Regional School Unit 22 has policy that appears to state that students can make decisions regarding gender identity without parental consent; gender support plan appears to explain the gender identity of students can be hidden from parents

Parents Defending Education submitted a public records request to the Regional School Unit 22 seeking any guidance on transgender issues. The district provided PDE with a policy titled “Transgender Student 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 appears to explain that students can identify as another gender without parental consent by explaining that either students “or” parents can contact district staff about the issue: “A transgender student and/or his/her parent(s)/guardian(s) should contact the building administrator or the student’s guidance counselor.”

Staff and students are mandated to use the preferred pronouns of other students: “A student who identifies as transgender under these guidelines should be addressed by school staff and other students by the name and pronoun corresponding to their gender identity that is consistently asserted at school.” Students are also allowed to use the restrooms and locker rooms that match their preferred gender identity.

The district also provided PDE with the gender support plan used for students. This plan asks for the “preferred pronouns,” “preferred gender identity,” and “preferred gender expression” of students. The gender support plan asks the following question that appears to explain the gender identity of students can be hidden from parents: “If the student is not out to their parents, how would the student like to handle potential disclosure situations?” A section of the plan is dedicated to the topic of “gender fluidity.”

The district additionally provided PDE with training titled “Introduction to Understanding the Rights of LGBT Students.” Goals include for staff to “identify and analyze your own belief system,” “describe what an ally is and how you can become one,” “define your role as an ally,” and “learn how to create a safe space.” The training appears to show a timeline of the perceived LGBT movement followed by a quiz.