Blair Oaks Board of Education to discuss changing district’s transgender student policy after public comment
Watch the school board meeting replay in the player below.
WARDSVILLE, Mo. (KMIZ)
The Blair Oaks Board of Education heard from parents of students on the district's transgender student policy during a meeting Tuesday night.
Board members are planning to review Policy 2115 at a later date and make changes after parents spoke out for and against the policy during public comment at the Tuesday night meeting.
The policy outlines transgender students' use of restrooms, participation on athletic teams, and other related topics.
"The Board of Education believes that all students are entitled to a quality education in a safe environment," states the policy. "This belief extends to transgender students, that is, students who self-identify with a gender that is different from their biological sex."
The School Board President, Jason Paulsmeyer, said that the current transgender policy has been in place for two years now.
"So the policy was adopted in its current form in 2020 we have not had any student complaints or any parent complaints since the policy was adopted," said Paulsmeyer.
Paulsmeyer said that they didn't receive any complaints from students or parents until somebody wrote an editorial letter about their frustration with the policy.
Members of the community took this public meeting as a chance to voice their concerns about the policy.
Fred Fork said that he does not agree with the policy, and is frustrated with the school board's lack of transparency.
Fork said that he is upset that the policy was only listed as policy 2115, and wasn't explicitly told to parents that it was a transgender-focused policy.
"It appeared on the agenda as approved policy it didn't say what the policy was going to be so our main concern with the district is transparency," said Fork.
Kerri Schafer is in support of the policy because she believes that students should feel safe when going to the restroom. In response to community members voicing their concerns about whether or not people would take advantage of the policy, Schafer disagrees and says that you can look at other school districts and states that have implemented similar policies.
"Where people can just use the bathroom that fits with their gender and see that there aren't... these issues aren't happening any more than they are happening anywhere else," said Schafer.
Under the policy, students who identify as transgender can change their names and pronouns to more closely match their gender identity once a year. The school district will also designate a gender-neutral bathroom in each building with appropriate signage.
All students, regardless of gender identity, will have the option to use a gender-neutral restroom, the restroom designated for their gender, or their self-identified gender.
In sports and other activities, the school district must follow regulations from the Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHAA).
The regulations for transgender students receiving hormone treatment, according to MSHSAA are:
- Trans males (female to male) may compete on a boys’ team but is no longer eligible to
compete on a girls’ team. - Trans females (male to female) may continue to compete on a boys’ team, but may not
compete on a girls’ team until one year of documented medical hormone treatment and/or
suppression is completed. To maintain eligibility, a trans female student will thereafter
provide medical documentation that the appropriate hormones are being maintained.
