East Central Reporter

State Rep. Brad Halbrook (R-Shelbyville) is calling for stronger protections of student privacy and safety in Illinois schools, particularly in locker rooms and restrooms, following the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights (OCR) investigation into allegations that Illinois schools violated Title IX.

The investigations focus on the Illinois Department of Education, Chicago Public Schools District 299 and Deerfield Public Schools District 109, stemming from complaints that female students were pressured to share intimate spaces with a male student who identifies as female.

“Student privacy and safety should never be compromised, especially in intimate spaces like locker rooms,” Halbrook told the East Central Reporter. “Title IX was established to protect opportunities for women, and policies that force female students to share these spaces with biological males undermine both their privacy and the original intent of Title IX. Schools must uphold the fundamental right of students to feel safe and secure in these environments.”

The investigations came after Nicole Georgas, a parent from Deerfield, testified at a District 109 School Board meeting in March, revealing how her 13-year-old daughter and other girls were allegedly pressured by administrators to undress in front of a male student. 

Georgas filed a civil rights complaint with the U.S. Department of Justice, raising concerns about the violation of female students' privacy and calling for separate facilities for biological males and females in schools.

Halbrook strongly supports Georgas' call for separate facilities and argues that school administrators should never pressure students to share intimate spaces with the opposite sex. 

“Administrators must respect and accommodate students’ concerns,” he said. “No student should be pressured or coerced into situations that make them feel uncomfortable or unsafe. Schools should provide reasonable accommodations, such as separate changing areas, that respect the rights of all students while prioritizing privacy.”

The controversy has sparked broader debates over the application of Title IX and the rights of transgender students. Halbrook emphasized that Title IX was designed to prevent sex-based discrimination and protect female students’ rights, and that schools must comply with the law as it was originally intended. 

“Schools should comply with Title IX as it was originally intended—to prevent sex-based discrimination and protect the rights of female students,” he said. “If federal agencies attempt to redefine Title IX in a way that compromises student safety and privacy, school districts and state leaders should push back against these overreaches. We must ensure that compliance efforts do not come at the expense of common-sense protections for students.”

The OCR investigations come at a time of increasing tensions over how schools handle gender identity issues, with some advocating for transgender students’ rights and others emphasizing the privacy concerns of their peers. 

Halbrook is calling on local school boards to adopt policies that prioritize student privacy. 

“Local school boards must adopt policies that explicitly protect student privacy in locker rooms, restrooms, and other sensitive areas,” he said. “They should also advocate for state and federal policies that align with these protections. Most importantly, they must listen to parents and students who raise concerns and ensure that school policies reflect the values and expectations of the communities they serve.”

Halbrook represents the 102nd House District, which includes the counties of Champaign, Douglas, Edgar, Macon, Moultrie, Shelby and Vermilion.