The Keller school district now must notify parents within 24 hours if a student asks to use a pronoun or name that doesn’t correspond to their biological sex on a birth certificate.
Students also must have parental permission to use a restroom or changing facility if it is different from their gender at birth.
The school board unanimously adopted the new rules during a meeting Thursday night.
Other new policies also approved for this year require students to have permission from parents to join clubs at school and prohibit the use of cell phones during the school day.
The phone ban is similar to those at other North Texas school districts. Students in Keller will have to keep phones turned off and stored in a bag or backpack. They cannot use their phones during lunch or passing periods, either.
The board didn’t discuss the policies before voting Thursday, but board president Charles Randklev wrote on Facebook that, “We will also consider a ‘parental rights policy’ that recognizes and protects the fundamental rights of parents to make decisions concerning the upbringing, education, and care of their children. Parents matter, and this policy will ensure they have a seat at the table when it comes to their child’s education.”
Parents and students who spoke during public comments called the policies harmful and worried that marginalized children would face hate, bullying and bigotry.
Madison Hickman, a senior at Keller Academy said, “I’m sure that you will find it comforting to know that you’ve created an environment where fear and anxiety are the norm.”
Another student, Danny Street, said he was concerned about the board’s preoccupation with politics instead of providing a safe place for students.
He talked about two suicides during the same week last year.
“Politics should have no place at our schools,” Street said.
The ACLU of Texas sent a letter to the Keller school district on Thursday calling the policies harmful to LGBTQ+ students and in violation of Title IX, which prohibits sex-based discrimination in school programs that receive funding from the federal government.
