Denver Public Schools will be the first district in Colorado to require at least one all-gender bathroom in each of its schools. The DPS board voted unanimously to approve the move Thursday.
Tay Anderson, who joined the board as an at-large member in November, said he promised on the campaign trail to make this happen within his first 100 days if elected. The change could take effect next school year.
"We are sending a message to every school district in the state of Colorado, all 177 other school districts, that it is time for us to lead with actions and that they are now going to have to follow what we are doing today in Denver," Anderson said.
While drafting the measure, Anderson worked with students, educators, and One Colorado, an LGBTQ-advocacy group.
The change will not involve any construction at schools. Instead, signs will be changed from single-gender to all-gender.
The decision follows a resolution passed in November to affirm the board's commitment to supporting students and faculty by promising to acknowledge all gender identities. The district also decided not to require any formal legal process to change names in student or personnel records.
Boulder Valley School District has language within its school policies that gives guidelines on how to accommodate transgender and gender non-conforming students and staff. But there is no mandate that relates to bathrooms.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
