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Published – June 13, 2024

Weston Public Schools has established a Gender Sexuality Alliance Club (GSA) at Weston Middle School. Intended for participants ranging from sixth to eighth grade, the GSA Network claims that:

“Genders & Sexualities Alliances, or GSAs for short, are student-run organizations that unite LGBTQ+ and allied youth to build community and organize around issues impacting them in their schools and communities. GSAs have evolved beyond their traditional role … and have emerged as vehicles for deep social change related to racial, gender, and educational justice.” 

However, in an examination of Gay-Straight Alliance clubs by Parents Defending Education, the purpose of the network extends to three distinct types of Genders & Sexualities Alliance clubs (GSAs) in schools: support GSAs, social GSAs, and activist GSAs.

Additionally, Weston Public Schools has claimed that they may withhold information from parents regarding the student’s “gender transition.” In their affirmative stance, the following excerpts from the policy “Transgender and Gendernonconfoming Students” may be observed:

• “When a student transitions and shares that information with the school, the school shall offer to meet with the student and the parents/guardians/caregivers of the student if the student wishes for them to be involved in the process”

• “Protecting the privacy of transgender and gender nonconforming students shall be a top priority for school staff … Disclosing this information to other students, the student’s parents/guardians, or other third parties may violate privacy laws.”

• “Every student has the right to choose and be addressed by a name and pronouns that correspond to the student’s gender identity, regardless of sex assigned at birth or the name that appears on their birth certificate.”

• “School staff shall accurately record and use the student’s chosen name and pronouns that are consistent with the student’s gender identity. However, unless the student has requested otherwise, when communicating with the parent/guardian of a student, all staff shall use the student’s legal name and the pronoun corresponding to the student’s gender assigned at birth.”

• “A student may access restrooms, locker rooms, changing facilities, and other gender segregated facilities that correspond to the student’s gender identity.” 

Weston Public Schools also provides a vision statement promoting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion that acts as a backbone for the school district’s values. Weston Public Schools states that one of its core values is Equity and Social Justice, which means the district is:

“Committed to access, equity, diversity, participation, anti-racism and human rights for all members of our community.”

They have also curated a page on the district website committed to Equity, where they reflect on the newly formed “Equity Committee.” The district writes:

“Working towards more equitable schools also involves structural and policy changes, as well as an overarching commitment to nondiscrimination, multiculturalism, anti-racism, and social justice.” 

Weston Public Schools plans to achieve these means through action, including but not limited to strategic planning, goal-setting and monitoring, curating curricula, and teacher resources.

Weston Public Schools oversees approximately 2,000 students across four schools located in Weston, Massachusetts.