Anti-discrimination policies are not enough

Let’s continue as a trailblazer for affirming the civil rights of all students and seek more comprehensive anti-discrimination policies in Alachua County schools.

We want all children to feel and be safe at school. For that to happen, school systems must develop more comprehensive anti-discrimination policies and practices.

In a recent column, Nathan Crabbe spoke out against Jake Fuller’s cartoon and the Marion County decision to implement a bathroom ban for transgender students. He reasoned “the bathroom issue is just an excuse for bigotry” and that “the answer to misinformation is more information.” He also touted Gainesville’s progressivism on the issue of transgender inclusion, citing the 2008 and 2013 policies designed to protect citizens from discrimination based on their gender identity.

We do not disagree with Crabbe on these points, yet we wish to challenge the view that the existence of anti-discrimination policies is enough to claim a school or community fosters a safe climate for those who identify as transgender.