Waterville Public Schools has policy to ignore parents if they disagree with their children identifying as transgender at school

Parents Defending Education submitted a public records request to Waterville Public Schools seeking any guidance on transgender issues. The district provided PDE with a policy titled “Transgender and Gender Expansive Students.” 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). The policy states that parents will be ignored if they disagree with their children identifying as transgender:

In the event that a student and their parent or legal guardian do not agree with regard to the student’s gender identity or gender expression, the school shall abide by the wishes of the student with regard to their gender identity and gender expression while at school.

Staff and students are mandated to use the preferred pronouns of other students: “Students shall be addressed by school staff, substitutes, volunteers, and other students by the name and pronoun corresponding to their gender identity as asserted at school.” Students are allowed to use the restrooms and locker rooms that match their preferred gender identity.