Transgender 6-Year-Old Barred From Girl's Restroom at Colorado School [VIDEO]

A transgender 6-year-old girl was barred from using the girls' restroom at her Colorado elementary school. The child, Coy Mathis was born male, but is treated and identified as a female.

The first-grader was allowed to use the girls' restroom at Eagleside Elementary School in Fountain Colorado near Colorado Springs. However after returning back from winter break the school changed its policy that barred her from doing so. Stating she would have to start using the boys staff or nurse's restroom.

The incident prompted her parents to file a complaint with the Colorado Civil Rights Division. This will be the first legal challenge under Colorado's Anti-Discrimination Act that restricts a transgender person's restroom use.

The change in policy started a debate of whether the school district made the right decision.

"This is significant for both Colorado and nationally," said Michael Silverman, executive director of the Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund, who is representing the family. "For Colorado, it is the first test of the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act as related to access to restrooms by transgender students.

"On a national level, as we see more and more transgender people coming out at younger and younger ages, people will be watching what happens in Colorado."

Mathis attended the public school since December 2011 before being pulled out by parents to be home-schooled until the issue is resolved.

Parents of Mathis, Kathryn and Jeremy said they were sad and upset when they heard the school changed their policy.

"This automatically singles her out and stigmatizes her," Kathryn Mathis said. "It sets her up for future harassing and bullying, and creates an unsafe environment. The school has a wonderful opportunity to teach students that differences are OK, and we should embrace their differences, instead of teaching them to discriminate against someone who is a little different."