Cheney Public Schools has policy that explicitly states that the gender identity of students should be hidden from parents

Cheney Public Schools has a policy in place titled “Gender-Inclusive Schools” that was adopted on May 4, 2022. The policy explicitly states that the gender identity of students should be hidden from parents: “Before contacting a student’s parents, the school will consult with the student about the student’s preferences regarding family involvement and honor those preferences.” The policy then reiterates the point of not telling parents:

An appropriate school employee will privately ask known transgender or gender-expansive students how they would like to be addressed in class, in correspondence to the home, and at conferences with the student’s parent/guardian.

The policy then states that it could be “dangerous” to tell parents the truth: “Before communicating with parents of transgender or gender expansive students, it’s important to ask the student how school employees should refer to the student when talking with their parents and guardians. For families that are supportive, using the student’s name and pronoun could be affirming for the student. For parents who are not supportive, or who are not aware of the student’s transition at school, referring to their name and pronoun could be very dangerous.“

The policy falsely states that informing parents of a student’s gender identity is a violation of FERPA laws: “Disclosing this information to other students, their parents, or other third parties may violate privacy laws, such as the federal Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) (20 U.S.C. §1232; 34 C.F.R. Part 99).”

Students are allowed to use the restrooms and locker rooms as well as participate in overnight field trips according to their preferred gender identity. Students are also allowed to play in sports according to their preferred gender identity.