The fight over transgender rights to use the bathrooms of their gender expression was front and center at the San Marcos Unified School District (SMUSD) governing board meeting Thursday night.
But the issue was not on the agenda.
Outrage started after Supervisor Jim Desmond posted on Facebook on Wednesday saying the district was pushing a policy allowing "men in women's bathrooms and locker rooms."
The resolution he was referring to is Board Resolution 38, designating SMUSD schools as "safe places for all." It prohibits discrimination and bullying against sexual orientation and gender identity.
That was not what some were there to talk about Thursday.
“I'm here today to advocate for the rights of women and girls to be safe in intimate spaces,” said Mary Davis, noting that it was her first time at the meeting.
The meeting got so heated at one point that a five-minute recess was called to calm tensions.
Desmond's office said he based his Facebook post on a copy of the agenda item he obtained.
A spokesperson sent KPBS a copy of the agenda item, which does state that the district would provide access to bathrooms and locker rooms that align with students’ and staff’s gender expression. The spokesperson, however, did not say where and when Desmond obtained this copy.
But the resolution, as voted on, did not mention bathrooms or sports — a change Desmond acknowledged in another Facebook post on Thursday afternoon, saying it happened because of public pressure.
At least one parent commented on Desmond’s initial post.
“I must address County Supervisor Jim Desmond's misleading letter about bathroom policies, which has sparked unfounded fears and harmful misinformation in our community," said one parent, who did not state his name at the meeting. "Resolution 38 simply aligns existing California law and Supreme Court precedent, protecting all students from discrimination while addressing documented challenges faced by LGBTQ+ youth."
Board Vice President Andrés Martín also called Desmond’s post “misinformation.”
“There was misinformation on this specific resolution," he said. "It was edited and what was publicly given to everybody was not the same thing that was in our former great mayor Jim Desmond’s Facebook post, which is very unfortunate because I feel bad for all of you. It’s misinformation.”
A district spokesperson said the resolution was not changed after the agenda was posted, per the Brown Act.
According to the Brown Act, agenda items must be posted at least 72 hours before a meeting. In this case, that would be Monday, two days before Desmond's original post.
The resolution ultimately passed 3-2 after the board agreed to amend several sections.
