Amid the latest educational policy shifts in Texas, Cypress-Fairbanks ISD, Texas' third-largest school district, has adopted a new gender identity policy that has sparked controversy among students, parents, and educators. According to ABC 13, the policy, titled "Parent's Rights and Responsibilities," compels district staff to notify parents if a student requests the use of pronouns different from those assigned at birth.
The policy, which also echoes similar measures by Katy ISD—a district currently under federal investigation—bans instruction or referrals concerning gender identity and restricts students to restrooms and locker rooms corresponding with their biological sex. While some trustees of Cypress-Fairbanks ISD claim the policy aims to protect parents and children, several students voiced their concerns during the board meeting. Alissa Sundrani, a 17-year-old student from the district, told ABC 13, "Having this pressure is really bad because it forces you to either A - hide yourself until you get a chance to explore you identity or B - come out forced."
Dissenting voices were not limited to students, as Julie Hinaman, the only trustee to vote against the policy, noted the overwhelming opposition from the community. Hinaman expressed her opposition, declaring, "It’s disingenuous to sit up here and say that safety is your number one priority or that student achievement is the main thing or that special education is a focus and then turn around and pass a policy that does not make kids safer. It does the opposite," as per an interview with FOX 26 Houston.
Under the newly adopted policy, parents also have the ability to request district accommodation for their child to use preferred pronouns. Staff members, having a sincerely held belief interfered, can likewise seek accommodation if a student's preferred pronouns are at odds with their beliefs. The policy has been met with a backlash from most who spoke at the public comment section before its formal adoption, highlighting the mental health risks it imposes on LGBTQ+ students, particularly transgender youth. However, some stood by the decision, underlining that it was a parent’s right to be informed about their minor children's lives. Despite the controversy, the policy now stands as the standard for the district's 118,000 students, and its repercussions, both intended and unintended, will unfold in the coming months and years.
The U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights remains in the midst of an investigation concerning potential Title IX violations by Katy ISD after adopting their version of the gender identity policy, as noted by FOX 26 Houston. As Cypress-Fairbanks ISD follows suit, the community is concerned about the wellbeing of students navigating their gender identity amid these policy changes.
