Gender identity in schools: Some push for new policies involving parents

TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Earlier this month, an email resurfaced and sparked a debate over how to approach gender identity at schools, and when parents should be informed about children’s changing identities.

Some parents are now calling for action from the Catalina Foothills School District’s governing board. Those parents plan to voice their concerns at the next board meeting Tuesday evening.

In 2021, Orange Grove Middle School’s principal emailed staff a confidential list of students and their preferred names and pronouns — in some cases to be kept from parents at the students’ requests.

Parents and even teachers are split on whether that’s the right thing to do.

Concerned parents started a website, urging the governing board to hold a public discussion about the district’s policies and what parents perceive as withholding important information.

They ideally would like new policy language specifically outlining parental notification on all student matters. The website does not specifically ask for a policy change involving the topic of gender identity.

Last week, some parents also started an online petition—which has since been taken down—specifically asking for, among other changes, a policy including parents in discussions about students’ gender identities at school.

That’s also the hope of a teacher who left a Marana District school last year and now works outside the district. She asked to speak off-camera and keep her name private.

She tells KGUN her experience was “frustrating,” and that she felt like she was “lying to parents” by keeping gender identity information from them at the request of students.

University of Arizona professor Russell Toomey has been studying LGBTQ young people in school and family settings for the past 20 years.

He and other researchers found trans youth are 2-3 times more likely to think about or attempt suicide, and many fear rejection or even abuse at home.

Toomey also cites studies that find LGBTQ youth at an increased risk of homelessness and that although the LGBTQ community is more visible now, acceptance rates at school and home have remained relatively unchanged for decades. He co-authored a report finding LGBTQ Youth also are at increased risk for domestic abuse if forced to disclose their identity.

Toomey says confidential lists of preferred names and pronouns are the best solution for students.

“A school environment where they’re allowed to explore and come to really understand—which is what teenage, adolescent years are all about,” he said. “Having a safe space to do that at school where, if they’re doing that, it’s not being disclosed to the family until they’re giving the consent to the school to do so is in line with best practice.”

Arizona law states parents have the right to make health decisions for their children and review psychological records from their schools. But it’s unclear how often gender identity information applies.

Toomey believes the issue can be managed or avoided if parents provide a safe environment at home.

“I would like them to consider and think about ‘Why are their children afraid to tell them?’,” he said. “I’m not expecting families to change their religious beliefs or their kind of core values around sexuality or gender. But what they can do is change how they interact with their child… Respecting names and respecting pronouns even if it may brush up against one’s own core values.”

CFSD sent the following statement to KGUN Thursday:

The CFSD Governing Board's policy, unanimously adopted in 2015, states that our district is committed to nondiscrimination on the basis of sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, ethnicity, religion, creed, age or disability.

This policy guides administrators in their daily decisions that arise in the operation of our schools. Principals operate well within the directive of the Board's established policy.

Any student who is uncomfortable sharing multiple-occupancy facilities (e.g., restrooms, locker rooms) with others has the ability to request an accommodation. School administrators respond to their needs and find alternatives for those students. In this way, we treat all students in the same manner. Further, we do not require any student to be singled out or isolated based on any of the protected statuses identified in our policy.

There is no plan to revise the board policy to exclude the language referencing gender identity or expression. Board members have indicated their full support of the current policy and our administrators' implementation of this policy in our schools.