Volusia County residents voiced their displeasure with school board officials over transgender student rights Tuesday, protesting the county's lack of a clear policy on bathroom rights during a demonstration outside a meeting.

ACLU, Volusia Indivisible among groups present

Demonstrators pushed for concise rules protecting transgender bathroom rights

District insists it does not single out groups of students for protection

Demonstrators gathered outside the meeting with placards calling on the school board to pass policy protecting transgender students.

The outcry stems from President Donald Trump and federal administration leaders, who claim that former President Barack Obama went too far in passing transgender student right policy, rather than leaving it up to states or individual school districts to decide.

Transgender students such as Stetson University's Bek Luke, 21, hopes that voicing his perspective will help convince Volusia School Board members to pass concise rules protecting bathroom rights.

“These kids need to focus on learning so they can do great things in society," Luke said. "So make their lives a little easier and let them go to the bathroom and let them be safe when they do. Let them go to the restroom of their choice.”

Members of the American Civil Liberties Union said they have been trying to get county school board members to come up with policies that specifically protect a transgender student’s right to use the bathroom matching their gender identification. Instead, the ACLU claims, transgender students are being told to use a specific private bathroom, away from the rest of the student population.

“If you identify and lived your life as male for years, to suddenly be told you’re not allowed to go to the boy’s room makes you feel second class,” ACLU Flagler/Volusia chapter President George Griffin said.

Griffin said that more than 50 percent of transgender students will commit suicide because they feel unwanted when they’re told they are not like the rest of the student population.

Luke expressed support for that belief.

“The majority of transgens will try to kill themselves," Luke said. "By them not having a place to go to the bathroom, you’re proving, you’re showing them that they’re not worth of even living.”

A spokesperson with the school district said policy does not single out any group, and they strive to protect all children. After the meeting, at least one school board member agreed to place the issue surrounding bathrooms for transgender students on a future meeting agenda.