Upper Moreland School District
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
Updated – March 23, 2023
On January 17, 2023, members of the Upper Moreland Board of Education proposed a policy that encourages teachers to withhold students’ gender identity from their parents.
The proposed policy, “Transgender and Gender Diverse Students, says all students have a right to privacy, which includes their gender identity and expression. It reads:
“Therefore, school personnel should not disclose information about a TGD [transgender and gender diverse] student’s gender identity and expression to others, including the student’s parents/guardians and/or other school personnel, unless legally required to do so or unless the student has authorized such disclosure or explicitly disclosed their gender identity in the school setting.”
In terms of names and pronoun usage:
“Students shall be addressed by the name and pronouns that correspond to their gender identity without obtaining a court order, changing their official records or obtaining parent/legal guardian permission.”
The policy gives students the ability to use the restrooms and locker rooms that correspond to their gender identity as well as promotes a gender-neutral dress code.
The District also adds that they will incorporate “positive information about TGD issues into curricula” and provide staff with professional development training about gender expansive and transgender students.
The full policy can be viewed here.
Published – November 18, 2022
Parents Defending Education reports the Upper Moreland School District has three “Code of Conduct” documents for the elementary, middle, and high schools that all contain a section titled “Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming Students.” The document states:
“School personnel should not disclose information that may reveal a student’s gender identity or gender nonconformity to others, including parents and other school personnel, unless the student has authorized such disclosure.”
The Code of Conduct also lists several “rights” that transgender and gender non-conforming students are given, including:
-”The right to be included in the group that correspond to their gender identity”
-”The right to have access to the restroom or locker room that corresponds to their gender identity”
-”The right to be addressed by their preferred name and have their preferred name and gender listed on their records”
In addition, the Upper Moreland School District has a document titled “Transgender Procedures” on their website. The document begins by stating:
“Recent studies indicate that the life of a transgender person can be ‘vastly challenging and rife with discrimination.’ It can also be ‘joyful, triumphant, and transformative’ for the person and those around them. In order to provide a welcome and successful educational environment, Upper Moreland is proud to accept students who identify as transgender.”
This document reiterates many of the same “rights” and encourages students who feel bullied for being transgender to “make a police report.”
Upper Moreland School District has 3,197 students enrolled across four schools.
