The Kent School Board unanimously approved a policy concerning transgender students at its Jan. 13 meeting despite concerns from several residents.
District resident Dave McIver was one of three people who spoke against the policy during the board meeting.
“Shouldn’t parents and grandparents have the right to expect that when their children go to public school boys will use the boys’ bathrooms and the locker rooms as well, and girls will use the girls’ bathroom?,” McIver asked. “Everyone deserves to be in an environment where they feel safe,” he added.
According to the district procedure, transgender students, or those whose gender identity is different from the gender assigned at birth, will be allowed to use the restroom corresponding to the gender they identify with.
Locker room use will be addressed on a case-by-case basis, but in most situations the students should be allowed to use the locker room of the gender they identify with.
McIver asked the board to take time to listen to concerns about the policy before approving it.
“The school district opens itself up to lawsuits on both sides of this issue, I believe,” he said. “The school policy, in my opinion, needs to be reviewed very seriously for all of the possible ramifications from a to z on this issue.”
The policy, which was drafted by the Washington State School Directors’ Association (WSSDA) and recommended by the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), is in line with how the district has handled transgender students, said Randy Heath, the district’s executive director of student and family support services.
The policy was presented for a first reading to the board at its Dec. 9 meeting. There was no discussion about the policy among board members and no public comment on the issue at the December meeting.
During the Jan. 13 meeting, board member Russ Hanscom said there are currently transgender students in the district.
“As much as the parents want to testify, as much as a number of the kids will want to express themselves they can’t,” Hanscom said following public comment on the issue. “They cannot do that because they are still scared, they are still fearful, they still expect bullying because of who they are the way God made them. They are afraid to be that person. For me, any step that we can ever take to eliminate the possibility that a child may kill themselves because of being fearful of who God made them, I am going to vote 100 percent yes.”
Board member Agda Burchard said the goal of the policy is to protect students.
“We have other policies to make sure other groups of students are safe in our schools and not discriminated against,” Burchard said. “For me, that’s what this is about. All students need to feel safe in our schools.”
The board also unanimously approved revisions to the district’s attendance and harassment, intimidation and bullying policies and procedures per recommendations from WSSDA and OSPI at the Jan. 13 meeting.
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