Yarmouth School Department has policy to keep gender identity of students hidden from parents; states that revealing gender identity to parents can be dangerous

Parents Defending Education submitted a public records request to the Yarmouth School Department 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 the gender identity of students can be hidden from parents:

In the case of a student who has not yet informed their parent(s)/guardian(s) of their desire to assert a gender identity or expression different from the gender assigned at birth, the administrator or appropriately designated personnel shall first discuss parent/guardian involvement with the student. The student shall be notified by the administrator or appropriately designated personnel prior to their parent(s)/guardian(s) being contacted, and shall have the opportunity at that time or at any point to pause the planning process. Stopping or pausing the process does not prevent the student from continuing to access school support services, including counselors and social workers.

The policy then states that revealing the gender identity of students to their parents can be dangerous: “The planning meeting shall involve the student’s parent(s)/guardian(s) unless the superintendent, after due investigation, knows or has reasonable cause to suspect that involving the parent(s)/guardian(s) would likely lead to abuse or neglect of the student.”

Staff and students are mandated to use the preferred pronouns of other students: “School staff, substitutes, volunteers and other students shall be expected to refer to the student by the name and pronoun corresponding to their gender identity as asserted at school.” Students are also allowed to use the restrooms and locker rooms as well as participate in overnight trips according to their preferred gender identity.

The district also has “Protocols for Students Who Identify as Transitioning, Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming.” These protocols appear to show that students as young as “PreK” can identify as transgender. The protocols also reaffirm that the gender identity of students can be hidden from parents: “If the administration determines that notifying the family carries risks for the student, it should work closely with the student to assess the degree to which, if any, the family will be involved in the process and must consider the age, health, well-being and safety of the student.”

The district additionally has a gender support plan that specifically has a section labeled as “Parent/Guardian Involvement.” The following questions are asked in this section:

• Which name and gender pronouns will be used in guardian communications?
• Are guardians aware of their student’s assertion of their gender identity or expression?
• Are guardian(s) supportive of their student’s assertion of their gender identity or expression?
• If guardians are not aware or not supportive, what measures must be considered during the implementation of this Support Plan (e.g. resources, phone calls, notes sent home)?