The Linn-Mar School Board will consider a policy on Monday regarding transgender and nonconforming students to gender role stereotypes.
The policy includes instruction to make “case-by-case” determinations about appropriate arrangements for transgender students regarding names/pronouns, restroom and locker facilities, overnight accommodations on school trips and participation in activities.
“These arrangements should be based on the student’s or family’s wishes,” the policy states.
Any student in seventh grade or older will have “priority” of their support plan over their own parent or guardian.
Any student may request a meeting with a school administrator and/or a school counselor to receive support from the school and implement a “gender support plan.”
The Gender Support Plan will be maintained in the student’s temporary records.
Students have a right to privacy, which includes keeping one’s transgender status private at school, the policy states.
“Information about a student’s transgender status, legal name or gender assigned at birth may also constitute confidential medical information,” the policy states. “Disclosing this information to other students, their parent/guardian, or other third parties may violate privacy laws such as the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act.”
The district will not disclose information that may reveal a student’s transgender status to others “including but not limited to parents/guardians” unless legally required to do so or the student authorizes such disclosure.
Transgender and gender-nonconforming students have the “right” to discuss and express their gender identity and expression openly and to decide when, with whom and how much to share private information.
“Every student has the right to be addressed by a name and pronoun that corresponds to their gender identity,” the policy states. “A court-ordered name or gender change is not required.”
Teachers are told they may ask all students how they want to be addressed in class and in communications with their parent/guardian.
Students will have access to facilities that correspond to their gender identity when it comes to restrooms, locker rooms and/or changing facilities.
Buildings are allowed to maintain separate restrooms, locker rooms or changing facilities for males and females as long as they allow students to access them based on gender identity.
“No student shall be required to use an all-gender or secure-access restroom, a nurse’s restroom, a privacy partition/curtain and/or an all-gender locker room because they are transgender, gender non-conforming or questioning their gender,” the policy states.
As for the district dress code, students may dress in accordance with their gender identity.
All students will participate in PE, intramural sports, clubs and school events in a manner consistent with their gender identity, the policy states under physical education and athletics.
No student will be denied the right to participate in an overnight field trip because they’re transgender, gender non-conforming or questioning their gender.
“Students shall be allowed to room with other students who share their gender identity or where they feel safest and most included,” the policy states.
No student will be forced into a room by themselves due to being transgender, gender non-conforming or questioning their gender.
[…] instituted secret gender plans for students beginning in seventh grade where the district would keep secrets from parents regarding a student’s gender identity at school. It also hosted a “Trans Week” […]