Tempe Union High 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 Tempe Union High School District seeking any guidance 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. This document appears to say that it is a possibility that parents will be left in the dark regarding the gender identity of their children and that the district may involve the “Tri-District Legal Counsel” if parents disagree. The district states in the guidelines:

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 Assistant Superintendent for District Safety and Student Support and Tri-District Legal Counsel to work through issues that will arise.

The document noticeably labels “gender” as “socially constructed roles.” The document later appears to contradict an earlier statement by explaining: “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 document later explicitly states that students will be consulted before contacting parents: “The principal should discuss with the minor student whether the parent/guardian may be contacted regarding the request before initiating contact.”

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.” Students are allowed to use the restrooms and locker rooms and participate in overnight field trips according to their preferred gender identity.

The district also provided PDE with a “Gender Support Plan” for students. This plan asks: “Guardians are aware of student’s gender status?” The next question then asks: “If yes; what is the level of support?”