The South County Democratic Club is set to rally in support of transgender students in the Lucia Mar Unified School District. This comes as some San Luis Obispo County groups push for policies that would require students to use bathrooms and join sports teams based on their sex assigned at birth.
A flyer from Harvest Church in Arroyo Grande criticizes Lucia Mar schools for allowing transgender students access to facilities that match their gender identity. The church said the policy unfairly denies private spaces to students who identify as their biological sex.
The SLO County chapter of Moms for Liberty echoes these concerns in a letter, pushing for sex-segregated spaces in schools countywide. In protest, the organization began keeping their kids home from school once a month starting Monday this week, calling current policies a threat to young girls’ safety.
Virginia Roof is a parent of an LGBTQ+ student and member of the South County Democratic Club. She opposes the walkouts and is helping to organize a counter-protest next week. Roof said they’re standing up against what she calls national political attacks on inclusive education.
“I think it comes from national politics, which are focused on demonizing groups of people– including immigrants, including the LGBTQ+ community– and that those national directives coming from the administration are filtering down to our local level,” Roof said.
Moms for Liberty did not respond to KCBX’s request for comment in time for broadcast.
The rally in support of LGBTQ students is set for Tuesday, May 6 at 6 p.m., just before the Lucia Mar school board meeting.
