Rochester School Board Formally Adopts Transgender Student Policy
Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News)- The Rochester School Board (RPS) has formally enacted a policy for the district’s transgender students.
Read More: Rochester School Board Gets First Look at Proposed Transgender Student Policy
Board Members got their first look at the policy last month. RPS Superintendent Kent Pekel has previously said the RPS policy committee began drafting the policy after the U.S. Department of Education issued the 2024 Title IX Final Rule on April 19.
The rule outlines expectations for schools regarding transgender/gender-expansive students.
The action taken by the board Tuesday night formally aligns district policy with federal and state requirements.
Those requirements, which are now the formal policy of the school district, have the stated goal of creating an inclusive and supportive environment for transgender students.
Board members passed the motion to make the guidelines official policy on a 6-1 vote.
New Rochester School District Policy Sets Rules Transgender Student Reporting, Gender-Segregated Facilities
The newly-enacted policy addresses gender-segregated facilities, such as locker rooms and restrooms by stating, “Transgender and gender-expansive students shall have access to gender facilities that are consistent with the student’s gender identity.”
The policy requires an RPS staff member, who is aware of a student’s gender identity, to disclose that information to the students parent or guardian if the parent of guardians asks the staff member about it.
The policy also sets rules for gender-segregated sports and activities such as overnight field trips. It mandates that transgender and gender-expansive students participate in sports and activities in a manner that's consistent with their gender identity.
Staff members who violate the rules and/or continue to not respect a student's gender identity could face discipline as severe as termination, the policy says.
Nothing in the policy prevents a RPS staff member from contacting a student’s parent or guardian regarding an issue or concern regarding a student’s gender identity, according to school board documents.
Staff are not required to report a student’s gender identity unless the parents or guardians request information about it, according to the policy.
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