Cy-Fair ISD board adopts new gender identity policy

In a vote Thursday, the Cy-Fair ISD board of trustees approved a new controversial gender identity policy called Parent Rights and Responsibilities.

What does the policy say?

It now requires parents to be notified if their child uses pronouns that do not coincide with their sex assigned at birth.

Cy-Fair parents can put a request with the district for accommodation to allow their student to use different pronouns.

However, staff members can also request their own accommodation if the student’s preferred pronouns "interfere with a sincerely held belief."

Dig deeper:

Click here to read a draft of the Parent Rights and Responsibilities policy.

What was the vote?

This was not a unanimous decision by the board. Trustee Julie Hinaman was the only one to vote against it. Hinaman claims the board had received many emails regarding the matter, but there was not one in support of the new policy.

What they're saying:

Hinaman called the policy significantly flawed, adding, "It’s disingenuous to sit up here and say that safety is your number one priority or that student achievement is the main thing or that special education is a focus and then turn around and pass a policy that does not make kids safer. It does the opposite."

What were the reactions?

Before it was formally adopted, parents, teachers, community advocates, and students spoke before the board during public comment. 

By far the majority of those who spoke were against the policy, saying it was detrimental to the health and mental health of LGBTQ+ students, specifically those who identify as transgender.

The other side:

There were some who were supportive of the decision, saying it was a parent’s right to know what was going on with their minor children.

Katy ISD under federal investigation for similar policy

In May of last year, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights opened an investigation into Katy ISD for adopting their own version of this policy. Federal investigators are looking into possible Title IX violations.

What's next:

According to the department’s website, the investigation is still pending.

Dig deeper:

Katy ISD approves policy requiring teachers to tell parents if child identifies as trans

The Source: The information in this article was gathered from a Cy-Fair ISD board meeting and a review of the policy.

EducationCypress