BAY CITY, MI -- Transgender students in Bay County's public school districts are either accommodated or they are non-existent, top administrators say.

But an advocate who works with these teenagers says neither is the case.

Earlier this month, the Obama administration issued "guidelines" calling for public schools to allow transgender students use of bathrooms, locker rooms and pronouns that match their gender identity.

The guidelines, issued by the U.S. Justice and Education departments, were sent to every public school district. Their interpretation of a sex discrimination law holds that if schools do not allow transgender students inclusion into facilities and activities that match their gender identity, then they are liable for loss of federal school aid.

All four superintendents of Bay County's public school districts said their approach right now is more reactive as they wait on the state's LGBT guidelines, before implementing any across-the-board policies.

Morgan Whitman, a 23-year-old transgender male, holds support group meetings for transgender people in the Bay City-Essexville area. About six to seven of those who show up are local high school students, Whitman estimated.

From choice of pronouns to choice of bathrooms and locker rooms, he said students' calls for accommodations more often than not are going unmet.

"It's pretty rare that schools give accommodations like that -- pronouns, bathrooms, locker rooms," Whitman said. "Pretty much each student expressed desire for these accommodations. Most, if not all, were shut down or not listened to."

Most area superintendents said they could cite only one or two cases of transgender students needing accommodation.

A gender neutral bathroom at The Fix coffee shop, 5 E Main St. "By building code we had to have men's and women's restrooms, but we added gender neutral to the bathrooms to be accommodating," shop manager Jack Rechsteiner said.

Bay City Public Schools Superintendent Janet Greif said in the past she had a transgender student request an alternative place for restroom use, and a unisex bathroom was provided.

Grief said most transgender students she's worked with don't want to draw attention to themselves.

"I've had transgender students in the past, and we have a transgender student now, and it has not been an issue," Greif said. "The guidelines have sparked controversy. It's been a non-issue as of yet."

Bangor Township Schools Superintendent Matt Schmidt recalls only one instance of a transgender student seeking accommodation and it was during graduation a few years ago.

"We had a student a couple of years ago where a female identified as a male," Schmidt said. "And this young lady wanted to wear the blue gown, because that's what the males wore, and we allowed it."

Pinconning Area Schools Superintendent Michael Vieau said he's waiting on more guidance from the state before the district implements a program or policy beyond current anti-discrimination and harassment rules.

As for those situations mentioned in the federal guidelines, Vieau said he hasn't encountered any of them.

"I can't speak to those, as of yet, because they're hypotheticals," he said, citing no known transgender students in his district.

Essexville-Hampton Public Schools superintendent Matthew Cortez said he, too, knows of no transgender students in his district.

But, Cortez said, his staff is discussing the matter and how to move forward.

"This is something that is a very serious matter for those involved in it," he said. "Kids question everything, and we have to make sure that we're serving everyone equally."

However the state LGBT guidelines and school district policies work out, Whitman said transgender teenagers are at greater risk for self-harm, drug abuse and suicide.

Any chance of reversing that trend, he said, starts in the schools.

"Everybody wants to feel safe where they are, and they want to feel accepted where they are," Whitman said. "They just want to live and be themselves."