Parents Defending Education submitted a public records request to the Salt Lake City School District seeking any transgender guidance used for students. The school district provided PDE with a policy titled “Gender Inclusion” that explains the gender identity of students can be hidden from parents: “When appropriate, school personnel should work closely with the student and/or parent in devising an appropriate plan regarding the confidentiality of the student’s transgender status.” The policy then later explicitly states that parents do not need to be told about the situation:
Grades 6-12: In most instances, parents are aware and are supportive of their students’ gender identity, gender expression, or transition, and therefore notification of the parent about accommodation requests is unnecessary.
The policy further builds on this point: “Each accommodation request is individually analyzed and students are informed which requests require parental permission before they can be granted and which requests will automatically trigger a parental notification.”
The policy appears to explain that students can use the restrooms and locker rooms that match their preferred gender identity. Students are also allowed to participate in physical education and intramural sports according to their preferred gender identity.
The school district also provided PDE with a gender support plan used for students. The gender support plan additionally explains that parents can be left in the dark if they are not “supportive” of their children transitioning to another gender. The plan states:
The principal should include the student’s parent/guardian throughout the entire process if such participation is appropriate, taking into consideration the student’s age, maturity level, wishes, and the extent to which the parent/guardian may or may not be supportive of the student.
The plan also states: “If the student’s parent(s)/guardian(s) are not aware and/or supportive of the student’s gender identity, the principal will discuss with the student how the student would like to be identified in school-home communications and will determine who may need information regarding these communications (i.e., assistant principals, teachers, counselors, coaches, etc.).”
The gender support plan asks for the “preferred name” and “preferred pronouns” of students.
PDE submitted a second public records request asking where the language of the policy originated. The district responded that there were “no records responsive.”
