Clark County School District has 193 students on gender support plans; 158 of them are girls

The Clark County School District has “gender support plans” for students who identify as transgender. A member of the parental rights organization “For The Children of CCSD” sent Parents Defending Education a document of the number of students with gender support plans in the school district. In the 2021-2022 school year, there were 193 students on gender support plans. Some of the students are as young as the second grade. Out of these students, 158 are designated with a “legal gender” of female and self-identifying as a male or other perceived gender. Meanwhile, 35 are designated with a “legal gender” of male and self-identifying as female or other perceived gender. On May 11, 2022, For The Children of CCSD published a press release on the document’s details.

On August 9, 2018, the school district adopted a policy titled “Addressing the Rights and Needs of Students with Diverse Gender Identities or Expressions.” The policy mentions that the district has a “gender support plan” to “address the rights and needs of students with diverse gender identities or expressions.” The policy then states that gender support plans “must include” the following:

• Methods to ensure protection of the privacy of the student.
• Methods to support the appropriate engagement of the parent(s) of the student.
• Compliance with the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association (NIAA), if interscholastic activities are considered.
• Compliance with the Nevada Equal Enjoyment of Places of Public Accommodations law.
• Consideration of the rights and needs of the student for which the plan is developed, as well as the capacity of the school (for example, but not limited to, the layout or age of the school), and the rights and needs of the student body at large, including individual requests for privacy.

The policy additionally states that “schools shall take measures to ensure access to academic courses and services that are appropriate for and supportive of students with diverse gender identities or expressions.” This includes:

• Classroom activities shall be relevant, meaningful, and appropriate for students with diverse gender identities or expressions and do not discriminate or segregate according to gender identity or expression.
• Physical education, assemblies, dances, ceremonies, and other school activities shall be appropriate for students with diverse gender identities or expressions and not discriminate or segregate according to gender identity or expression.
• Intramural and interscholastic activities, in accordance with the regulations and policies of the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association.
• Schools shall ensure that students with diverse gender identities or expressions shall have access to all clubs and the ability to form a student club according to District Policy 5132, Student Groups/Clubs/Organizations.

The “Gender Support Team” is responsible for creating the gender support plans for students. The policy explains what a Gender Support Team is:

When a child identifies as being gender diverse, a group is convened to address the individual needs of the student. The group will consist of the parent(s); the student; Equity and Diversity Education Department administrative team; as well as school personnel as determined by the administrator or designee of the administrator, including a counselor, and any representatives of community-based groups (including faith groups), as requested by the parent(s).

The policy also mandates that school staff use the preferred name and pronouns of students. The policy states: “Students have the right to be addressed by the name and pronoun that corresponds to their gender identity or expression. The requested name shall be included in the District’s Student Information System in order to inform faculty and staff of the name and pronoun to use when addressing the student.”

The policy provides students who identify as another gender with several options regarding access to restrooms, locker rooms, and overnight field trips. For restrooms and locker rooms, the policy appears to give students free access to use any facility that they wish to use. Students “with diverse gender identities or expressions have the right to access [restrooms and locker rooms] consistent with their gender identity or expression” or “may use [restrooms and locker rooms] consistent with their sex assigned at birth.”

For overnight field trips, students “with diverse gender identities or expressions may participate in overnight field trips consistent with their gender identity or expression” or “may participate in overnight field trips consistent with their sex assigned at birth.”