Georgia school district rolls back transgender bathroom policy citing death threats

A Georgia school district has rolled back its transgender-friendly bathroom policy after vandalism and threats to members of the school community.

The Pickens County School board wrote in a news release on Wednesday that it had amended its policy, which allowed students to use the bathroom that matched their gender identity, this week due to “death threats, student harassment, and vandalism of school property.”

“The District understands and acknowledges that it has the responsibility to protect its staff and students,” the statement reads. “However, the District has concerns that it may not be able to meet these recently increased demands.”

The release added that the district will revert to its former policy, which assigns transgender students to a single-stall gender-neutral bathroom until it consults with law enforcement and other safety professionals “so that these concerns may be addressed.”{mosads}

The board voted to reverse the policy after Pickens County Superintendent Carlton Wilson, who said he had received death threats from parents who opposed the new policy, called an emergency meeting, local news station WSB-TV reports.

The decision also comes after parents raised concerns about the new policy during an Oct. 14 school board meeting, CNN reports.

A transgender student had asked to “use the restroom which that student identifies with and the administration has permitted that use,” but some parents worried the school’s decision would put the “safety of high school students in jeopardy.”