools Alliance, said efforts to protect transgender students will continue. Her group released a statement saying, “The people of East Aurora deserve better than a school board that cannot facilitate difficult — but necessary — conversations, and we will stay steady in our efforts to work with school staff, parents, and community members to foster a safe and supportive district for all East Aurora youth.”