FREDERICK, Md. — The Frederick County Board of Education on Wednesday will review its existing policy called "Ensuring Inclusive School Environments for Transgender and Gender Diverse students," also known as Policy 443.
A few major sticking points involve the usage of preferred pronouns, and current policies that allow students to choose which bathrooms or locker rooms they use based on their self-identified gender.
This means Frederick County students can participate on sports teams or in physical education classes according to their gender identity and/or expression.
"The gender identity of student-athletes is not required to be disclosed to coaches, teammates, opponent’s coaches, or anyone else if not authorized by the student," the policy reads.
The same goes for overnight field trips, where the policy specifically authorizes "students the opportunity to room with others according to their gender identity."
As it stands now, Frederick County Public School employees are not permitted to share a student's preferred pronouns or gender identity with their parents, unless the child consents or is younger than age 12.
According to the revised policy which the board will review starting at 3pm, none of these issues appear to be addressed.
Rather, the board appears poised to double down on certain aspects by removing possible protections for teachers and students refusing to call someone by their preferred pronouns.
In January 2019, when the policy was last reviewed, the board explicitly said students and staff would "not be disciplined for declining to honor the request to use a preferred name or pronoun, but will be encouraged in that circumstance to refer to the student by their last name."
This latest version, however, removes that language, and now states "staff are expected to use a student’s preferred name and pronoun as provided in all school-related interactions, consistent with professional responsibilities, Board Policy, FCPS regulation, and applicable federal and state law."
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A section remains for those employees raising religious objections, clarifying they "may request a reasonable accommodation through established Title VII procedures."
The only other major change in the policy is the removal of the phrase gender dysphoria.
Before any potential vote on the updated policy takes place, a public comment period will allow attendees to share their opinion.
The policy can be reviewed below between pages 146 and 152.
