July 24,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Transgender students at New Jersey’s public schools were given new layers of protection under a bill that Gov. Chris Christie signed into law Friday.
The legislation know as (S3067/A4652), takes effect immediately and requires the state education commissioner to draft specific guidelines to help schools like Ridgewood address “the needs” of transgender students and establish policies that “ensure a supportive and nondiscriminatory environment” for those students.
Transgender students are now able to use bathrooms or locker rooms that coincide with their “gender identity”.
Schools will be mandated to provide “reasonable alternative arrangements if needed to ensure a student’s safety and comfort.”
Schools will also be required to make sure transgender students are addressed by the name and pronoun they prefer, regardless of whether a legal name change has occurred.