The committee covered the health standards for K-5 and the processes to ensure adherence to policy 443 (Creating Welcoming and Affirming Schools for Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming Students). These standards contain the introduction of non-conforming genders and gender expression to children in K-5. Click here to see those standards.

Below are the takeaways. Jamie Hitchner, FCPS Curriculum Specialist for K-5, presented the update, stating that introducing gender expression to K-5 was “about how we get along,” designed to address and avoid bullying and ensure compliance with the state standards by the Maryland Department of Education.

• Accessibility to lesson plans is limited and difficult. Parents will have to make an appointment to review the K-5 lesson plans and materials to be used for introducing gender expression. The original plan was to make these lesson plans and materials accessible online; however, Mr. Hitchner stated this could not be done because of copyright concerns.  
• Stating that the lesson plans are not available online due to copyright laws is inaccurate. We asked Mr. Hitchner why sharing FCPS-developed materials and lesson plans online was subject to copyright laws. He answered that the lesson plans contained links to materials owned by outside organizations that are copyrighted, so we asked why the FCPS materials and lesson plans could not be given to parents in printed form or online with the links to copyrighted materials disabled. He did not know, so we said we would follow up via phone. As of this newsletter, he has yet to respond to our calls to his office. 
• Books, videos, digital media, lessons that include instructional themes, unit and lesson plans, and teacher training materials have all been created. We have requested access to these materials. We suggest parents contact Mr. Hitchner at 301-644-5137 or Dr. Cuppett at 301-644-4139 and ask to review the materials. We will post them online if we receive them. 
• Since the presentation did not include timing or a schedule of the actions presented, we have also asked that this information be posted online. We’ve also asked for what outside forms are providing the copyrighted material. 

More to come.