Cartwright Elementary School District has policy that appears to leave parents out of decision making regarding children’s gender identity; training tells staff to “protect a student’s privacy” when involving “unsupportive families”; training involved “Genderbread Person” to teach that gender is on a spectrum

Parents Defending Education submitted a public records request to the Cartwright Elementary School District seeking any guidance on transgender issues from the district. The district provided PDE with a policy titled “Nondiscrimination and Gender Equity” that was adopted on January 28, 2021. This policy appears to explain that parents do not need to be involved for their children to identify as transgender at school by stating “a student or the student’s parent or guardian” can make a decision on gender identity. The policy explains:

When the school administration is notified by a student or the student’s parent or guardian that the student will assert a gender identity that differs from previous representations or records, the school will begin treating the student consistent with the student’s gender identity.

Staff are also mandated to use the preferred pronouns of students: “Every student has the right to be addressed by a name and pronoun that corresponds to the student’s gender identity.” District staff will also participate in training on transgender issues.

The district also provided PDE with a training presentation that was shown to staff titled “Supporting our Gender Variant Scholars.” The staff member who gave the presentation uses “they/them/their pronouns” and goes by the honorific “Mx.” The character in this presentation notably representing this staff member has blue eyebrows and red hair. The presentation featured numerous statistics including that “almost 2% of high school students identify as transgender.” This presentation states: “Harassment based on actual or perceived gender identity, transgender status or gender transition will be handled in the same manner as other discrimination.”

This presentation attempts to make the argument that “they” is an acceptable pronoun for a singular person and that “descriptive language is the cornerstone of the democratic spirit.” This presentation additionally features the “Genderbread Person.” The “Genderbread Person” is an image that educators use in an attempt to teach students that gender is on a spectrum. The presentation specifically has a slide labeled “Gender is a Spectrum.”

Another slide promotes so-called pronouns such as “ze/hir,” “phe/per,” “zie, ne,” “yo, co,” and “hu, ta.” Staff are also told to “support transitioning students by recognizing the urgency and timing of their transition.” The presentation further states to implement gender ideology into the curriculum taught to students and to avoid referring to students as “boys and girls.”

This presentation then notably states: “Protect a student’s privacy, especially when they have unsupportive families.” This is followed by: “Any decision to raise the topic with parents must be made very carefully and in consultation with the student.”