Long Beach Unified School District (LBUSD) Superintendent Jill Baker told the Board of Education during its Wednesday, Feb. 2, meeting that the district is postponing development plans for new coed locker rooms.
The decision follows months of public outcry over the locker rooms, with parents, teachers and student athletes voicing displeasure over the new designs.
LBUSD has been planning upgrades and new developments at several of its school swimming pools and locker rooms, including at Wilson High School.
In a community presentation on Wilson’s planned new aquatics center last November, LBUSD described the new locker rooms as “inclusive” for everyone.
“Inclusive restrooms and locker rooms can be used by any student regardless of gender identity and expression or physical ability,” LBUSD stated.
LBUSD said the new planned locker rooms are a response to input from students, teachers and coaches that existing locker rooms and restrooms need better supervision to decrease potential bullying and other inappropriate behavior.
“Single-occupancy restrooms [are] not adequate for students who may want a non-binary option,” LBUSD stated. “Waiting in line for [a] gender-neutral stall opens students to bullying or being outed.”
To ensure privacy, LBUSD said the inclusive locker rooms plans have floor-to-ceiling walls for changing stalls, restrooms and showers, but with a one-inch space between the partition and floor “for supervision.” However, some doors and partitions would remain “gap free.”
“Inclusive facilities can be accessed by staff of any gender, providing schools an increased ability to monitor students,” LBUSD further stated.
However, the locker-room plans have drawn public ire, including those expressed during board meetings over the past several months. Parents expressed concern over sexual harassment or assault in coed facilities.
Female student swimmers especially expressed discomfort at changing into swimsuits in the same room as males. They also expressed concern that the planned coach’s room has windows looking down into the locker room from above.
Wilson aquatic center plans also include a new outdoor 51.5 meter by 25 yard pool and 500-capacity bleachers. LBUSD planned to begin construction this summer and open the new facility in fall 2023—but those plans are now on hold.
“In an effort to ensure our community is really engaged and informed about these large-scale projects, we’ve made a decision to pause the current development of plans and review our community input process,” Baker told the board on Wednesday.
The board will be able to discuss those facilities developments during its planned workshop on March 15 and 16, Baker said.
