The new policy reinforces parental authority on all matters regarding gender fluidity, requiring teachers and staff at all KISD schools to inform parents if their child requests to be referred to by pronouns that differ from their sex assigned at birth.
According to a draft of the policy the district posted online, guidelines are as follows:
- District staff are forbidden from asking a student about their gender or preferred pronouns.
- Individuals in sex-specific spaces—such as bathrooms, locker rooms and changing facilities—are safeguarded and separated by their sex assigned at birth exclusively.
- The pronouns used for persons on campus are consistent with the sex the person was assigned at birth.
- Gender fluidity content is excluded from the classroom and instructional materials.
- District staff are required to defer to parents on all gender-related issues.
- District staff are prohibited from supporting, teaching, sharing, instructing, training or otherwise engaging any students or other staff members in any matter related to gender fluidity.
- District personnel will not act as experts in diagnosing or treating gender dysphoria or related mental health conditions, and no such experts will be hired by the district.
- Parents have the right to determine whether to seek professional medical support for their child.
- If a parent provides written permission to the district, a student may be called by pronouns that differ from their sex assigned at birth.
The board of trustees heard from a packed board room with over 100 people who filed for the public comment period that lasted over four hours. Trustees heard appeals from community members, including teachers, students and former students, regarding the proposed policy.
The majority of those who spoke condemned the policy, stating fears it would result in outing transgender or gender-fluid students and result in even higher rates of domestic abuse, homelessness, drug abuse and suicide.
The primary point of contention from public commenters centered around placing teachers in a situation where they are required to notify parents if a student asks to be called by pronouns that differ from their sex assigned at birth. Some board members shared concerns about students feeling betrayed by the teacher who they said may be the only one the student felt safe confiding in regarding the matter.
Many of the over 100 who spoke said they either identified as members of the LGBTQ+ community or personally knew someone who does, and spoke of trauma at the hands of parents and peers as well as suicide rates among transgender teens.
The citizens who spoke in favor of the policy cited parental rights. Some said they believe the policy would help protect their children at school.
By the numbers
One in four LGBTQ+ teenagers said they attempted suicide during the first half of 2021, according to data released in 2022 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The findings also revealed over 46% of teenagers who identified themselves as lesbian, gay or bisexual seriously considered suicide during the same time frame.
The action taken
After a lengthy and contentious discussion, the dissenting members repeatedly asked for more time to review the policy, as they said they had many questions that were not fully explained by Board President Victor Perez or the other members in favor of the policy.
Members who voted for the policy:
- Victor Perez
- Morgan Calhoun
- Amy Thieme
- Mary Ellen Cuzela
- Rebecca Fox
- Dawn Champagne
- Lance Redmon
Discussions of pronouns should not be part of the district’s mission, Perez said, and the policy reflected that belief.
“This policy does not deal with anyone's sexual orientation. The policy does not require district staff to ask about anyone's sexual orientation or gender identity,” he said. “In fact, that is something that schools should absolutely not be asking about, whether in the classroom or in a counseling session or in a survey.”
On the other hand
“Mr. President, ... I'm very disappointed that this board is in a hurry to push through a policy that has clearly been shown that it has significant problems that we will have legal issues,” Fox said. “We are taking money meant for children, and we're going to spend it on legal fees. That's not what we want.”
What happens next?
District administration must now form a plan to roll out the new policy, which could result in legal action against the district, Superintendent Ken Gregorski said.
Frisco ISD approved a similar policy and has been sued by the American Civil Liberties Union.
