Blair Oaks school board releases statement after removing district’s transgender policy
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ.)
The Blair Oaks Board of Education said Wednesday it plans to address the needs of transgender students on an individual basis after the board voted unanimously to get rid of its transgender policy during a meeting Tuesday night.
This decision follows a month-long discussion where parents shared different opinions about the policy.
It's called policy 2115. It allowed students to choose a name and pronoun by which they identify, dress according to their gender identity and also allowed students to use bathrooms according to their gender.
The board's statement sent states, "As many of you know, the Board has engaged in much deliberation and thought over the last several months regarding Policy 2115, which addresses how the District will handle issues related to transgender students. Last night, the Board voted to repeal Policy 2115. This means that the Board will comply with its general non-discrimination policies and with federal and state law as it relates to equal educational opportunities for all students."
The board said it would also keep the district compliant with state rules on athletic and activity competition. Jason West with MSHSAA says that in sports and other activities, school districts must also follow regulations from its organization for transgender students receiving hormone treatments.
"For males transitioning to females, they must be on hormonal suppressants for at least a year under doctor supervision things like that; there is a process," said West.
West says these stricter policies put in place are to make sure everyone is on the same page.
"As far as participation goes, the membership felt that it was important to have at least a baseline of procedures in place for all of the members to be able to follow," said West.
