Maine School Administrative District 35 has policy to keep gender identity of students hidden from parents

Parents Defending Education submitted a public records request to Maine School Administrative District 35 seeking any guidance on transgender issues. The district provided PDE with a policy titled “Transgender Students Guidelines.” 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). This policy states 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 will be notified by the administrator prior to contacting their parent(s)/guardian(s).

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 also allowed to use the restrooms and locker rooms that match their preferred gender identity.

The district additionally provided PDE with a document titled “Gender Support Checklist.” One question on this document notably asks: “Guardian(s) aware of a student’s gender status?”