River Forest School District 90 has guidance to keep gender identity of students hidden from parents; mandates that transgender topics be added to curricula taught to students

River Forest School District 90 has a page online titled “District Develops Administrative Procedures 7:10 Accommodating Transgender and Gender Expansive Students” that is dated April 16, 2019. The district explains that guidance was created for the district to support transgender issues. This guidance states: “This Administrative Procedure sets forth the District’s protocol to address the needs and concerns of transgender and gender expansive students to ensure a safe, affirming, and healthy school environment where every child can learn.” This guidance explicitly states that the gender identity of students can be hidden from parents:

In the event that a middle school student expresses concerns about disclosure to a parent(s)/guardian(s), the Gender Support Team shall work closely with the student to assess the degree to which the student’s family is accepting in order to avoid inadvertently putting the student at risk of greater harm. The Gender Support Team shall create a plan for addressing the student’s expressed needs for safety that prioritizes the emotional, health, and educational success of the student.

Staff and students are mandated to use the preferred pronouns of other students: “All students have the right to be addressed by a name and/or pronouns that correspond to their gender identity. A student can request that all school staff and fellow students refer to the student by a name and/or pronouns that correspond to the student’s gender identity.” Students are allowed to use the restrooms and locker rooms as well as participate in sports according to their preferred gender identity.

Staff must additionally participate in annual training in support of transgender issues: “At the beginning of the school year following the adoption of this Administrative Procedure, all school staff shall be comprehensively trained on this procedure and on gender-affirming approaches to education. School staff shall have subsequent in-depth, in-person annual training on supporting transgender and gender expansive students.”

Staff are mandated to implement transgender topics into the curricula taught to students: “School staff shall create inclusive lessons so that all students see themselves reflected in the curriculum. Where appropriate, school staff are encouraged to develop age-appropriate lessons for students about gender diversity and acceptance whether or not they are aware of transgender or gender nonconforming students in their classes.”