Racial Segregation is making a comeback.

In Montgomery County (from where FCPS drew a good deal of the FCPS anti-racism policy specifics, along with Abermarle County), activities divide people by race rather than bringing them together. We believe this is the wrong approach to improving race relations and addressing racial disparities. Our concern is that Frederick County will use the same logic that drove MC to separate activities and discussions by race.

Read here. 

Males competing in female sports

In nearby Montgomery County schools allow participation in school athletics by “the gender to which the student has transitioned; the student’s asserted gender identity or the student’s sex assigned at birth.” This is in line with the Maryland State Athletic Association guidance supported by the Maryland State Department of Education.
Read here.

In Connecticut, a female athlete filed a lawsuit against the school system to stop biological males from competing in female sports. The suit was dismissed, but in its dismissal, the court referred to male athletes as “girls who are transgender,” which is inaccurate. The article explains they are “boys who identify as girls.” Similar lawsuits are pending and these could apply in Maryland.
Read here.

A Parents Right-to-Know.

In Indiana, a school board refused to respond to parents’ requests that the schools provide information on their children’s gender choices. The school system stated they must treat all students equally with regard to “preferred names,” equating using personal pronouns or names tied to a gender transition to a student’s asking to be called by a shortened name or nickname. The district superintendent didn’t use this explanation to address the parents’ concern about the school district’s withholding information from parents in any way, nor did they explain why a blank form used by the district for transitioning students, called the Gender Support Plan, isn’t accessible online.

We have been made aware that FCPS uses a similar form for student gender choice. We will provide that form in our next newsletter once we complete verifying its use.

Read here.

Bathroom use by transgender students.

An Atlanta-based 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals announced its 7–4 decision on Dec. 30, saying that the St. Johns County School Board (of Florida) did not violate the U.S. Constitution or Title IX when barring transgender student Drew Adams from using boys’ bathrooms.

Multiple states have filed similar lawsuits and this ruling is good news. However, to be clear the ruling means that a state or school district could continue to allow students to use any bathroom that aligns with their self-identified gender if it chooses to do so. It just can’t defend it as a constitutional or title IX right.

FCPS policy 443 allows students to choose the bathroom they believe fits their gender identity.

Read here.