Tuesday, June 28, 2016

Being Transgender In High School ... In Pittsburgh ... In Utah

Late last week, calling it the right thing to do for some of their “most vulnerable” children, the Pittsburgh Public School board voted unanimously to enact a nondiscrimination policy that outlines the rights, protections and support systems that area schools must provide for transgender students.

The guidelines allow transgender students to use bathrooms and participate in physical education classes and intramural sports that align with their gender identity; even better, it asks that trans students be addressed by their preferred name and gender pronoun. Trans students may  request alternative accommodations, including a private office restroom, curtain partition or a separate changing space if they feel uncomfortable but the new policy also makes it clear that “under no circumstance should any student be required to use sex-segregated faculties that are inconsistent with their gender identity.”

It’s a move in the right direction, and a continuing understanding of what it means to be transgender; it’s a good move for the Pittsburgh Public Schools.

But … at the very same time, Utah’s Alpine School District board members are pushing the district to reject $40 million in federal funding because of the Obama administration’s order for public schools to let transgender students use the bathrooms and locker rooms that match their gender identity.

Basically, they’re saying, ‘Keep your 40 million, we want to discriminate transgender students instead.’

I guess teaching hate is better than having an extra $40 million in your school budget.
Utah

6 comments:

  1. Schools make accommodations all the time under the 504 program. My asthmatic daughter was not required to be on time for class if it meant running across campus and did not have to take PE. Friend's son was allowed to get out of class early so he did not get overwhelmed with the stampeding herds of students. There are dozens and dozens of these accommodations in schools. I don't see why this is any more difficult or hard to accomplish.

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  2. I agree with TDM--take the money! If a parent is that bothered that their child might have to share a bathroom with a transgendered student, they can always homeschool or send their child to a private school that shares their beliefs. geesh

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  3. Hate is not only corrosive, but stupid!

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  4. oh cripes, utah...GET WITH THE PROGRAM! people need to grow a pair and evolve!

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