A person standing on asphalt road with gender symbols of male, female, bigender and transgender. Concept of choice or gender confusion or dysphoria. R

The Madison Metropolitan School District in Madison, Wisconsin is being accused of instituting restroom policies that discriminate against transgender teachers by a local teacher's union.

Madison Teacher Inc. (MTI) released a statement opposing the district’s decision to order Frank Allis Elementary school staff to only use single-person restrooms. 

The union accuses the district of implementing the rule at the one elementary school due to the fact that a transgender teacher is employed there.

“MMSD does not have a district-wide policy which restricts staff restroom use,” says MTI. “It is common practice for adults to use multi-stall restrooms, any policy directing staff at schools employing transgender identifying staff is clearly targeted and violates the district’s commitment to inclusive, welcoming and discriminatory free environments."

MTI argues that all staff should be given the opportunity to voice their opinions on changes to restroom policy before they are finalized.

Restroom policies said to violate the rights of transgender people have been an issue for some time. In 2019, the United States Supreme Court refused to hear a case challenging a Pennsylvania school district’s policy to allow transgender students to use restrooms and locker rooms that matched the gender for which they identify. The challenge came to the Supreme Court after students complained that their right to privacy was infringed upon because transgender students were using the same facilities as them.