FCPS has commissioned an Equity Climate Study to provide recommendations for removing institutional barriers that have not served students, staff, and families. The firm approved and hired to conduct the Study, Insight Educators, from Minnesota, will gather information via an equity survey to all students, FCPS staff, and parents/guardians, along with interviews, focus groups, and an analysis of the data to “examine disparities.”
Parents’ rights under the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), The Protection of Pupil’s Rights Amendment (PPRA), and the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). A synopsis of the Maryland Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), The Public Information Act, and the Maryland Open Meetings Act.
In our original July article, we did three things: we listed the 14 schools whose libraries contained gender identity and transgender children’s books, listed a sampling of the books found in those libraries, and provided the link to the FCPS school library search tool with an explanation on how to use it.
An update on our proposal to require parental notification and our comments regarding the arguments against it. 1) Summary of the reasons the proposal is necessary. 2) Update on the current status. 3) The primary arguments of opponents to dismiss the proposal.
On February 1, State Senator Cheryl Kagan submitted a bill to allow minor children to make decisions on receiving a vaccination without the knowledge or consent of their parent or guardian, then withdrew the bill on February 22, citing it needs more work and that she will resubmit it at a later date.
Policy management has several problems, including FCPS’s failure to follow its policy guidelines. FCPS policy management has many issues, including some potential legal exposure; however, two problems should be addressed with haste.
Parents have a right to know about their child’s alternative gender pronoun/name choices, gender dysphoria, or whether they identify as transgender and schools have an obligation to inform parents.
On February 8, working with a number of outside groups that provided expert medical, legal, and educational input, we presented a new policy proposal to the BOE. The new policy requires the school to notify parents if their child decides to pursue an alternative gender choice and sets up a framework for the school and the parents to work together to determine the best path for that child.
An FCPS Policy Proposal has been created that requires school officials to notify parents of their child’s gender choices and transgender decisions.