The school district is warning that an unofficial survey is being distributed to the Deerfield community regarding a controversial locker room incident involving a transgender student.
Deerfield Public Schools District 109 said it is aware that members of the Deerfield community have received text or email messages asking them to complete a survey about Deerfield schools.
“This survey is not from District 109. DPS 109 does not know who is distributing this survey or why, but we want to inform you to protect your privacy and the integrity of our school district,” the district said in a statement.
The survey asks how closely the survey respondent has followed the controversy at District 109’s Shepherd Middle School in Deerfield as well as the respondent’s political views and stance on the issue.
The survey was reportedly a poll commissioned by Dr. Dave Nayak and conducted by M3 Strategies.
The organization said it surveyed 374 registered voters in Deerfield’s 109 School District and the respondents were randomly selected.
“The issue of transgender individuals—both children and adults—having access to spaces and activities that do not align with their birth gender is being debated across the United States and around the world. This poll was conducted to gauge the opinions of a community currently facing this complex and sensitive issue in a direct and significant way,” M3 Strategies said.
The organization said 67.4% of the respondents believe biological males who identify as female should not be allowed to share locker room spaces with girls. 24.7% support allowing access, while 8% are unsure.
M3 Strategies said 70.1% oppose allowing biological males to compete in female sports and 17.7% support inclusion in girls’ sports, with 12.2% unsure.
Mother Nicole Georgas recently appeared on Fox News and claimed her daughter and several of her classmates were forced by school officials at Shepherd Middle School to change in a locker room in front of a female student who is biologically a boy.
School officials say online that the Illinois Human Rights Act prohibits all public school districts from discriminating on the basis of sex, including gender identity, and mandates that students must be permitted access to the locker room and bathroom that aligns with their gender identity.
Georgas told Fox News that her daughter was one of several girls who did not approve of changing in front of the boy.
“My daughter and all of her PE … fellow girls… they wanted their locker room back,” Georgas said. “They originally decided on their own they were not going to be changing in front of this student.”
Georgas said the girls decided on their own to protest by refusing to wear their required P.E. clothes that day.
The next day, Georgas said, school administrators first attempted to find out who started the “protest.”
Georgas said school administrators and teachers then went into the locker room and made the girls change into their P.E. clothes in front of the other student.
“I asked the teachers why was this happening, no one is giving me any kind of a response,” Georgas said. “The only suggestion they had was to move my daughter into a different PE class.”
On the district’s website, officials said in a statement that the district is “sensitive to the privacy needs of all of our middle school students and ensure that no student is required to change into a gym uniform for physical education class in front of others. ”
“When both our middle schools were renovated in 2017, we added five private changing stations within each locker room that are available to all students.” the statement said. “All students also have multiple options to change in a private location separate from the locker room if they wish.”
Georgas told Fox News she told school officials her daughter would not move to another class, but that she would not be changing into P.E. clothes for the rest of the year because “that locker room is for them (girls).”
“This sets such a dangerous precedent for girls everywhere by allowing men into safe spaces,” Georgas said. “My biggest concern is that an adult biological man who hasn’t transitioned can freely access women’s bathrooms, locker rooms, putting their safety and privacy at risk.”
Georgas said she filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Justice.
The Deerfield administration said in their statement that Deerfield Public Schools District 109 complies with state law and they are “united with our leaders and educators on this issue and have a shared commitment to upholding the law.”
“The District and the Board call upon all of those expressing concerns or perspectives on this issue with our staff and educators to do so in a respectful and civil manner,” the statement reads. “We are glad to work with families to address any individual concerns and determine appropriate next steps to support your child’s well-being and participation.”