Missouri teacher on blast for helping students hide gender identities from parents

WEBSTER GROVES, Mo. (CITC) — A parents' rights group is sounding the alarm over a Missouri high school teacher allowing students to keep their gender identities hidden from their parents.

A chemistry teacher at Webster Groves High School asks students to provide their preferred pronouns, according to a worksheet obtained by advocacy group Parents Defending Education (PDE) and shared exclusively with Crisis in the Classroom (CITC). The worksheet was first leaked on social media, with concerned community members questioning whether the practice aligned with district policy.

"If contacting parent(s)/guardian(s), should the same name/pronouns provided be used?" the worksheet asks, prompting a "yes or no" answer.

PDE claims such language "is often used to keep the gender identity of students a secret from parents."

"Invitations to keep secrets from parents have long been seen as a red flag and with good reason," Erika Sanzi, the Director of Outreach for PDE, told CITC. "This willingness on the part of educators to hide information from parents about their own children is a betrayal of trust for which there is no justification."

In a statement to Crisis in the Classroom (CITC), a Webster Groves spokesperson said the district "regret[s] that some questions on this survey were included."

"If a student’s preferred name/or and pronoun are different from what is reported with the parent, we want to ensure that we handle this situation with care and sensitivity," the spokesperson said. "Our commitment extends to building a strong partnership between families and the school, ensuring that together, we create an environment where every student feels respected and supported."

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The Webster Groves teacher is not the sole educator to attempt to covertly learn students' gender identities. In September, a Colorado teachers union faced backlash for encouraging members to ask students for their preferred pronouns via "paper and pencil" survey, noting that "digital records are more permanent."

The members of the union teach at Jeffco Public Schools, where administration has requested that faculty refrain from questioning students on their gender identities.

In California, the state's largest teachers union is backing a lawsuit challenging a policy which requires school staff to tell parents if their children use names and pronouns that do not match those on their birth certificate. A motion to pause the policy, which has been called a "forced outing" approach, was filed Thursday

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Earlier this year, the Webster Groves School District updated its K-12 math curriculum to include "they/them pronouns" in an effort to ensure the subject is "objective and free of bias."

The district argues the curriculum, which will be rolled out gradually over the next two years, will help benefit students of minority backgrounds in particular. An April presentation claimed "any space where learning occurs is neither free of bias nor resistant to oppressive systems, such as racism, sexism, classism or xenophobia."

"By incorporating inclusive pronouns in math word problems, we acknowledge and celebrate gender identities of all students, creating a safe and welcoming learning environment," the Webster Groves School District told CITC in April.