WHIDBEY NEWS-TIMES: School board eyes policy on transgender student privacy

Rachel Rosen reports from the Oak Harbor School District board meeting of Jul. 25, 2022.

The Oak Harbor School Board is considering changing a board policy that would allow counselors to out transgender children to their parents.

…[C]ounselors currently cannot disclose to parents that their child uses a different name or pronouns at school than they do at home if the student doesn’t want their parents to know.

The revision to this policy would mean that counselors could notify parents if they felt there was “no safety concern” in doing so, according to the draft of the updated policy. The policy would only apply to transgender or gender-expansive students….

They Said It

Vice President Erik Mann said that he had been approached by someone in the district who had some concerns about the new policy.

“It used to say that the district had to honor the students’ wishes, and now it leaves a very subjective way to view this,” Mann said.

Mann said he was concerned that determining whether or not there was a threat to students by sharing such information was purely subjective, and counselors could come to the incorrect conclusion.

“I see a conflict there that could put us in jeopardy,” he said.

Mann said that counselors should honor students’ requests not to disclose gender identity information to parents “in all situations.”

“The students know what the challenges are in their households,” he said. “And if their family finds out something that could put them in jeopardy at home, then I don’t want the district to be the reason for that.”

School board member Jessica Aws said she had the same concern and had also heard the same thing from community members.

“I understand that we can provide support to families who may be struggling with this, but at the same time students have to be safe at home,” she said.