Mansfield school board approves policy on students’ pronoun use
Mansfield school district trustees approved a policy that requires parents to be notified if students ask to use a pronoun or restroom that doesn’t correspond to the sex on their birth certificates.
The 4-2 vote to approve the policy Tuesday night came after public comments from most people in the audience pushed back, saying such a policy would harm transgender students.
“The district is divided and it’s time to come together and accept compromise,” Christine Taylor said.
The ACLU of Texas also weighed in on Instagram urging people to support transgender students by showing up to speak during the board meeting. The ACLU also said in the Instagram post that adopting policies targeting LGBTQ+ students creates a hostile environment at school.
Before the board voted, trustee Benita Reed made a motion to table the vote to allow more time for discussion with parents and others in the school district, but it failed on a 4-2 vote with Reed and Jantel Crutchfield voting in favor of waiting.
Reed said she is concerned about litigation if the policy is adopted.
“I think everyone here knows that I am adamant about not entering in to litigation,” Reed said. “I would like to do what’s best for the students.”
She suggested providing a form for parents to complete at the beginning of the school year.
Board president Keziah Farrar said, “This policy does empower parents. All it is saying is that if a student makes a request, then we will notify parents.”
The policy states that if a teacher gets a request from a child, the teacher must notify student services, and parents will be notified.
Another trustee, Michelle Newsom said the district is walking a fine line between parental rights and students rights.
“But I do believe it’s our job to portray this policy,” Newsom said.
The policy was first discussed during the May 28 meeting when Crutchfield and Reed asked for information that showed that such a policy was needed.
Reed said having such a policy could lead to litigation.
But other board members including Craig Tipping and Farrar said it’s all about protecting students while preserving parental rights to information about their children.
“Lawsuits can come from policies but also from a lack of guidelines, lack of structure,” Tipping said.
A policy review committee of three trustees reviewed the guidelines.
The policy says: “The District shall not diagnose or treat gender dysphoria. District personnel are not, and shall not be, employed as experts in diagnosing or treating gender dysphoria or related mental health conditions.”
The policy also stated that biological males and biological females will be protected in “sex specific” spaces.
Mansfield’s policy is similar to those in other North Texas school districts, including Keller and Southlake Carroll in Northeast Tarrant County.
