Plans have been made for the creation of a unisex bathroom and private changing stalls in the locker rooms to make students, including transgender students, feel more comfortable at school.

There is no way to know if Glenbrook North has transgender students who have not come out yet, but it’s possible that part of the hesitation is not knowing whether there is a place for them to comfortably dress before gym class.

These renovations should not be underestimated or taken for granted. It might seem like having a unisex bathroom is common sense, but there are plenty of places in America where this would cause screaming masses and picket lines at school board meetings.

The editorial board commends Superintendent Mike Riggle and the school board for their proactive words and actions.

A few months ago, a transgender student at Palatine High School was forced to change in a private dressing area instead of the girls’ locker room, and the conflict was brought all the way to the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights.

Are GBN’s renovations just a response to what happened at Palatine? Riggle said the idea for the renovations has been around for over a year, before any recent issues arose.

But the conflict that caused the issue at Palatine still could happen here. Palatine allowed students to change in private dressing rooms, but did not allow a transgender student to change in the locker room. Should this ever happen at GBN, we need to take an extra step toward acceptance. We must allow people to choose who they are and where they belong.

People who disagree may say it’s not up to the student, and it would make the other students in the locker room uncomfortable. They may say allowing transgender students to change clothes only in a private stall would be beneficial to all.

But it’s beyond changing clothes. It’s about allowing people to be confident with their identity.

Let’s hope if there are people walking around the halls feeling afraid to come out, they know this is an accepting community. GBN is transitioning, and the school board took a worthy first step.

Now, we need to keep it going.