Brewer School Department has policy to ignore parents if they disagree with the gender identity of their children; states that gender identity of students will be hidden from parents

Parents Defending Education submitted a public records request to the Brewer School Department seeking any guidance on transgender issues. The district provided PDE with a policy titled “Transgender and Gender Expansive Students.” The policy is very similar to a policy that PDE received from a public records request to Maine School Administrative District 15 in which the superintendent of the district explained to PDE that the policy was created by the Maine School Boards Association (MSBA). The policy states that parents will be ignored if they disagree with their children identifying as transgender:

In the event that a student and their parent or legal guardian do not agree with regard to the student’s gender identity or gender expression, the school shall abide by the wishes of the student with regard to their gender identity and gender expression while at school.

The policy then states that the gender identity of students will be hidden from parents: “School staff shall comply with the student’s wishes regarding disclosure of their transgender status to others, including but not limited to parents or guardians, students, volunteers or other school staff, unless the student has explicitly authorized the disclosure or unless legally required to do so.”

Staff and students are mandated to use the preferred pronouns of other students: “Students shall be addressed by school staff and other students by the name and pronoun corresponding to their gender identity as asserted at school.” Students are also allowed to use the restrooms and locker rooms that match their preferred gender identity.

The district also provided PDE with training for staff called “Introduction to Understanding the Rights of LGBT Students.” Staff are taught to “identify and analyze your own belief system,” “describe what an ally is and how you can become one,” and “define your role as an ally.” Staff are taught the perceived “progression of the LGBT Movement in the United States” and other topics such as becoming an “ally.” Staff then take a quiz on the material they learned. This training was created by the company Vector Solutions.