RIVER FALLS – Nearly an hour of River Falls’ July 24 school board meeting was dedicated to public comment on the district’s proposed changes to the “Gender Diverse Students” policy.

The first reading of the policy was approved with a 6-1 vote, with Lindsey Curtis rejecting it due to wording disagreements.

Some of the larger changes included renaming the policy “Gender Diverse Students” instead of “Transgender Students,” added wording about parental involvement and the altering of wording for locker room/shower, restroom, pronoun policies and more.

Superintendent Jamie Benson prefaced the public comment by saying many of the things included in the policy are bound by law, and regardless of the beliefs of the board, would need to be in place. Benson also led the public comments by mentioning the policy has been in place since 2015, but is simply in the process of proposed changes.

Carmen Gillis was the first of many to speak regarding the gender diverse student policy. Gillis recalled choosing River Falls over Hudson for her children because of the belief that it can provide a great education.

Gillis said allowing transgender students in the locker rooms and showers at school both interferes with the safety of students and takes effort away from teaching curriculum.

“The policy on transgender students states that the board of education supports safety and privacy of all students,” Gillis said. “There is no safety or privacy for my daughters when a male, who has a deeply held, and sincere sense, that’s the board’s wording, that he is now a female, is in their bathroom or locker room. How awful for our girls to worry about a male being in such a private space.”

Jennifer Willis-Rivera discussed raising a transgender student, and how allowing him to go to the bathroom of his gender identity and be called by his preferred pronouns are extremely important. Willis-Rivera cited a survey from American Academy of Pediatrics that over half of transgender students have attempted suicide.

“I thank you for this policy, you will save students’ lives,” Willis-Rivera said.

With many parents expressing concerns about how their child will feel in some of the presented situations, 2023 River Falls graduate Julia Schmitt-Mischke said the former policy was similar and was never a problem. 

Stacey Hanson recalled her children coming home and discussing their transgender friend. Hanson started to understand the importance of affirming gender identity and spoke on behalf of the policy.

“He wasn’t trying to walk into the bathroom of people of the opposite and scare them,” Hanson said. “He wanted to go to the bathroom. Walk in, walk out and continue on his day. That’s all he wanted.”

Jim Sauder questioned the board’s requirement for teachers to use a student’s preferred pronouns. Sauder asked if the school was prepared to discipline teachers who do not comply with the policy due to a conscientious objection.

“Are you willing to do that?” Sauder said. “I think you owe it to all the faculty and the staff to know where they stand if they make that objection.”

Benson said the issue will be handled by the board in private sessions. The court case Kluge vs. Brownsburg Community School Corp. backed the encouraged resignation of a teacher for failing to use a student’s pronouns, as cited by Benson.

When the board’s discussion began, the primary focus was on a section that encourages parental involvement in the process to use a locker room or shower of the student’s gender identity, but the involvement can be suspended by the superintendent under an “unusual circumstance.”

While there are portions of the policy that highly encourage parental involvement, the involvement can be suspended by the superintendent for the safety of the student. Curtis wished for the wording to be even stronger in support of parental involvement, causing the lone vote against the policy.

“I believe that in a situation like this, parents should be aware that their child is grappling with this,” Curtis said. “I worry about the potential burden that would place on staff members that feel as though they have to keep this secret from the parent.”

Curtis and board Vice President Cindy Holbrook got into a disagreement over the parental involvement portion of the policy. Holbrook said many students do not have support from their families for their gender identity, and there needs to be a way around parental involvement in order to ensure the safety of the students.

“Also understanding that every family is not like yours or mine,” Holbrook said. “I’m not worried about the kids that have the support, I’m worried about the kids that don’t.”

Holbrook recalled a personal story of coming out as gay to family and friends. Holbrook said this is a lifelong process, is complicated and is different for everyone.

Curtis worried that this policy would make people view the district as trying to parent the students themselves, and some of these things should be out of control of the school. Curtis also said this may go against the communication value in the district’s strategic plan that involves transparency.

“While they feel like our kids, and our teachers love them as if they were their own kids, they are not our kids,” Curtis said. “If the school moves forward and allows them to change their gender, their pronouns, their name and then allows them to use a different bathroom, and the parent is not given the opportunity to consent, it feels like a break from our commitment to being parent partnerships.”

Holbrook said there is data showing the majority of transgender students do not feel support from their family in the United States. Holbrook also said family support and school supports are the two biggest factors in preventing suicide for transgender students.

Curtis said the difference is between coming out and requesting accommodations for change in gender identity.

The policy is expected to return for a second reading during the September school board meeting.