President Obama's decree that schools need to allow transgender students to use the bathroom of their choice has some officials scratching their heads.

New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell says the issue is being discussed at the state and federal levels.

Speaking on his weekly radio program, Mitchell says there may be non-transgender students that would be uncomfortable with a transgender student using the same facility as them. "But, if we think there's a risk of that then we'll have to deal with it, either through appropriate signage or, probably more likely, a change in the facilities themselves that ensure a higher degree of privacy if that's what people want," says Mitchell.

Opponents to a bill in the State Legislature say the proposed law would give sexual predators an outlet to freely enter the bathroom of the opposite gender without question. Mitchell says he doesn't think the risk of abuse is heightened. "We try to prevent that stuff and monitor bathrooms and public facilities. But those risks, however remote they are, I don't think change all that much with any of, at least the stuff that's being proposed at the state level."

The White House is threatening to pull federal funding from school districts that refuse to comply.

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