A group of students from Hedrick Middle School skipped classes to protest the recent directive sent to all schools by the White House to allow students to use restrooms according to their gender identity.
President Barack Obama commented on the bathroom policy for the first time when he said: "Anybody who has been in school, in high school, who has been a parent should realize that kids who are sometimes in the minority - kids who have a different sexual orientation or are transgender - are subject to a lot of bullying, potentially."
"They are vulnerable, and I think it's part of our obligation as a society to make sure everybody is treated fairly, and our kids are all loved and protected, and that their dignity is affirmed," he continued.
Students and their families from Medford School District in Oregon stood outside the school on Monday, holding placards and signs which said, "Keep our students safe!" "No men in girls' bathrooms," and "We don't feel safe in school."
One placard read, "HONK! If you're not okay with boys in a young girl's bathroom/locker room!" Some passerbys called them "bullies," but others honked in support.
Police did not intervene in the protest, saying that if the demonstrators were not yelling or screaming, and that they "[had] every right" for a sit-in.
Two middle-school sisters who had organized the rally said that the new system would make them uncomfortable and threaten their security.
"Transgenders they have rights too and they're people and I feel like they do deserve a bathroom and other kids think that too," said Grace Milligan, an eighth grader. "We all kind of agreed that they deserve their own bathroom but we don't really agree with them coming into the same bathrooms as us."
Medford School officials said that they are studying the federal directive to see if it aligns with the policies followed by the district.
"...To see if there's work that needs to be done. Where that work needs to be done. We're having conversations with our administrators, with our school board. And we're not going to rush this process," stated Medford School District spokesperson Natalie Hurd.
Hedrick Middle School already has two gender-neutral bathrooms, which are provided for emotional, mental and physical support of students.
About two days after the protest at Hedrick Middle School, a counter protest was staged at North Medford High School, in which about 30 students participated.
"We need to get the word out that we are not here to hurt people, we are just here to use the bathroom that we feel most comfortable in," said Hayley Browne, a senior at North Medford High School.
