Palatine school district OKs deal over locker room access

CHICAGO (AP) -- A suburban Chicago school district has approved a deal allowing a transgender student a separate changing area in a girls' locker room.

The Township High School District 211 school board in Palatine met for hours Wednesday, hearing public comments and then meeting in closed session.

The vote came after the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights ruled last month that the district violated federal law by not permitting the student -- who was born male and identifies as female -- full access to the locker room. But with the settlement, the student has agreed to use the private areas to change and shower.

The Department of Education said Thursday it had entered into the resolution agreement with the district.