[News] [MA, USA] Andover schools adopt gender inclusion policy
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Jun 24, 2018, 8:44:00 AM6/24/18
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The Eagle-Tribune, MA, USA
June 24, 2018
Andover schools adopt gender inclusion policy
ANDOVER — The School Committee approved a controversial inclusion policy that allows students to use bathrooms and locker rooms corresponding with their gender identity, not necessarily their birth gender.
The districtwide policy mirrors state law, which ensures students are not discriminated against at any public school based on race, color, sex, gender identity, religion, national origin or sexual orientation.
“Quite simply what this policy does is implement state law,” said School Committee member Joel Blumstein. “What we are doing with this policy is essentially ensuring that students can participate in all school-related activities in a manner consistent with their gender identity. It is worth noting that gender identity is defined as an individual’s sincerely held core belief regarding their gender.”
The committee held a first reading of the policy on June 6. It was passed unanimously June 14.
The policy contains guidelines ensuring equal access and nondiscrimination in the use of bathrooms, locker rooms, hotel rooms, uniforms, pronouns, names and competitions at other schools. Teachers and coaches will undergo training to ensure they understand the policy.
Heather Farrow, of 12 Alonesos Way, wrote to the committee urging them to consider what might happen should a student feel uncomfortable changing in the same locker room as a transgender student.
“I have no problem with people that have gender identity differences,” Farrow told the committee at its meeting June 6. “I do have a problem with my 15-year-old daughter potentially being in a locker room with a half-naked man, or a fully naked man, if he is not modest and doesn’t want to go.
“I understand it may be state law, but it’s just not appropriate,” she added. “Let me say this so people don’t think I’m horrible and I’m vilified: I’m a mother. I don’t have this going on at my house, but if my son thought he felt like he was female, I would understand why he wouldn’t want to be in a man’s locker room, 100 percent. But it does not necessarily mean he should be in the girl’s locker room.”
Blumstein said a student who feels uncomfortable in such a situation should discuss those concerns with a coach or teacher, and that faculty member would then find accommodations.
All students will have access to private changing areas, bathrooms and showers.
“I think the law is clear,” Blumstein said. “A transgender student has the right to use a locker room based on their gender identity.”
While there was previously no official policy, Andover High already allows students to use facilities and join school groups based on their gender identity, according to Principal Philip Conrad.
Conrad said he could not think of an incident where a student identifying with their gender at birth was made uncomfortable in a locker room by a transgender student.
“We do have a number of transgender students who are involved throughout our school, whether it is athletics, the arts, academics, clubs and activities,” he said. “We wanted to make sure they felt safe and secure throughout the building.”
Gio Coppola, a freshman who addressed the committee June 6, participated in the all-boys Back to Basics show choir group at the high school based on Coppola’s gender identity.
“I am nonbinary, but I am typically more masculine,” Coppola explained. “I asked if I could be in a suit and they said yes. I have been in the boy’s dressing room. I roomed with some of my friends who are guys, and I see no issue.
“I think it would be very beneficial to put this in place because it would make it necessary for teachers, coaches, and directors to accommodate for transgender students rather than having it be a suggestion,” Coppola said of the policy, adding that acceptance of LGBTQ students could improve.
“I know that the school atmosphere right now is generally accepting in some areas, but I feel putting this in would make it a lot more accepting because teachers would be trained and people would not be misgendered as much,” Coppola said. “We are in 2018, the 21st century, this is more common. There are elementary school students coming in, there are going to be more transgender people coming in. We need to accommodate for everyone.”
Coppola also shared insight into the locker room concerns raised by Farrow.
“As a transgender person, I would never go into a men’s locker room and get fully naked — that is just not a thing,” Coppola said. “I don’t feel comfortable with that, and knowing other transgender people, they would not do that.”
School Committee member Paul Murphy said he thinks students are ready for the policy.
“I think that this age has grown up with a lot more in front of them than we did,” he said. “I think that to not do it feels like we are ignoring something that is actually happening.”
Religious accommodation
The School Committee has also approved a policy ensuring that students who miss class for a religious holiday are not penalized.
Those missing class for a religious observance will be excused without penalty, according to the policy, and teachers will work with students to manage homework and missed class time. The School Committee approved the policy on June 14.
“This is a policy basically to reflect the wide range of religions and ethnicities that are represented in Andover public schools,” Blumstein said. “Frankly I think this is a policy we should have established a while ago given the range of religions and ethnicities. We are going to have school on some days some students observe as a religious holiday, and we need to have clear rules on what happens on those days.”
The policy also suggests that one-time events, such as field trips or ceremonies, not be scheduled on religious holidays.
June 24, 2018
Andover schools adopt gender inclusion policy
By Kelsey Bode
ANDOVER — The School Committee approved a controversial inclusion policy that allows students to use bathrooms and locker rooms corresponding with their gender identity, not necessarily their birth gender.
The districtwide policy mirrors state law, which ensures students are not discriminated against at any public school based on race, color, sex, gender identity, religion, national origin or sexual orientation.
“Quite simply what this policy does is implement state law,” said School Committee member Joel Blumstein. “What we are doing with this policy is essentially ensuring that students can participate in all school-related activities in a manner consistent with their gender identity. It is worth noting that gender identity is defined as an individual’s sincerely held core belief regarding their gender.”
The committee held a first reading of the policy on June 6. It was passed unanimously June 14.
The policy contains guidelines ensuring equal access and nondiscrimination in the use of bathrooms, locker rooms, hotel rooms, uniforms, pronouns, names and competitions at other schools. Teachers and coaches will undergo training to ensure they understand the policy.
Heather Farrow, of 12 Alonesos Way, wrote to the committee urging them to consider what might happen should a student feel uncomfortable changing in the same locker room as a transgender student.
“I have no problem with people that have gender identity differences,” Farrow told the committee at its meeting June 6. “I do have a problem with my 15-year-old daughter potentially being in a locker room with a half-naked man, or a fully naked man, if he is not modest and doesn’t want to go.
“I understand it may be state law, but it’s just not appropriate,” she added. “Let me say this so people don’t think I’m horrible and I’m vilified: I’m a mother. I don’t have this going on at my house, but if my son thought he felt like he was female, I would understand why he wouldn’t want to be in a man’s locker room, 100 percent. But it does not necessarily mean he should be in the girl’s locker room.”
Blumstein said a student who feels uncomfortable in such a situation should discuss those concerns with a coach or teacher, and that faculty member would then find accommodations.
All students will have access to private changing areas, bathrooms and showers.
“I think the law is clear,” Blumstein said. “A transgender student has the right to use a locker room based on their gender identity.”
While there was previously no official policy, Andover High already allows students to use facilities and join school groups based on their gender identity, according to Principal Philip Conrad.
Conrad said he could not think of an incident where a student identifying with their gender at birth was made uncomfortable in a locker room by a transgender student.
“We do have a number of transgender students who are involved throughout our school, whether it is athletics, the arts, academics, clubs and activities,” he said. “We wanted to make sure they felt safe and secure throughout the building.”
Gio Coppola, a freshman who addressed the committee June 6, participated in the all-boys Back to Basics show choir group at the high school based on Coppola’s gender identity.
“I am nonbinary, but I am typically more masculine,” Coppola explained. “I asked if I could be in a suit and they said yes. I have been in the boy’s dressing room. I roomed with some of my friends who are guys, and I see no issue.
“I think it would be very beneficial to put this in place because it would make it necessary for teachers, coaches, and directors to accommodate for transgender students rather than having it be a suggestion,” Coppola said of the policy, adding that acceptance of LGBTQ students could improve.
“I know that the school atmosphere right now is generally accepting in some areas, but I feel putting this in would make it a lot more accepting because teachers would be trained and people would not be misgendered as much,” Coppola said. “We are in 2018, the 21st century, this is more common. There are elementary school students coming in, there are going to be more transgender people coming in. We need to accommodate for everyone.”
Coppola also shared insight into the locker room concerns raised by Farrow.
“As a transgender person, I would never go into a men’s locker room and get fully naked — that is just not a thing,” Coppola said. “I don’t feel comfortable with that, and knowing other transgender people, they would not do that.”
School Committee member Paul Murphy said he thinks students are ready for the policy.
“I think that this age has grown up with a lot more in front of them than we did,” he said. “I think that to not do it feels like we are ignoring something that is actually happening.”
Religious accommodation
The School Committee has also approved a policy ensuring that students who miss class for a religious holiday are not penalized.
Those missing class for a religious observance will be excused without penalty, according to the policy, and teachers will work with students to manage homework and missed class time. The School Committee approved the policy on June 14.
“This is a policy basically to reflect the wide range of religions and ethnicities that are represented in Andover public schools,” Blumstein said. “Frankly I think this is a policy we should have established a while ago given the range of religions and ethnicities. We are going to have school on some days some students observe as a religious holiday, and we need to have clear rules on what happens on those days.”
The policy also suggests that one-time events, such as field trips or ceremonies, not be scheduled on religious holidays.
A list of major holidays will be shared with teachers once the school calendar is published to help prepare and coordinate around those dates. The district will also ask families to inform teachers about any upcoming absences for religious observances.
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