In the simplest possible explanation, gender confusion is a recognized psychological condition, not a biological reality. The instances of true gene or chromosome gaps and other biological anomalies that result in an instance of someone truly having a biological rationale for their gender confusion or anxiety are extremely rare, and in those instances, people that fall into this category require care that includes understanding the full medical and psychological profile of the individual.
When policy 443 was implemented six years ago, its purpose was positioned as a policy “to prevent discrimination, stigmatization, harassment, and bullying of students that are transgender or non-binary in schools.” No one should disagree with that goal. But had the BOE gone to the public in a fully transparent and complete manner and asked parents and the community the following, what would the reaction have been?
In a discussion in a recent forum, someone asked how we felt about the “book banning” in FCPS. We explained that the process of reviewing book content for age-appropriateness, relevancy, and the educational value relative to the goal of the lessons intended by a course makes sense and is appropriate. We also pointed out that many of the books contained graphic depictions and/or language describing sexual acts and activities that were unnecessary within the context of the lesson.
Academic results for FCPS show dropping proficiency levels, little progress in improving scores, and results far below acceptable levels. This should concern all parents.
An estimated 400-500 people attended last night’s BOE meeting, which we believe is a record turnout. Unfortunately, there were a lot of delays and missteps by the board that threw the meeting off schedule and once again made public comments harder than they should have been.
Read the letter we sent to the BOE and Superintendent Dyson. In the letter we expressed our displeasure with the dismissive nature of the board’s comments to the growing number of parents and community members who want to see this policy updated.
We will be doing a full critique of the video in the coming weeks, but here are just two examples of why these videos should not be used.
The policy that purports to create a welcoming environment for gender non-conforming and transgender students (443) that was developed over 6 years ago is not just out of date, as we’ve proven, it is significantly incomplete.
As the public Health Agencies in England, Finland, Sweden, France, Hungary, Poland, Bulgaria, and others review the merit-based scientific evidence and ramp down and discontinue gender affirmation policies, U.S. school systems continue to push forward, ignoring the science and the evidence and sticking to acceptance and teaching gender as a choice.
In Frederick County, by school policy, a student can choose to play on the team that matches their self-identified gender. The school system’s position is that the student is who they say they are, so if a biological male says they are female, the policy allows them to compete on a girl’s interscholastic team.