I probably would have missed this story were it not for Maggie Gallagher at The Corner. It seems that the good people on the appeal board considering a case at Atherton High School (part of the Jefferson County public school system) have determined that you can use the girls’ bathrooms, locker room and showers if you say you’re a girl. No physical required.

A transgender teenager, who was born male but identifies as a female, can continue to use a women’s restroom and locker room at a Jefferson County Public School.

In a 5-to-1 vote, an appeal board upheld Atherton High School’s nondiscrimination policy Thursday, which states the school must accept the gender identity each student asserts and shouldn’t discriminate on the use of school space on the basis of gender identity nor gender expression.

If you read the full report from the local press you will find that the appeals board is composed of teachers, two parents and a school administrator. The board rejected appeals from parents who somehow thought this might be a bad idea. (They were clearly haters of some sort, I’m sure.)

Even as complicated as things have gotten in our 21st century society, I understand that some issues have arisen for various non-traditional individuals when it comes to workplace and public restrooms. I’m not all that put off by having a third, gender-optional bathroom at large offices, airports and other such locations. But this is a school We’re talking about children. And more specifically – in the context of a high school – we’re talking about teenage boys. Now, I don’t want to disillusion anyone here, but I have some experience in this subject, having been a teenage boy myself back in the day. If you presented me with an opportunity to get into the girl’s shower when I was fifteen, would I have gone so far as to claim I was in the incorrect gender assignment?

I’m going to need some time to ponder that one. A comment from Maggie.

As I have said before, I’m pretty sympathetic to the idea everybody needs a bathroom. But what kind of a society has priorities like these?

That would seem to be the question. But in the meantime, I’ll just say that this is a terrible idea. I’m not sure which parents are sending their sons into this particular battlefield in high school, but going on nothing but personal experience and anecdotal history, the story doesn’t end well. Asking for a third bathroom and locker room in public schools – particularly in lower income areas – may simply not be an option. And this is no option at all.