From ThePostMillennial.com…
Hundreds upon hundreds of school districts across the country have adopted guidelines as to how educators should handle gender identity revelations by students that state unequivocally that trans-identifying or trans-exploring students should be affirmed. The guidelines go on to say that where necessary, the students’ exploration and schools’ subsequent affirmation should be kept secret from parents and guardians.
These guidelines appear to have emerged out of nowhere. Every few days on social media, parents, caregivers, politicians and pundits discover that a school district that they care about is practicing this gender affirming model, even to the exclusion of parents. They find that curriculum has been designed to not only support gender exploring students, but to seemingly encourage other children to follow in the footsteps of those gender explorers. And they are appalled.
In 2016, the American School Counselor Association adopted and published their guidelines on “Transgender/Gender-nonconforming Youth.” In it, they state their position that, in an effort to treat students “equally and fairly with dignity and respect as unique individuals, free from discrimination, harassment and bullying based on their real or perceived gender identity and gender expression,” the school counselors work toward “maximizing inclusion and social integration while minimizing exclusion and stigmatization.”
“Each student’s unique situation should be addressed on a case-by-case basis,” the ASCA states, “using a student-centered approach that includes ongoing student and parent/guardian engagement (as appropriate) and school personnel with a legitimate educational interest per the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).”
The ASCA backs the creation of Gender and Sexuality Alliance programs, which many say do little more than groom students into a trans or non-binary identity.
The ASCA writes that preferred pronouns must be respected. “School staff should address students by their chosen name and pronouns that correspond to their gender identity, regardless of whether there has been a legal name change,” they write.
They state that school records should be changed per the student’s wishes, and since they have already stated that parents only need be engaged in this process “as appropriate,” there is no reason to believe that, in the event of a records change request, parents would be consulted or even notified.
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