MARTINSVILLE – Attorney General Todd Rokita issued the following statement supporting the Metropolitan School District of Martinsville, which is seeking affirmation from the U.S. Supreme Court that it may require students to use bathrooms corresponding to their biological sex:
“Nothing in the U.S. Constitution, Title IX, or any other federal law requires schools to have coed bathrooms, locker rooms, and showers, which pose a direct threat to the health, privacy, safety, and security of our children. Accordingly, federal courts should never mandate that boys and girls be able to use the same school bathrooms depending on gender identity.
“For these reasons and others, I applaud the Metropolitan School District of Martinsville’s decision to appeal the Seventh Circuit’s recent decision mandating coed bathrooms to the U.S. Supreme Court.
“I strongly encourage leaders in the Vigo County School Corp. to stand strong and do the same.
“Fortunately, at least one other U.S. Court of Appeals has reached a different conclusion and affirmed schools’ right to maintain separate boys’ and girls’ bathrooms, regardless of gender identity.
“Amid such inconsistency, the time is ripe for the U.S. Supreme Court to resolve the dispute over coed bathrooms once and for all—for the sake of children, parents, schools, and the rule of law.
“As legal actions proceed, my office and I will continue working boldly on the side of Hoosier families and school officials by advocating for the safe and sensible policy of protecting our children with single-sex bathrooms.”
