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LARAMIE, Wyo. (AP) — A Laramie County school district has drafted policies to address the needs of transgender students, including barring the disclosure of a student's gender identity and allowing them to participate in sports.
The Albany County School District No. 1 policies were drafted based on suggestions from a committee of parents of students, district administration, school principals, school board members and students.
Both proposals say the district should be barred from disclosing confidential information related to a student's gender identity. They also say students should be addressed by their preferred name and should generally be able to participate in physical education and sports, according to their gender identity. Both versions also suggest transgender students who wish to have more privacy should be provided with accommodations, like a private restroom or separate changing area.
One version also includes a section on resources for transgender or transitioning students. It recommends that school counseling services be sensitive to gender issues and supportive of students.
A public hearing on the policies is scheduled for Jan. 20, the Laramie Boomerang reported (http://tinyurl.com/zffhdbc). A board vote could come as early as April.
Jason Tangeman, School Board clerk and chair of the committee, said committee members had a difficult task.
"All views on this issue were represented at the committee level, and I thought that all views on this topic were reflected in one way or another in one of the versions," he said.
Superintendent Jubal Yennie said he thinks the policy recommendations address concerns surrounding transgender students. He said he doesn't believe the policies are out of line.
"I think there'll be some good discussion from both the community and the board on these policies," he said.
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Information from: Laramie Boomerang, http://www.laramieboomerang.com
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