The unisex bathroom has been put in place to help a six-year-old transgender student at the school feel more at ease.
It is hoped that by making them feel safe and accepted, their transition from boy to girl will be easier.
The school board apparently support the decision, with the chairman saying:
“We have a policy of safety around identity and culture, and that includes gender. We feel strongly that every child deserves to feel safe in the school environment.”
“I believe our parent community supports diversity [anyway]. It’s a child who identifies as a different gender than the one they were born with.
“There’s nothing scary about that, there’s nothing unusual about that. It’s been happening since the beginning of human kind. We are just more aware of it now.”
“I’m proud to be part of a school that says ‘it’s okay to be who you are and we are going to make sure you get the best education, without worrying about anything else’.”
A recent survey showed that 9,000 school aged children in New Zealand identify as transgender, meaning moves like these could become more and more common.
Transgender groups including Rainbow Youth have applauded the school’s decision.
