East Central Reporter

Illinois State Rep. Blaine Wilhour said that school personnel involved in forcing a girl to change in front of a biological male in a Deerfield, Illinois, locker room should be immediately terminated. Wilhour made his comments in a March 14 social media post on X.

“This Deerfield, Illinois mother claims that teachers and administrators in their public school, forced her daughter and others to change in a locker room with a biological male against their will,” Wilhour said. “If this is true, any school personnel involved in this disgusting, reprehensible behavior needs to be immediately terminated and stripped of any pension or any other government benefits.”

“This nonsense has to stop. Illinois voters need to wake up and start making better decisions. This is exactly what Deerfield voted for when they sent their members to the general assembly.”

Screenshot of Wilhour's Mar. 14 post on X. | Illinois State Rep. Blaine Wilhour (R-Effingham)

Wilhour's remarks came in reaction to a report on Fox News about a local controversy involving a Deerfield mother, Nicole Georgas, and her daughter, who were caught in a dispute with school officials over privacy in locker rooms. Georgas claims that her daughter and other female students were forced to change in front of a biological male student in their locker room, a situation she described as both invasive and inappropriate.

The controversy erupted when the girls, uncomfortable with the male student’s presence, decided to skip changing for gym class, as reported by the Lake County Gazette. The next day, Assistant Principal Cathy Van Treese reportedly pulled the girls aside for questioning, and later that day, Van Treese, Assistant Superintendent Joanna Ford, and multiple teachers entered the locker room, forcing the girls to change into their uniforms. The male student was reportedly allowed to remain in the locker room while the girls changed.

In the interview with Fox News, Georges explained the emotional toll the situation had on her daughter and the other girls involved. “It’s hard to believe they were forced into this situation,” Georgas said, noting that the girls had tried to protest their discomfort by not changing. Georgas also emphasized her concern about setting a dangerous precedent, particularly for young girls, by allowing a biological male to access female-only spaces.

According to the Lake County Gazette, Georgas has filed a civil rights complaint with the Department of Education, claiming that the district’s actions violate Title IX, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in federally funded education programs and activities. As of now, the school has not responded to multiple requests for comment.

Blaine Wilhour is a Republican member of the Illinois House of Representatives, representing District 110 since January 11, 2023, according to his Ballotpedia page. Prior to his legislative role, Wilhour served on the Fayette County Board. He resides in Beecher City, Illinois, and works with his family's construction company and farm.