Gender identity discussion would be forbidden under Rapides schools policy revision

An item that would prohibit Rapides Parish School Board employees from discussing gender identity issues with students — modeled after a Florida initiative dubbed the "Don't Say Gay" law — has passed out of committee to the full board.

Board member Wilton Barrios proposed the idea, which was sent to staff for development. But when Superintendent Jeff Powell presented it to the personnel committee on Tuesday, he explained they elected to add it to the district's existing employee conduct policy.

Powell read the proposed new policy item:

"Classroom instruction by school personnel or third-party on sexual orientation or gender identity may not occur in pre-kindergarten through grade 12 or in a manner that is not age appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards."

He called it an "all-encompassing" statement that holds teachers responsible for instructing the curriculum for which they are responsible.

"None of those standards include instruction on these types of things," he said, adding it was modeled off the Florida law. He said he wasn't aware of anything that would legally prohibit the board from having it in its policies.

Barrios asked Powell how it would be handled if a teacher thought the discussion was age appropriate, but parents did not approve.

Powell said if a parent or a student filed a complaint, it would be handled by a principal according to the employee conduct policy.

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Board member Sandra Franklin asked if a student would be allowed to lead such a discussion. Powell said the wording deals specifically with classroom instruction only.

"There's a window there, if a student is seeking conversation about it, they can go to a counselor or somebody else," he told Franklin.

Franklin said she asked because there are student-led prayers in schools and thought there should be protocol to address it.

"Just a question because I know there are people out there having these questions," she said.

Barrios told her he didn't want the policy to prohibit students from asking questions, but those questions should be handled by counselors instead of a teacher.

The committee unanimously passed a substitute motion to adopt the policy revision, which will be considered by the full board.