La Center School District ordered to revise student gender identity policy
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) -- After a two-year process, the La Center School District must now officially change its policy regarding students’ use of preferred pronouns and gender identity, according to the State of Washington.
The current policy, updated in Feb. 2023, requires the school to tell parents if their child questions their gender identity or asks to change their pronouns at school.
Prior to making the decision to involve families, the district would consult with students about their gender identities and pronouns. Further, school employees privately asked students how they would like to be addressed in class.
While some parents were glad the school district was communicating with them, others said the change could be dangerous. It particularly came under fire from transgender and allied community members, with trans advocates blasting the potential forced outing of students to their parents in school board meetings.
Those against the school district’s changes filed a complaint against the district, questioning whether civil rights were violated.
After an investigation, the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) officially ordered the La Center School District to change its policy in a letter sent out Wednesday. They claimed the policy was "out of compliance with state and federal anti-discrimination laws," as well as RCWs (Revised Codes of Washington).
"The Pronoun Directive is discriminatory in effect in that it negatively impacts gender-expansive students’ ability to participate in or benefit from the District’s educational programs or activities,” the letter stated. "Each of these reasons reflect that the directive was rooted in negative, or even hostile, perceptions of gender-expansive identities and the purpose was discriminatory."
OSPI gave Superintendent Pete Rosenkranz 45 days to revise their policy or send OSPI "supplemental information" to potentially amend the order.
If the district fails to comply with the order, they could face state or federal against them, as well as sanctions.