1. Would you support a policy that requires all HCPSS schools to allow transgender students to use restrooms and changing facilities based on their identified gender? Please explain your answer.
Any time we consider new HCPSS policies, we should first begin by reviewing any relevant legislation and legal precedent. In this case, The United States District Court for Maryland already ruled in 2018 that transgender students’ right to use the restroom and locker rooms in alignment with their gender identity is protected by federal law. I would also like to hear from transgender students and/or their families regarding their views and preferences in this matter. As I’ve stated regarding many topics, I prefer to gather data and community input before forming firm positions on important issues. For example, is the predominant view that simply allowing transgender students to use the restrooms and locker rooms appropriate to their identified gender sufficient, or would gender-neutral restrooms be preferred? Again, we must, at a minimum, abide by state and federal laws; however, we may be compelled to look more broadly at additional measures that could provide more equitable and inclusive environments for all children.
2. Would you support a policy that requires HCPSS staff and non-official documents to use the name and pronouns that a student requests? Please explain your answer.
I would support such a policy if it required discussion with parents of elementary or middle schoolers before making such changes. Depending on their age, some children may not understand the significance of such a request and, therefore, I would insist that parents were part of the conversation.
3. To what age groups (if any) is it appropriate for teachers and other staff members to disclose to students that they have LGBTQ family members or are involved in a same-sex relationship?
Generally, I do not believe it is appropriate for teachers and other staff members to discuss their personal or sexual preferences with their students. If the conversation is one about a spouse, I would be supportive of teachers and staff being truthful and, for example, if a male teacher were in a same-sex marriage, referring to his spouse as his husband. However, I do not believe adults’ sexual preferences or lifestyles are generally topics that should be discussed in the classroom, whether LGBTQ or heterosexual.
4. Should curriculum be revised to include reference to LGBTQ individuals, including the fact or possibility that the individuals were LGBTQ identified. If yes, what (if any) is the minimum grade level at which these changes should be made? Please explain your answer.
If the study of certain historical or prominent figures includes individuals who are/were LGBTQ, I would support curriculum revisions to include discussions of that part of their identity. I would support introducing the sexual orientation of these individuals in the conversations and curriculum where this fact would be relevant to the lesson being taught or in explaining the lives of these individuals. I would not support curriculum revisions solely for the purpose of introducing new LGBTQ figures without accompanying objectives that focus on teaching significant educational lessons. I generally do not support discussion of topics related to sex or sexual activities/preferences in school beyond health classes.
5. Would you like to see LGBTQ themed works of literature, art, and media be introduced into the curriculum, and if yes, what (if any) is the minimum grade level at which this should be done? Please explain your answer.
I would not support any literature, art or media in the curriculum that is of a sexual nature – heterosexual or LGBTQ. I do not believe these topics are appropriate to be highlighted in school settings and believe parents should be the ones making decisions about when and how to introduce their children to these topics.
6. How should the school system provide more education to parents/guardians with regard to understanding and supporting LGBTQ youth? How should HCPSS reach out to parents/guardians who are unsupportive of their children’s LGBTQ identities?
The school system should consider hosting evening educational events for parents to learn more about how to support LGBTQ youth. Similar to seminars that have been given regarding other topics including mental health, such opportunities should be open to all parents and be free of charge in order to support their LGBTQ childrens’ wellbeing. I do not believe the school system should be making the judgment as to whether or not parents/guardians are supportive of their children’s identities. If HCPSS staff believe a child’s parents are unaware of their LGBTQ identity, and if requested by the student, making the parent aware and offering assistance is something I would support. However, I do not believe it is within HCPSS’ purview to determine whether or how parents engage with their children on deeply personal topics such as sexual identity.
7. What accommodations should be made for transgender students participating in athletics organized by the school system? Which policies should be revised to reflect these accommodations?
This is a complex topic, and I believe it requires far more research and discussion. While being mindful of the need for inclusion and accommodations for transgender students participating in athletics, we must also ensure we are not inadvertently creating situations that result in unfair competition in sports where gender is a factor. I would not advocate for policy revisions until an approach could be identified that allows all children to participate in a fair and inclusive way.
8. Should HCPSS make sure schools offer access to LGBTQ student clubs like GSAs to their students? At what levels (High? Middle? Elementary?) should this happen? Please explain your answer.
HCPSS should treat LGBTQ student clubs just as it would other student clubs. I do not believe LGBTQ should be singled out and held to different standards than other student clubs. I would support establishing these clubs at the same grade levels other similar clubs are established and available to children.
9. What changes would you like to see made to the way HCPSS handles identification, reporting, interventions, and prevention of bullying?
The effectiveness of all policies is limited by the degree to which the policy is consistently enforced. HCPSS has very good anti-bullying policies. Unfortunately, these policies are not regularly and consistently enforced. Numerous parents and children in HCPSS schools have experiences in which their complaints have been ignored or deemed to be “false reports” despite mounting evidence to the contrary. We must begin by enforcing the policies that exist and hold leadership accountable for their actions. My focus would be on bringing accountability to schools across HCPSS and to the administration in particular to ensure every bullying report is independently investigated by knowledgeable and experienced investigators. We can do better than sweeping bullying complaints under the rug which appears to be what is done today. A simple review of the statistics of false reports across Maryland counties demonstrates that HCPSS is an outlier. The number of bullying reports is consistent with other jurisdictions of similar size, however, the fraction of “false reports” is staggeringly higher by at least an order of magnitude.
10. What measures should the school system take to prevent suicide among the student body?
I would strongly advocate for additional mental health supports being made available to all students. Training all teachers and staff who interact with students on the warning signs of mental health crises is a very important step to support early identification and intervention of students at risk of suicidal thoughts or behaviors. This topic goes hand in hand with the bullying topic and I believe HCPSS must do more to identify and fairly investigate reports of bullying to ensure student safety and wellbeing.