BERKELEY – A move by two board members to fight the state’s policy on transgender students failed as the rest of the board voted to keep the policy.
The policy (nj.gov/education/safety/sandp/climate/docs/Guidance.pdf) sets out rules to allow all students of any sexual identity to feel safe in an educational setting. One issue in particular is that if a school official learns that a child is not straight, they must keep that child’s secret from the parents.
One buzzword that politicians have been using lately is “parental rights,” stating that parents are the first and best advocates for their children. They say that if something is going on with their kids, they have a right to know.
Gay rights advocates have been explaining that the policy needs to stay because nonbinary children are more likely to be abused by parents who are homophobic, and they are more likely to run away from home if they are outed.
Central Regional Board of Education members Heather Koenig and Merissa Borawski had campaigned on fighting sex education policies that came down from the state. During a recent Board meeting they tried to get a vote going to repeal it as it applies to Central.
Koenig said the school district should not be replacing the role of parents. When discussing the well-being of children, parents come first.
“I would like to keep parents involved,” Borowski said. “(This policy) keeps our children in jeopardy.”
They discussed other school districts who were attempting to repeal it.
Board President Denise Pavone-Wilson noted that these districts were opening themselves to litigation from the Trenton, and also put themselves in a position where they could lose state funding.
Board attorney Christopher Dasti advised that the best thing to do was to keep the policy.
Several board members said that even if you don’t like the policy, you are required by law to accept it.
Koenig and Borowski voted to remove the policy, but they didn’t garner enough votes to get it to pass.
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