Batavia School District 101 sought to honor groundbreaking women, as March is Women’s History Month, so officials made a social media post March 12 about U.S. Rep. Sarah McBride, D-Delaware.

McBride is the first openly transgender person to be elected to a state senate in U.S. history, serving in Delaware’s 1st District. After serving two terms, she was also the first openly transgender person elected to Congress on Nov. 5, 2024.

“McBride was instrumental in lobbying the Delaware state legislature in 2013 to pass a law that prohibited discrimination based on gender identity,” according to the district’s post. “McBride went on to work as national press secretary for Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest LGBTQ+ civil rights organization.”

It didn’t take long for criticism to start.

Former Illinois lawmaker Jeanne Ives posted on X: “Batavia High School’s embarrassing and Woke tribute to a man for women’s history month.”

The Daily Caller, a conservative news outlet founded by former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, reported that the school district “honored a biological male in celebration of Women’s History Month.”

The post then appeared to be taken down from the district’s page.

School District Communications Director Holly Deitchman said the social media post was removed as per legal advice, and that the only way to treat everyone equally and fairly was not to allow comment at all.

“Comments will be turned off on future social media posts,” Deitchman said.

The McBride post was also removed because it no longer served its educational purpose, she said.

“We will continue to celebrate our diverse community any way that we can,” Deitchman said. “All comments will be turned off on future social media posts.”

At the Monday, March 16 school board meeting, a dozen people spoke in favor of the McBride post and one speaker was critical.

At the end of the meeting, school board members Kristin Gehrels, Danielle Sligar and Katy Swiecki thanked the community for their support.

“Happy spring break,” Swiecki said. “Happy Women’s History Month. Trans women are women. And all children belong in BPS 101.”

Paula Mueller was one of the speakers who praised the district for its willingness to stand in support of all students.

“Sarah McBride is a powerful woman that has made strides in LGBTQ rights and the first transgender American elected to high public office,” Mueller said. “She’s a leader in an ongoing fight for human rights. And it was great comfort to see that Batavia is proud to stand with the marginalized community.”

Batavia parent Heather Dalmasso also defended the post.

“I know and care about a number of Batavia students who are of the LGBTQ community,” Dalmasso said. “They are not political talking points, they are real kids in this district.”

Ryan Hatfield said children see themselves in the district’s post.

“The post and the inclusion of Sarah does not take away – but rather enhances – the broader picture of the contributions and achievement of all women, that showcases the diversity of women and helps paint a complete picture,” Hatfield said.

Cana Clark said as a lesbian, she thought moving to a smaller town like Batavia would be scary.

“People in this town put up signs and flags and stickers on businesses. In a way, that made me feel so welcomed and safe to hold my partner’s hand,” Clark said. “Students in Batavia deserve to feel welcomed the way I feel welcome in Batavia.”

Richard Dahleen, who took the opposite view, requested the immediate firing of Dietchman.

“After that, I’m going to ask all you on the BPS 101 school board to resign for allowing lies and propaganda online,” Dahleen said. “In a single post, you brought disgrace and embarrassment to our entire school district our community, the state and the entire country to see.”

Batavia resident and local attorney, Matthew Sperry said it was important to recognize that people are different and that diversity is a strength.

“Continue to be an example that I can point to my kids and say, ‘Here is an institution that is doing it right,’” Sperry said.

Another resident, Melissa Hem said she did not believe that the “slew of hateful comments that poured in from across the country ... reflect the views of Batavians.”

Hem said when a community supports trans teens, they have a 40% less risk of suicide than their unsupported peers, according to the National Institutes of Health and The Trevor Project.

Batavia resident Sunni Foard said it was hard to be a transgender teen, facing rejection, harassment and fear of violence.

“It is hard to be bullied by your peers and sometimes by the adults who are supposed to support you,” Foard said. “It is hard ... to see hate spewed by adults that want people like you to disappear.”

Foard thanked the board for the McBride post, as a “message to all students in Batavia, that they are seen, they are valued. And no matter their gender, their accomplishments as good citizens and leaders are what matter most.”

Batavia resident and parent Elizabeth Ecclestan also praised the post.

“Trans people have always been here. They’ve been here throughout time,” Ecclestan said. “Just now, it’s a matter of recognizing their humanity. But also, as many other speakers said, they are also our children.”