[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},"mediaId",6395998,"mediaKeyId","2097702-2a2fd99ee30513b380f1ae4bc3d7838e","parentId",2097702,"title","Board hears legal briefing: New York law requires access to facilities based on gender identity; district outlines safety measures","audioSeconds",5689,"startMs",1021000,"endMs",6710000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2097702-2a2fd99ee30513b380f1ae4bc3d7838e&start=1021&end=6710","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2097702-2a2fd99ee30513b380f1ae4bc3d7838e/thumbnail_1021000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6395998/New-York/Board-hears-legal-briefing-New-York-law-requires-access-to-facilities-based-on-gender-identity-district-outlines-safety-measures","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6395998-ce96281fd2bee2d72f5cf3973ecbf7c3/orig.mp4?Expires=1770903265&Signature=S-0OO974s7lgqcP7xLjVKPPfGuk9aF6PEFdpkQQDfiQASDMvRaS4dzvyV6BbwTBGTcNHN4D0vVKqnFr6li84rRAVtzH60nL2KSbclnwP~T7Em1CeHzMXGBqR~0CjJGLVHXtzTRK9yH4Jxhci2wZam~nK3DlwDD-nKcGV-vqfeIL12zkcbuLmKz7Sm951Rlx9JDKZaF2SufYlzXF464xqf-0Z4NQ6Adjv0y8~v3uVETXxyD8QDkyE~EO4GZknaMCrGVyCYaKNSCE0J7ML-oJ4Ww8dxJ31zIxSbxrhsoCHrk-eR8XAWnYz~aYo4sm7UwDAr8ECDWxpHJpXjqg7Hzlhaw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-01-03T18:49:46Z","article","At the Rockville Centre Board of Education’s Jan. 9 regular meeting, counsel Howard Miller told the board that New York law protects gender identity and that school districts risk enforcement actions if they deny transgender students access to bathrooms and locker rooms consistent with their gender identity.

Miller, of the law firm Bond, Schoeneck & King, told the board that the State Human Rights Law was amended in 2019 to make gender identity a protected characteristic and that student claims can be filed at the New York State Division of Human Rights. “Under the law, students can use bathroom and locker room facilities in accordance with their gender identity,” Miller said. He advised the board that complaints filed with the State Division of Human Rights are heard by administrative law judges and that remedies there can include substantial damages.

The counsel also warned that the New York State Education Department (NYSED) enforces its own guidance and that the commissioner of education can withhold state aid for noncompliance. “If we lose and the commissioner of education were to find out about it, the commissioner of education under 306 of the education law could remove our state aid,” Miller said.

Superintendent Gavin described how those legal obligations are translating into day‑to‑day practice in Rockville Centre schools. He said the high school stations adults outside boys’ and girls’ bathrooms, requires students to sign in to use the facilities, records entry and exit with cameras placed outside (not inside) bathrooms, props main bathroom doors open so staff can hear inside, and has security guards sweep bathrooms regularly. Gavin also said single‑occupancy bathrooms and privacy stalls in locker rooms are available to any student and that staff work with students and families one‑on‑one when a student raises identity or privacy concerns. “We can explore establishing separate areas for students, any students that feel uncomfortable changing in front of other students,” Gavin said.

Public comment on the topic was extensive and sharply divided. Deborah Zuckerman, a Rockville Centre resident who identified herself as the parent of a transgender daughter, thanked the district for complying with state law and for supporting her child. Other speakers, including Roxanne Rizzi and Karen Johnson, raised safety concerns and asked for details on the number and locations of single‑occupancy restrooms; Gavin offered to provide that information by email.

Board members said they were deferring to counsel on the legal interpretation while pressing administration for clear, practical safety steps. Several trustees praised the district’s stated approach to privacy and monitoring; others said they remained concerned about supervision and asked for further details on staffing and budget impacts.

The board did not adopt a new policy at the Jan. 9 meeting. Counsel and administration said they would revise policy language where necessary and provide follow‑up information to the board and the public. The board also directed that the two draft calendar options and other documents be posted for further public feedback before a February vote.

Why it matters: The board’s discussion made explicit that, under current state law and agency guidance, districts that deny transgender students access to facilities consistent with their gender identity face administrative enforcement and potential financial penalties. The legal and practical balance between student privacy, safety, and compliance remains a central issue shaping local policy and community debate.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Board of Education Regular Meeting - Thurs, January 9, 2025 at 8 PM","oneSentenceSummary","At the Rockville Centre Board of Education’s Jan. 9 meeting, counsel Howard Miller told trustees that New York’s human rights law protects gender identity and that school districts risk administrative charges if they deny transgender students access to bathrooms and locker rooms consistent with their gender identity.","taxTitle","ROCKVILLE CENTRE UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT, School Districts, New York","taxId",55785,"location","New York","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6395993,"Rockville Centre proposes wider course options for 2025–26: AP cybersecurity, computational engineering and college partnerships",1354,2000000,3354000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2097702-2a2fd99ee30513b380f1ae4bc3d7838e&start=2000&end=3354","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2097702-2a2fd99ee30513b380f1ae4bc3d7838e/thumbnail_2000000.jpg","/articles/6395993/New-York/Rockville-Centre-proposes-wider-course-options-for-202526-AP-cybersecurity-computational-engineering-and-college-partnerships","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6395993-8c0c63db8dcdd9981868202d44b04ccb/orig.mp4?Expires=1770903265&Signature=ZbVr1clnAsEBNlUMunftfQlNZAfCE6MBDL8x1EgzcaIwJOHO4wmYzwk4WC2KF3aVuK-pYrOOsv05z4Vdu-V0nXqeZ-E18xT2iDhi8ECSrueVDFQYpG0rcOUskJoDYi4dzSxLBECXmBLnWFg-seHgRPLsMepdcaAYyCF0EtRyti32hKCleHaZiaHO91zCDovlkcUtfT09PNbi7pQlo-ufPvrBKHxXfcRPdx~rk9daXwydoGn6VomDN5GaHGw4KNqicyQD3ayUqXnWJPu4UNFN~jDKBpy-BqZ5bWWA5n8XmwFdXvHQfcJ59xLVRO55kX2eHIhqOme11bUweXu7ovleEw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At the Jan. 9 meeting of the Rockville Centre Board of Education, Superintendent Gavin presented proposed course and curricular changes the district would seek to offer in 2025–26, emphasizing pathways to industry credentials and to college‑level experiences.

Gavin described a half‑year Financial Investments course that would expand the district’s personal‑finance offerings and offer students the option to visit Molloy College’s Bloomberg lab about six times during that half‑year for Bloomberg certification. He said students could take the class without pursuing Bloomberg certification and that the district would rotate visits to avoid repeated class absences. Gavin noted that bringing a full Bloomberg lab in‑house is expensive and cited other districts’ Bloomberg lab costs as an example of significant investment.

He also proposed a new Computational Engineering course, a half‑year offering developed in response to a student request, to be taught with support from a physics teacher and to include four visits to Hofstra University’s science and innovation facilities. Gavin said the course would teach numerical methods and introduce MATLAB; students would be prepared for college engineering work. He said computational engineering would most likely serve juniors and seniors and that Algebra II was the typical math background expected but not a strict prerequisite.

Other proposals included AP Human Geography offered primarily to ninth graders; an AP cybersecurity pilot (year 1) with a planned second year to lead to industry credentials, and an expanded arts and business set of electives including Unified Theater, IB Dance, sports marketing, fashion marketing and middle‑school fashion design. Gavin said the AP cybersecurity pathway could lead to an industry credential (CompTIA) that would enable students to enter the workforce with recognized certification. He said the district had applied for AP Cyber and had local staff (including the high school’s computer science teacher) ready to run the program.

Gavin told the board the district does not expect to add teaching positions solely for these proposals next year and that the main budget implications would be added transportation costs for college visits. Enrollment thresholds varied by course: computational engineering could run with as few as seven students in some years, while high‑demand electives such as fashion design at the middle school could draw 40–60 students. The superintendent said administrators will co‑seat low‑enrollment sections where appropriate and monitor demand in the coming course‑selection cycle.

Board members generally praised the breadth of options and asked for more parent outreach and writing supports to help students transition to higher‑level courses. Trustees requested clearer scheduling presentations for families (especially for the middle‑to‑high‑school pathway), and asked guidance counselors to advise students on prerequisites and workload. Gavin said detailed course descriptions and communications would be emailed to families if the proposals are approved and that the district will include course offerings in the budget process where needed.

Why it matters: The proposals expand career and college pathways available within the Rockville Centre district, add industry‑recognized credentials and create new partnerships with local colleges that may improve college and career readiness for students who choose those tracks.

","Superintendent Gavin presented proposed 2025–26 course additions at the Jan. 9 Rockville Centre Board of Education meeting, including AP cybersecurity, a computational engineering pilot with Hofstra University, and a Financial Investments course tied to Molloy College’s Bloomberg lab.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6395988,"Board actions at a glance: gift accepted, personnel item announced and policy items scheduled for revision",4721,946000,5667000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2097702-2a2fd99ee30513b380f1ae4bc3d7838e&start=946&end=5667","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2097702-2a2fd99ee30513b380f1ae4bc3d7838e/thumbnail_946000.jpg","/articles/6395988/New-York/Board-actions-at-a-glance-gift-accepted-personnel-item-announced-and-policy-items-scheduled-for-revision","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6395988-845fef0368dec84e0034833a98b66ed6/orig.mp4?Expires=1770903265&Signature=nRt8sueX~IM7B6lYwXVxCvbVZfTESytXj1CcF0PFkMeYzyLviUYCaoEIJjEXHngRomd18DNcOm~Px~7V-w46RiZxzAc7v2yF1Xz5Ebm8P-nVWJX-ebTlJGV2OcEF0nzWx0plOUKyu5nWQvvFMNu48zx9bza~maF4OBjlArihsnqCPEOGt720WKKwKv0Bo5pi9NhgmCwT8i0J3PBnpw21FXCsyJBOlo1MqPo0y062G1Ir~zgdnFq8coJZ8FO782J73khiPrBiK6mslt0QwIEvD8jE39m1CMVrI4fJ~os7kqo44kAVrE6TYFPF2yJ3Wwqs5OkFa5Z4-1yDWZ9jtb0wxw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Rockville Centre Board of Education took several administrative actions at its Jan. 9 meeting and set the next steps for policy and calendar items.

Gift acceptance: The board accepted a donation from the Rockville Centre Education Foundation of about $6,900 to support school projects. The motion was moved and seconded and the board recorded a voice vote in favor.

Personnel: The superintendent announced, and the board acknowledged, the forthcoming retirement of John Murphy. The board accepted his resignation for purposes of retirement effective in June and said it will schedule formal recognition; no further personnel action was taken at the Jan. 9 meeting.

Policies and calendar: The board placed policy 7515 (students and staff with life‑threatening health conditions) on hold at Stage 2 and asked counsel to clarify language about emergency EpiPen administration and Good Samaritan protections. Multiple other policies (including 5,211 gate receipts and admissions, 52.40 property tax exemptions, 52.50 sale and disposal of district property, 53.40 borrowing of funds and 53.50 payroll) were reported to be on the agenda for approval at the next meeting. Two draft district calendar options for 2025–26 were discussed and will be posted for public feedback; the board will revisit calendar approval at its Feb. 6 meeting.

Consent agenda: Toward the end of the meeting, a motion to approve items L2 through N10 was moved, seconded and adopted by voice vote.

Why it matters: These administrative steps advance the district’s budget and calendar planning, clarify the review process for health‑related policies, place a personnel transition on the board’s calendar and record a routine charitable gift to district programs.

","At the Jan. 9 Rockville Centre Board of Education meeting trustees accepted a donation from the Rockville Centre Education Foundation, noted the pending retirement of John Murphy, tabled a policy change for revision and scheduled multiple policy items for approval at future meetings.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Board hears legal briefing: New York law requires access to facilities based on gender identity; district outlines safety measures

Rockville Centre proposes wider course options for 2025–26: AP cybersecurity, computational engineering and college partnerships

Board actions at a glance: gift accepted, personnel item announced and policy items scheduled for revision