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.
Yes. I want to make sure all kids are respected. By this I mean, if a kid wants to use the boys room, they can and if they want to use the girls room they can, and if they prefer a private bathroom, they should do that. What I would prefer overall is a setup like a lot of places in Europe, where they design bathrooms that contain all completely private stalls (doors to the floor or close to it) and then shared sinks. This could be started wtih HS13, and any school we renovate bathrooms in. Designing bathrooms this way actually gives all kids privacy, saves money for the school, and allows more square footage for classroom space.
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.
For me this is simple: since we allow a child to pick a nickname, then we should allow the same with their pronouns. We should use whatever the child asks.
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?
I believe teachers should always stay age-appropriate and keep in line with what is an appropriate student-teacher discussion. For me, I believe that it is not likely to be appropriate for any teacher to bring details about their private, personal life into school. However, family relationships are normal and healthy, so I would have no issue with a teacher having family photos, no matter what makes up their family. I want to make sure that students who are LGBTQ have a place to go for appropriate support.
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.
For me, I believe that age-appropriateness should be the guideline in all discussions. about sexual relationships, gay or straight. I believe that it is not yet appropriate in Elementary school to discuss sexual relationships. However, at the middle school level, kids start puberty and may have lots of questions about relationships, and safe behavior. I think we normalize things by not making sexual orientation an issue. If the school is teaching about someone in history that also came out as LGBTQ then it would be appropriate to mention it. All of this said, I’m not a teacher so I would differ to the great teachers in HCPSS on what age the kids will be mature enough to understand things. What I will say is that my kids are still young in Elementary school, they have friends and neighbors who have 2 dads or 2 moms or even just a mom or a dad. They are not really old enough to know what that means, but it is a normal part of life for them. Which is good.
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.
When discussing historical or literary figures who identified as LGTBQ, it should be raised when it’s in the normal course of the history or literature discussions. I believe middle school is probably the best time to start such discussions.
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?
I think it should be a program for the schools to have when needed. By this I mean we need to both respect parents wishes but also we know that suicide is an issue in LGBQT youth, so we must have a program to help both kids and parents navigate these issues appropriately. HCPSS should work closely with Howard County social services to make sure the appropriately-trained folks are available to support the kids. Frankly, I think the teachers have enough on their plates with just teaching their materials, so I would want school counselors and county health care professionals to be in place to provide this support. Teacher involvement is welcome as a trusted adult, if appropriate, but really the primary supports should come from trained specialists.
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 tricky one that honestly I do not know enough to answer. On one hand we want all kids to have the same opportunities, however we also know that biological sex has a big effect on why some sports have been split for men and women, for strength and body mass issues. However, we want every child to have an equal right to participate and feel comfortable. I would have to work with the experts and find a solution that is fair and acceptable to all.
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.
I would say without question we should at Middle and High School levels. As for elementary I don’t believe it would be totally appropriate until sex education. But I also admit that I do not have enough information on this and would need to meet with the parents and community to find out if it would make sense for maybe 5th grade also.
9. What changes would you like to see made to the way HCPSS handles identification, reporting, interventions, and prevention of bullying?
I think bullying is a HUGE issue in HCPSS, we have a huge issue with bullying and though I have not been involved with LGBTQ programs I do know that it’s an even bigger issue than what is reported. I think one of the things we MUST do school wide is teach respect for ALL. I have seen programs where we teach kids to not discriminate etc., but I would like to see it revised to emphasize a respect for all. I would also like to find a way where we can make it easier for kids to report bullying without being worried about retaliation or exposure for having reported it.
10. What measures should the school system take to prevent suicide among the student body?
I think we must work with our kids on stress reduction. We put so much on kids nowadays that it’s not a surprise to see that more kids are experiencing mental health issues. I think we need to have programs in place where teachers and students can anonymously report a student in danger. We need to get past the stigma of mental health care and provide differentiated levels of support for students experiencing stress.