PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Recently adopted gender identity policies in the La Center School District in southwest Washington are under fire from transgender and allied community members.
The policy requires the school to tell parents if their child questions their gender identity or asks to change their pronouns at school.
In a school board meeting Tuesday night, transgender advocates blasted the potential forced outing of students to their parents.
“Every student in the district deserves to make the difficult decision of coming out to their parents and their families in their own time. Let’s be frank — the stakes could not be higher,” said one parent.
Fewer people who agree with the current policy also testified.
“We should not be dealing with such things as pronouns in education,” said one La Center resident.
Prior to the policy change, the district would consult with students about their gender identities and pronouns, and school employees privately asked students how they would like to be addressed in class.