Cy-Fair ISD will review a controversial policy requiring staff to notify parents if a student requests to change their gender identity at school on Thursday. The Parents Rights and Responsibilities (FA Local) policy drew strong reactions from the community during Monday’s meeting. District officials plan to revisit the policy as part of a broader policy review.
The proposed policy includes several key provisions:
- Parental Notification: Teachers and staff would be required to notify parents if their child requests a change in pronouns or gender identity unless there are concerns about abuse.
- Gender-Segregated Facilities: Restrooms and locker rooms would remain segregated by biological sex.
SUGGESTED: Cy-Fair ISD adopts policy limiting restroom use to birth-assigned sex
- Sports Participation: Transgender students would be required to participate in sports based on their biological sex, with limited exceptions.
- Exclusion of Gender Identity in Curriculum: Gender identity topics would be banned from district materials, including library books and online resources unless approved by the district.
Community reactions: Divided opinions
At Monday’s meeting, speakers voiced passionate concerns about the policy. Mo Hatfield, a non-binary Cy-Fair graduate, shared their worries about the potential harm to transgender students.
“Trans students who found their school to be gender-affirming had significantly lower rates of suicide attempts and suicidal ideation,” Hatfield said, urging the board to reconsider. “This policy will hurt students physically and emotionally. Do you want to be responsible for something that will harm students?”
Brett Robinson also raised concerns about parental involvement, asking, “If you as a parent do not know that your own child is struggling with their identity, I trust the child more than I trust the parent at that point.”
Robinson questioned whether students should be forced to disclose their gender identity to parents, especially if they feel unsafe doing so.
Advocacy efforts and calls to action
Students Engaged in Advancing Texas (SEAT), a youth movement dedicated to increasing visibility in policymaking, as stated in their Instagram bio, has been actively opposing the policy.
SEAT described the policy as “comprehensive anti-transgender” and is calling on local students and supporters to speak at Thursday’s meeting to urge a rejection of what they describe as a “hateful policy.”
Similar policies adopted in Katy ISD
The Cy-Fair policy is similar to one adopted by Katy ISD in 2023. In a 4-3 vote, Katy ISD’s board passed a policy requiring teachers to notify parents if a student identifies as transgender or requests to use different pronouns. This policy has sparked significant debate and even a lawsuit.
What’s next for Cy-Fair ISD?
The Cy-Fair ISD Board will continue its discussion and may vote on the policy this Thursday. As the issue continues to divide the community, all eyes will be on how the board responds to the concerns raised.
