PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The School Committee passed the first reading of a new policy aimed to support transgender students.

 

School adjustment counselor Kelly Shuff-Heck headed the effort that mirrors the district's bullying policies and adds a number of protections for transgender students including access to gender-neutral bathrooms, ability to play sports on the gender-specific teams the students identify with, and protects personal information regarding gender among the many provisions.

 

"I've been asked how many transgender students do we have and why are we doing this policy?" Shuff-Heck said. "One, there are more than you think. And two, how much does it matter if we can make one more student feel safe?"

 

The policy is crafted in line with recommendations from the Departments of Education and of Elementary and Secondary Education, she said. One major aspect of it adds gender identity or expression to the definition of bullying. Students who are non-conforming with gender stereotypes are often targets of bullying.

 

It also assigns Superintendent Jason McCandless as a point person regarding gender issues in communication with the media and community. Shuff-Heck gave an example of sports as one area in which that could become important. If a student competes on the boy's track team his freshman year and then begins the transition, the student could compete in future years on the girl's team. That could raise questions from the community and instead of putting it on the shoulders of the coach, it puts McCandless in charge of communication.

 

Another provision allows students to use chosen names that would be reflected in records. The school's policy will now allow a name and gender change in its records while the student still retains the same identification number.

 

When it comes to records, it also reinforces confidentiality. If a student does make the transition, the birth name and gender information in previous records are to remain private. Shuff-Heck hopes that in future the district will reconsider all of its records and only identify gender when it is essential.

 

"It is a very simple process," Shuff-Heck said.

 

The provisions in the policy aren't limited to transgender students but to make all students more comfortable. Any student can use the restrooms they feel comfortable with or have gender-neutral facilities. In physical education classes when there are gender-segregated activities, no student would be forced to participate in the gender he or she doesn't identity with. And the dress code also won't be limited to specific genders.

 

"This is for all students to have access to anything they want to do or want to be and not be confined by gender stereotypes," Shuff-Heck said.

 

It also calls on staff to be supportive and helpful to the students. 

 

"When students are transitioning, we want to engage the student, we want to engage the families, we want to work together to support that transition," Shuff-Heck said.

 

Adoption of the policy also puts a focus on education around the issue. Shuff-Heck rejects the notion that the policy is being "politically correct" but rather being "culturally sensitive." The goal is to make all students feel comfortable and professional development opportunities will help staff be better able to help students facing gender issues.

 

Deputy Superintendent Joseph Curtis said the policy and development opportunities are all part of the district's efforts to have "inclusive classrooms" as stated in the district improvement plan. Shuff-Heck has been working with Egremont Principal Judy Rush on a number of additional ways to become more inclusive.

 

School Committee Chairwoman Katherine Yon said many of the students are already accepting of their transgender peers but it is the adults who have been "conditioned" otherwise that sometimes need the extra help in learning how to be sensitive to the issues. 

 

"This is about making everyone comfortable. This is about equity for everyone," Yon said.

 

School Committee member Pamela Farron said she had difficulty understand the issues when she first met a transitioning student. The student's records all said she was boy but she identified and appeared as a girl. Farron said she wasn't sure how to address her at first. She suggested that others need to get away from gender-specific terms and be more understanding of diversity, which can be taught through professional development opportunities.

 

"It's all diversity and addressing people. Somehow there has got to be a way to teach this in a universal way," Farron said.

 

Shuff-Heck said it is OK if someone doesn't know the terms to describe someone transitioning but the hope is to foster the sensitivity to ask and be understanding. She hopes to "plant the seed of being sensitive around gender in our classrooms" to help foster a more inclusive environment. 

 

The passage of the policy's first read received an ovation from about a dozen in the audience, including Taconic High School graduate Katherine Parks. Parks said she is "gender fluid" and knows many students struggling with gender issues. She told the committee that is very important to make those students feel safe.

 

 "I would just like to say how important of an issue this is to me and to thank you for considering it," Parks said.