Colts Neck, NJ school board votes down transgender policy changes

⚪️ Colts Neck Board of Education rejected proposed revisions to transgender policy

⚪️ Local policy appears to be at odds with NJ regulations

⚪️ Members who voted for the changes were recently elected

COLT NECK — A push to change the district’s gender policy for bathroom and locker room use was defeated at Wednesday’s Colts Neck Board of Education meeting.

The proposal, rejected 7-2, was introduced by one of two new board members who were elected in the fall on a “Colts Neck Kids First” platform.

One of the defeated proposals in Colts Neck would have required the school district to notify a student’s parent of that student’s gender identity or expression — which would have been a violation of current state regulation.

Since 2018, the state Department of Education has directed schools to take a "student-centered approach," honoring that individual’s stated gender identity without parental input.

The current Colts Neck policy for transgender students was first adopted in 2015 and last revised in June 2019.

John Camera and Jessica Ramirez, who voted for the rejected revisions, were among statewide school board winners (over 151 seats in 85 districts) that were endorsed in November by the New Jersey Project, which has repeatedly slammed what it calls the “WOKE NJ Agenda.”

‘Sex-segregated restroom’ revision for transgender students voted down in Colts Neck

The second rejected revision would have replaced the current “use of facilities” policy with one that would restrict access to restrooms, locker rooms and changing facilities based on
biological sex.

“Transgender students who are uncomfortable using a sex-segregated restroom shall should be provided with a safe and adequate alternative, such as a single 'unisex' restroom or the nurse’s restroom,” according to the revised policy.

There was a high public turnout on Wednesday at Conover Road Primary School, many of whom spoke in support of maintaining the current policy. The Colts Neck Kids First group said on Facebook that “activist speakers” were not residents of the borough.

'No reason to rush this' Colts Neck School Board member says of policy change

Review of the policy revision has been fast-tracked under a motion to expedite at the board’s Feb. 8 meeting, Board President Heather Tormey told Out In Jersey.

“There was absolutely no reason to rush this,” Colts Neck School Board Member Brenda Dillon said at Wednesday's meeting, as quoted by the Asbury Park Press.

“I have spent the last week digging deep on this. You could be lining this district up for potential lawsuits, rushing this decision when it is not an emergency is not common sense.”

Colts Neck Kids First told its nearly 200 Facebook followers that it was “very disappointed” with the meeting’s result and urged residents “to contact the BOE if you care about parental rights and transparency, parental notification AND keeping our children from being exposed to the genitalia of the opposite sex.”

Erin Vogt is a reporter and anchor for New Jersey 101.5. You can reach her at erin.vogt@townsquaremedia.com

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