A parents' rights group is voicing outrage over a Washington state school district's policy that lets employees conceal a student's gender identity from their parents.
National advocacy group Parents Defending Education (PDE) published a report Monday on the Gender-Inclusive Schools policy in Cheney Public Schools. The policy, adopted in February 2023, outlines guidance for employees on working with transgender students.
Under the policy, school principals and building administrators are encouraged to request meetings with any newly enrolled transgender students or with any current students upon a change in their gender identity. The policy explains schools will determine a student's "preferences regarding family involvement" prior to contacting their parents and honor those preferences.
The policy also specifically discusses preferred name and pronoun usage, noting it is important for school staff to ask a student how they wish to be referred to when communicating with their parents. It explains “an appropriate school employee will privately ask known transgender or gender-expansive students how they would like to be addressed in class, in correspondence to the home, and at conferences with the student’s parent/guardian.”
"For families that are supportive, using the student’s name and pronoun could be affirming for the student. For parents who are not supportive, or who are not aware of the student’s transition at school, referring to their name and pronoun could be very dangerous," the policy reads.
PDE Director of Outreach Erika Sanzi argues there is "no justification" for such a policy, claiming it "requires staff to knowingly deceive parents."
