FWYO's restrooms are labeled. But there is no written policy enforcing those labels. A group of FWYO families is asking the Board to change that.
Add Your Name →Confirmed in writing by FWYO's Executive Director: any person may use any restroom as long as no misconduct occurs.
FWYO's restroom doors are marked boys and girls. But the organization has no written policy enforcing those designations. Any person may use any restroom as long as no misconduct occurs.
FWYO serves Suzuki students as young as six. Rehearsals and events are regularly attended by parents, grandparents, and other adults — with no written policy governing restroom access.
When a student used the correctly labeled restroom and raised a concern after encountering a student of the opposite sex, he was told to use the single-occupancy restroom instead.
"The student who followed the posted expectations should not be the one asked to leave the space."
FWYO is an exceptional program. This is not an attack on the organization — it is a request that the Board adopt a written policy consistent with what their own restroom doors already say. Nothing more.
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Dear Ms. Rixie and Members of the Board,
Our families are grateful for the exceptional musical training and community that the Fort Worth Youth Orchestra provides. We deeply value the opportunities FWYO offers young musicians and appreciate the time and care the Board invests in stewarding this organization.
FWYO's restrooms are marked for boys and girls. Parents and grandparents attending rehearsals and events reasonably assume those designations reflect an established policy. However, we understand from correspondence with the Executive Director that restroom use is currently governed only through expectations about misconduct rather than through a written policy governing restroom use itself.
When the question was raised with the Executive Director, we were informed that FWYO does not regulate restroom use beyond addressing misconduct. Families who expressed concern were told they may choose whether to continue participating under the current approach.
FWYO serves students ranging from young children in the Suzuki program to older ensemble members, and rehearsals and events are regularly attended by parents, grandparents, and other adults from the community. FWYO's Code of Conduct also acknowledges that children may be present without direct parental supervision and that non-staff adults regularly attend rehearsals. In that context, the absence of a written restroom policy is more than a minor administrative gap — it is an area where clearer guidance would help ensure appropriate safeguards and expectations for students and families.
FWYO's own non-discrimination policy recognizes the importance of developmentally appropriate standards for its youngest students. A written restroom policy is consistent with that commitment.
We do not raise this concern to create conflict. Rather, we raise it because the current gap between what the restroom signage communicates and what the organization's written policies actually address creates uncertainty that families reasonably expect institutions serving children to avoid.
Accordingly, we respectfully request that the Board review this matter at the next available board meeting and consider adopting a written restroom policy for students and facility users. Specifically, we ask the Board to consider a policy requiring restroom use consistent with biological sex — consistent with the designations already displayed on FWYO's restroom doors and with the standards currently used in Texas public schools — while maintaining the availability of single-occupancy accommodations for any individual seeking additional privacy.
We would welcome the opportunity to discuss this matter further and respectfully request a written response within 30 days of receipt. We appreciate the Board's consideration and its continued commitment to the students and families of FWYO.
Respectfully,
FWYO Families
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