MASON CITY – The Mason City school board took on a touchy issue at their meeting Tuesday night – shower arrangements for kids with gender identity issues.
The school board wrestled Tuesday night in their special session meeting with how to include shower areas for kids who may not identify with the gender with which they were born. These accommodations would be included in a $603,500 remodel of locker rooms and shower areas in Mason City High School that that board approved during the meeting. Henkel Construction beat out Snyder Construction for the winning bid.
Several proposals and options for these kids were touched upon. Showers with locking doors was one option the board took a liking to.
Director Doug Campbell said a locking door on a shower is “a lot safer environment” for kids who won’t shower with the “general population” (the rest of the kids). He said these kids are very afraid of the bathroom.
“These kids don’t even want to walk down the hall and go into a bathroom, period,” Mr. Campbell said. “They aren’t drinking water so they won’t have to go into a bathroom, because that’s how afraid they are.” He expanded on that, saying that “if there was a “privacy area” (special showers for LGBTQ students) and I was “identified” (presumably by straight students) I would be going into a kill zone”. He advocated for spending extra money on locking doors on showers for safety reasons.
Some board members wondered whether they were making too much of the actual need for special shower arrangements for a segment of the school population which they felt was very small.
TJ Jumper, a school administrative specialist, told the board that there are, indeed, kids in k-12 that are identifying themselves as another gender, and many students overall are requesting more privacy.
The board approved the project, with direction given to school staff to actually ask some of the students who are identifying themselves as another gender how they would prefer to have the new showers and locker rooms designed. The matter was not fully resolved as to how the showers and lockers rooms would be finally designed. Any modifications to the project would be addressed through change orders with Henkel.
The Mason City School Board met Tuesday night and addressed two important issues: 1) A $600,000+ project involving…
Posted by NorthIowaToday.com on Tuesday, March 1, 2016
I cannot believe the hatred and stupidity on this site. Does anyone ever think of the children ?
You can’t believe it? Have you ever logged into Facebook for any amount of time? Anytime people are allowed to express themselves, the potential for idiocy looms. No place on the internet is immune unless all comments are forbidden.
Lots of fools on this post.
These liberals have three presidents hopefuls advice – Bubble boy rubio – Hitlery clinton and obama – they all agreed with the wicked witch – -WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE ! included oby because he really never was a leader. This is sicking bs to begin with.
how come when I went to school they never worried about this kinda stuff? and showering, when do they shower? my sons are in 10th grade and i asked if they had to ever take swimming or anything and they said no, so when do these kids shower?
There is a car wash across the street from the high school.
Maybe they could use that.
What upsets me about this….the smirk in Anita face in one of the pictures. Makes me wonder if she’s thinking….”I’m screwing over the tax payers again, ha.”
Was this not an episode of South Park ?
its really very simple, you were born and have a birth cert. We go with whats on that. Male or female. If you wish to change on your own after that date, its your choice and I should not be paying anything additional for that. THATS YOUR CHOICE
See what Bruce Jenner has started?
how about this? Shower at home
Or….. piss your pants during class for fear of being bullied.
Way to go TJ Jumper and other board members who support our gender nonconforming students, no matter how small some folks may perceive that population to be! If even one child can be spared the anxiety and harassment that often accompanies gender identity issues, then that’s absolutely worth this renovation. And, really, what student wouldn’t appreciate a locking shower door, LGBTQ or not?!?
Another shining example of the stupidity in today’s world. If it helps “Just One Person” Honestly, if we have to accommodate every freak in this world, let alone Mason City, we should just build each individual their very own school.
You’re not a freak, you’re just an idiot.
Let me guess, you are one of these people that did not get special treatment and you are now bitter? Chances are that there is no real help for someone like you. Try getting a job and living your life like a “normal” human being and not feeling sorry for yourself. If that fails, a long walk on a short pier is a great option.
Why not a separate lunch room for vegans? What about hermaphrodites? They need a safe space. How about cross-dressers? They should not be bullied. Soon Muslims in full burkas will demand their separate bathrooms and showers.
Remember when school used to be about education?
I can see this LGBTQ issue creating a lot of problems.
For example?
That didn’t take long did it. For one, there is already a $603,500 remodel bill awarded to Henkel. Any time there is a (change order) to the awarded amount, it costs more money. And where does that money come from. The school just recently spent millions on another remodel job. This site is full of people that complain about how their taxes are spent.