Harford County Board of Education president Aaron Poynton addressed claims Monday night regarding his involvement in bathroom use policies in schools.

Over the weekend, members of the Harford County Happenings Facebook group claimed that Poynton was not following “current Title IX executive orders” regarding bathroom use and that he was allowing “girls in boys’ bathrooms and boys in girls’ bathrooms.”

Group members said that Poynton has “continuously voted to violate parents’ rights” and is “no friend to the majority of Harford County parents.”

Poynton took time during Monday night’s school board meeting address the claims.

In 2020, Poynton said, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit held that schools must permit students to use restrooms consistent with their gender identity.

“The facts are that Maryland falls under the jurisdiction of the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals, and those rulings legally bind the school system,” Poynton said during his board member comments.

Poynton is an appointed member of the school board. Earlier this year, County Executive Bob Cassilly reappointed him to another four-year term.

Poynton said restroom use policy is not a matter of local discretion.

“While this certainly affects us locally, it is not something that the board currently has discretion over,” Poynton said. “Any change to the governing standard would have to come at the federal level.”

Until changes are made at that level, Poynton said, Harford County Public Schools are required to follow federal and state laws.

Poynton acknowledged that the issue is sensitive, but said students who feel uncomfortable with this matter or any other matter within schools, can bring it to their teachers’ attention and appropriate accommodations can be made.

“Please be informed. Look up the case law,” he said. “Don’t keep using Facebook.”

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