Over 3.2 million US public school students are affected by policies that prevent parents from being informed whether their child identifies as a different gender in the classroom. According to the New York Post, at least 168 school districts nationwide have policies preventing faculty and staff from disclosing a student’s gender status without permission.
The policies impact districts of all sizes, including Chicago Public Schools and Los Angeles Unified School District, as well as schools in red and blue states. President Biden’s Title IX proposals, scheduled for approval in May 2023, could make these regulations federal policy.
Despite legal challenges, the Biden administration proposes regulations allowing school district employees to withhold gender information from parents, setting up a potential battle between the federal government and red states. Reports suggest the proportion of youth who identify as transgender has doubled, from 0.7% to 1.4%, since 2017.
The fight over parental rights in schools and transgender issues made national headlines during Glenn Youngkin’s gubernatorial campaign after a “nonbinary” teenager sexually assaulted two teenage girls in a Loudoun County high school bathroom. Youngkin set about rolling back policies by his predecessor, Democrat Ralph Northam, including allowing students to use bathrooms or play on sports teams that conflict with their biological sex.
