Illinois Lawmaker Dismisses Claims That Middle School Girls Were Forced to Change in Front of Biological Male as ‘A Lie’
An Illinois state representative dismissed claims that middle school girls were forced to change in front of a transgender-identifying student, calling the allegations false during a legislative session on Tuesday.
State Representative Bob Morgan, who represents Deerfield, addressed the controversy after another lawmaker mentioned it at an Illinois General Assembly session on Tuesday. The allegations were made by Deerfield resident Nicole Georgas, who spoke at a school board meeting last week where she said her 13-year-old daughter and other students were pressured to change in front of a biological male in the girls’ locker room. She later filed a federal civil rights complaint with the Department of Justice.
During the session, Morgan defended his district’s handling of the situation and outright dismissed the claim as “a lie.”
“I’m really proud of my community who stood up for those who need to be defended and protected, making sure we have great schools, which we do by the way, we have incredible, incredible schools, incredible families, an incredible community that has come together to deal with this situation. Because it’s a lie!” Morgan said.
“So the next time a representative wants to talk about other districts, I understand he might be ashamed and, frankly, probably should be, but instead of standing on this floor taking our time today talking about children, try and talk about your own district,” he added regarding the lawmaker who mentioned the issue.
Georgas quickly responded to Morgan’s remarks on X, challenging his assertion that the incident was false.
“Really [Rep. Morgan?] Was your daughter in the locker room? Because mine was! How Dare you accuse them of lying. You are disgusting [and] despicable and I hope one day I get to play the audio for you!” she wrote.
Georgas first raised the allegations at a Board of Education meeting for Deerfield Public School District 109. She claimed her daughter was uncomfortable changing in front of a biological male who was present in the locker room during physical education class and refused to do so.
“The girls want their locker rooms and bathrooms back. They want their privacy back. This is why I’m here tonight. My thirteen-year-old daughter’s well-being, mental health, and privacy are at stake,” she said during the meeting. She described her daughter as “frightened” and “extremely upset” when the transgender-identifying student was present.
“She was told by the administration that a student can use the bathroom as well as a female locker room because they now identify as female,” Georgas explained.
She further alleged that school administrators escalated the situation by confronting her daughter and other students who refused to change and telling them they needed to change into their uniforms.
“That day, [Assistant Superintendent for Student Services] Joanna Ford, [Assistant Principal] Cathy Van Treese, and multiple teachers all came into the girls’ locker room, making them change into uniform. This went on all week,” Georgas claimed, saying her daughter “refused to take part.”
Georgas also argued at the school board meeting that the incident violated a recent executive order by President Donald Trump aimed at protecting women’s spaces.
In response, District 109 defended its policies, stating that no student is required to change in front of others and that school policies align with state law.
“District 109 is committed to providing a learning environment where all students and staff are respected and supported. Our policies and procedures, including student use of locker rooms, align with state laws, the Illinois School Code, and Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) guidance. No student is required to change into a gym uniform for physical education class in front of others in locker rooms. All students in the middle schools have multiple options to change in a private location if they wish,” the district said in a statement to Fox News.
