Kyrene Elementary School District has guidance that explains legal counsel may be involved if parents disagree with children identifying as transgender; principal will discuss with students if parents should be contacted

Parents Defending Education submitted a public records request to the Kyrene Elementary School District seeking any policies from the district on transgender issues. The district provided PDE with a document titled “Guidelines for Support of Transgender Students” that was most recently revised in July 2023. The guidance appears to explain that parents can possibly be left in the dark and that the district may involve the “Tri-District Legal Counsel” if parents disagree with their children identifying as transgender:

Pursuant to A.R.S. § 1-602 (the parents bill of rights), the school is not to usurp the fundamental right of parents to direct the upbringing, education, health care, and mental health of their children. Therefore, in situations where a parent may not be supportive of a student’s transgender status, it is imperative that the school coordinate with the Executive Director of School Effectiveness, the Executive Director of Inclusive Student Services, and Tri-District Legal Counsel to work through issues that will arise.

The guidance later contradicts this statement: “Schools must be aware that maintaining confidentiality of information regarding a student’s transgender status from the student’s parents may not be possible pursuant to the parents bill of rights.” However, the guidance further explains that students may be asked before contacting parents about the issue: “The principal should discuss with the minor student whether the parent/guardian may be contacted regarding the request before initiating contact.“

District staff are mandated to use the preferred pronouns of students: “Students should be addressed by school staff by the name and pronoun corresponding to their gender identity and gender expression that is consistently asserted at school.” The guidance also appears to explain that students can use the restrooms and locker rooms and participate in overnight field trips in a manner that matches their preferred gender identity.

The district also provided PDE with a “Gender Support Plan” for students that in part appears to be directly copied from a template created by the organization Gender Spectrum. This gender support plan asks: “Guardians aware of student’s gender status?” The next question then asks: “If support level is low what considerations must be accounted for in implementing this plan?” A later question in this plan asks: “Are there lessons, units, content or other activities coming up this year to consider (growth and development, swim unit, social justice units, name projects, dance instruction, Pride events, school dances etc.)?”