EXCLUSIVE: Students' gender identities may be hidden from parents in Kansas school districts
TOPEKA, Kansas. (CITC) — Three of the largest public school districts in Kansas do not require teachers to involve parents in matters relating to their children's gender identity or gender transition.
Advocacy group Parents Defending Education (PDE) submitted public records requests for all policies and guidance pertaining to gender identity in the Shawnee Mission School District (SMSD), the Maize Unified School District (MUSD) and Olathe Public Schools (OPS). The findings were shared exclusively with Crisis in the Classroom (CITC).
In SMSD, a "flowchart for gender-specific name/pronoun change requests" states that a school principal will meet with students expressing desire to transition genders to "gauge the level of family involvement." All SMSD employees are expected to honor a student's preferred name and pronouns, but the guidelines do not explicitly allow employees to refrain from doing so if parents are unaware or express concerns.
The building principal, in consultation first with the student, will be responsible for ensuring that the student's request is honored while working to engage and include the family to the greatest extent possible for support," the SMSD guidance reads.
A similar approach is taken in MUSD, where a "gender identity/expression support plan" asks whether a student's parents are both aware and supportive of the child's gender identity. The plan instructs district employees to list what considerations should be taken into account if parents are deemed unsupportive.
Parents' attendance is seemingly listed as optional for an "initial planning meeting" regarding an MUSD student's gender identity.
In OPS, instructions on communicating with parents are more explicitly laid out in a document titled "Guidance Related to Gender Identity."
Staff must be careful to refrain from incautious disclosure of a student's gender status and/or sexual orientation," the document reads. "Informing the decision to disclose to a parent/guardian are considerations related to the age of the student, whether the communications with the parent would cause trauma to the student, and a fear for the child's health as a result of that communication."
To Alex Nester, an investigative fellow for PDE, the three Kansas school districts are "brazenly" violating parents' rights "under the guise of inclusivity."
Regardless of political party, race or socioeconomic status, most voters oppose parental exclusion policies," Nester told CITC. "These policies make parents out to be the bad guys. What could be worse for kids going through stress than to be told that they cannot trust their parents?"
A poll released by PDE, along with market research company CRC Research, earlier this year shows that 74% of registered U.S. voters believe school districts should obtain parental consent before assisting students with gender transition.
By creating such policies, schools appease a very small but vocal minority of activists groups who hold unpopular views on sex and gender," Nester told CITC. "And they do so at the expense of families and children."
A spokesperson for SMSD told CITC that the district's guidance is not a "policy," and it is intended to help "building administrators" work with "families of students that request changes related to gender identity."
A spokesperson for OPS told CITC that the district's guidance is "available for staff members or families to reference" and "written with all students and all families in mind."
CITC also reached out to MUSD for comment, but did not receive a response prior to publication. This story will be updated if a response is received.