At Wednesday’s school board meeting, the Carbon School Board adopted three new policies to comply with recent state legislation addressing sex-specific athletic activities, access to sex-designated privacy spaces and toilet training requirements for young students.
One of the key policies, Policy 559 – Participation in Sex-Designated Athletic Activities, Programs, and Events, sets guidelines for school athletic teams based on biological sex. Schools must designate sports as male, female, or co-ed, in alignment with the Utah High School Activities Association (UHSAA). The policy specifies that male students are prohibited from participating in athletic events designated for females, and vice versa. Superintendent Mika Salas clarified that sports like football, cheer, and drill are considered co-ed, as they do not have separate sex-specific teams, allowing both genders to participate.
Another important policy, Policy 560 – Use of Sex Designated Facilities, addresses the use of sex-designated privacy spaces, such as bathrooms and locker rooms. The policy emphasizes that students may only use facilities designated for their biological sex—male or female. However, under the policy, students who wish to use a facility that does not align with their biological sex must first request permission and work with school administrators to develop a privacy plan. Following this plan, a staff member will be assigned to that student, who will have to clear out the privacy space of the designated gender, allowing that student to use the privacy space without anyone else in there.
Prior to this policy, specific students were allowed to use the faculty restrooms that will still be available. Also, Superintendent Salas clarified that all students are allowed to use the unisex, single occupant facilities within the schools.
Another important change was introduced in Policy 525 – Student Toilet Training, which sets requirements for toilet training for preschool and kindergarten students. The policy mandates that children be toilet trained before enrolling in these programs, unless there is an underlying condition addressed in an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or 504 Plan. The policy is intended to prevent disruptions to the child’s and their classmates’ educational experience.
All three policies passed with approval, as the board affirmed its commitment to adhering to state mandates. To read more on Carbon School District’s policies, click here.