Kennebec Intra-District Schools has policy to keep gender identity of students hidden from parents

Kennebec Intra-District Schools has a policy in place 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 appears to explain that the gender identity of students can be hidden from parents:

In the case of a student who has not yet informed their parent(s)/guardian(s), the administrator should first discuss parent/guardian involvement with the student to avoid inadvertently putting the student at risk by contacting their parent(s)/guardian(s). The student shall be notified by the administrator or appropriately designated personnel prior to contacting their parent(s)/guardian(s).

The policy later states: “If a student requests a change to their name and/or gender in school records without parental approval, the Superintendent should be consulted and the matter resolved on a case by case basis.”

Staff and students are mandated to use the preferred pronouns of other students: “The student should be addressed by school staff, substitutes, volunteers and other students by the name and pronoun corresponding to their gender identity that is asserted at school.” Students are allowed to use the restrooms and locker rooms as well as participate in overnight trips according to their preferred gender identity.