Juneau School District has policy to keep gender identity of students a secret from parents

The Juneau School District has a policy titled “Transgender Students and Employees” that explicitly states that staff can keep the gender identity of students a secret from parents. The policy mandates that staff use the preferred pronouns and names of students. The policy then explains: “Transgender and gender nonconforming students/employees are encouraged to discuss how they want to be addressed in class, in the workplace, in correspondence to the home, or at conferences with the student’s parent/guardian.” The policy adds:

When communicating with parent/guardian, care should be taken to protect privacy or safety concerns of the student. When contacting the parent or guardian of a transgender student, school staff should use the student’s legal name and the pronoun corresponding to the student’s gender assigned at birth, unless the student has specified otherwise.

Students can use the restrooms and locker rooms and participate in sports according to their preferred gender identity. Staff will also undergo training on transgender issues.