18 Aug

The FCPS Policy That Precludes Frederick County Schools From Notifying Parents if Their Child Chooses an Alternative Gender, Name, or Identifies As Transgender Is Not Likely To Change

So where do the individual board members stand on a parent’s right to know? Read below.

We’ve repeatedly asked FCPS why it is necessary to create extraordinary, unique accommodations for transgender and gender non-conforming students as stipulated by FCPS in a special policy (443) when at least two existing policies and a regulation already address bullying, intolerance, harassment, and discrimination of gender non-conforming and transgender students. The board has not provided an answer.

Instead, they have stated there is no need for further discussion.

The board positions are as follows.

  • Against parental notification: Dean Rose, Rae Gallagher, Karen Yoho, David Bass, Sue Johnson, Jay Johnson.

  • For Parental notification: Nancy Allen

  • Supports allowing boys to participate on girls interscholastic sports teams (and vice versa) if they self-identify as that gender: Dean Rose, Rae Gallagher, Karen Yoho, David Bass, Sue Johnson, Jay Johnson.

  • Opposes allowing boys to participate on girls’ interscholastic sports teams (and vice versa): Nancy Allen

  • Supports allowing bathroom and locker room use by a student’s self-selected gender: Dean Rose, Rae Gallagher, Karen Yoho, David Bass, Sue Johnson, Jay Johnson.

  • Supports restricting bathroom and locker room use to biological sex: Nancy Allen

FCPS is currently experiencing instances where each of the above is happening. Parents that believe these policy provisions should be changed should contact the board. If parents believe their rights have been violated in any way by these policies, they should contact Transparency in Education at [email protected] to better understand their rights. 

Note: Over the last six months, we have made repeated attempts to get the board to meet and allow us to present our data and rationale for why these policies should change. So far, they have chosen not to accept.

We’ve made our case based on science, data, and common sense, and after numerous efforts to try and require FCPS to notify parents, the board has decided it will continue its policy of keeping that information from parents.