NY Education Dept. Advises Schools to Accept Students’ Gender Identities, Hide From Parents in Some Cases
“Some [transgender and gender expansive] students have not talked to their families about their gender identity because of safety concerns or lack of acceptance and may begin their transition at school without parent/guardian knowledge”
So here we have a state government telling state-run schools to hide information about students from their parents. It’s just outrageous.
FOX News reports:
New York advises schools to accept student gender identity, keep secret from parents in some cases
The New York State Education Department (NYSED) released 42 pages of new guidance for public schools Monday that includes a section about keeping children’s gender transitions a secret from parents in some cases.
The report, titled “Creating a Safe, Supportive, and Affirming School Environment for Transgender and Gender Expansive Students,” maintained that a student’s gender identity should be based on the student’s own assertion and that administrators should keep such information from families if they deem it necessary.
“School personnel’s acceptance of a student’s asserted gender identity should require no more than a statement from the student expressing their preference,” the guidance says. “Schools do not need to require permission, letters from professionals, or other proof of gender identity.”
The guidance also said the student “is in charge of their gender transition and the school’s role is to provide support.”
If a student formally requests to transition at school, the guidance advises a school administrator or other “trusted adult, preferably trained in supporting LGBTQ and Gender Expansive students,” to meet with the student to determine if the student is comfortable coming out.
“Some [transgender and gender expansive] students have not talked to their families about their gender identity because of safety concerns or lack of acceptance and may begin their transition at school without parent/guardian knowledge,” the guidance notes.
The guidance said the “paramount consideration” in such situations is to protect the health and safety of the student, as well as “assuring that the student’s gender identity is affirmed and that their privacy and confidentiality are safely maintained.”
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Comments
Click thru to the Fox News article, then to the report. chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.nysed.gov/sites/default/files/programs/student-support-services/creating-a-safe-supportive-and-affirming-school-environment-for-transgender-and-gender-expansive-students.pdf
There is a section at the front called “Disclaimer” where it says
“The State Education Department does not endorse any of the programs cited herein. The intent of this document is to provide information only.”
If you’re in NY (I am) make very sure your school district and Board of Education knows this is not state policy, only an activist group’s opinion. I intend to push for a clear policy in our district that parents ARE told if they ask. And then to make sure parents ask the question.
That disclaimer means nothing other than being an attempt to cover their a$$es. The state education department puts this out and is the state’s official position. It is not an activist group. It may not have the cover of law behind it, but believe me, if schools decide to reject it, they will suffer. As a person who was a NYS school board member for several years, I have a pretty decent understanding of how this works, and the language they like to use. Superintendents will certainly be instructed to implement this policy and they likely will do so without the knowledge of the local school boards. I would strongly suggest that parents protest this policy, make sure the public is aware the education department is pushing this on local districts, and that they are being told to circumvent parents. Only then may the school board actually realize it, particularly in smaller rural areas. The state education department has a way of motivating districts through the distribution of state aid or grants. Don’t let them sway you.