Texas school district will make teachers out trans students

In addition to informing parents, board members voted to mandate teachers seek parental approval before using pronouns for a student that differs from the one assigned at birth. Under the policy, any instruction, course, information, or materials on gender fluidity is also banned.

“Any materials or instructional materials adopting, supporting, or promoting Gender Fluidity, including but not limited to displays, communications, and related signage, will be prohibited in the District’s classrooms and, if present, removed from any District classroom setting,” the policy states. 

Moreover, students can only use bathrooms, locker rooms, and private facilities with their sex assigned at birth. 

“District staff will not promote, require, or encourage the use of pronoun identifiers for students or any other persons in any manner inconsistent with the Biological Sex of such person,” the policy states. “District staff will not ask a student for their ‘preferred pronouns.’ Except as described below, District staff will not use pronouns for students which are inconsistent with the student’s Biological Sex.” 

The policy also states that even with parental approval, district staff is not required to “refer to students in any manner that would violate the speaker’s First Amendment rights.”

Except in the cases of suspected abuse, district staff are required to notify parents if the student identifies as transgender, changes their name, or uses different pronouns at school.

“The administration may create a process that allows District staff to fulfill their obligation to provide the parental notice required by this paragraph. Such notice may be given by any District staff member,” the policy states. 

Nearly 100 people spoke at the board meeting on Monday, the large majority of attendees speaking against the policy. A slew of Katy ISD students urged the board to vote against the policy and said the impact could harm LGBTQ students. 

“The ideas being proposed here will make nothing but queer youth feel unsafe in our schools and put us at risk,” Morton Ranch sophomore Adrian Moore said at the board meeting Monday. “If you want to protect children, you should listen to us when we say you’re endangering us.” 

At the same time, a few attendees said they agreed with the policy because it prioritizes “parental rights.” 

“I think it is a great idea to have a policy that puts the student’s long-term health first,” Katy ISD parent Molly Olrich said. “The responsibility is on parents, not teachers or counselors. School should be a place of learning, not personal agendas.” 

Board President Victor Perez, Morgan Calhoun, Amy Thieme and Mary Ellen Cuzela voted for the policy, noting “parental rights” as one of the key reasons for their decision.. The three other board members, Dawn Champagne, Rebecca Fox and Lance Redmon, voted against the measure, saying that students should be able to talk to their teachers without fear of being outed by school administrators.