Chicago Public Schools (CPS) instructed staff to dismiss parents’ concerns about LGBT initiatives in schools, including policies allowing boys to use girls’ bathrooms, according to a publicly available guidance.
The guidance offers a series of responses to common parental objections to CPS policies and dismisses concerns about student safety. The guide instructs staff to tell concerned parents that boys would never pretend to be girls in order to use girls’ restrooms and makes it clear that staff are expected to keep students’ transgender status secret from parents.
“This document provides best practice on how to respond to pushback regarding supporting Transgender, Non-Binary & Gender Noncomforming Students,” the guidance reads. (RELATED: Inspector Report Found Hundreds Of Chicago Teachers Allegedly Sexually Groomed, Raped Students)
The guide also tells staff to dismiss parents’ concerns over children being allowed to change their name within the school system’s official channels without parental consent or notification.
LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY – JUNE 17: Children stand on top of a Kentucky Fried Chicken float of the Kentuckiana Pride Parade on June 17, 2023 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Jon Cherry/Getty Images)
“Students … have a right to privacy about their gender identity. It is never okay to talk to someone about a student’s gender identity, even their parent or caregiver, unless they have given explicit permission to do so,” it reads.
“The student may not be comfortable sharing their affirmed name with their caregiver due to a number of reasons, including their safety. It is our responsibility as district staff to affirm the name and pronouns that a student wants to go by in order to ensure they feel safe and comfortable at school. It is also a Title IX violation to not use a student’s affirmed name and pronouns, which can be reported to the Office of Student Protections,” the guidance reads
If a parent expresses that a student who identifies as transgender is simply confused, staff should respond that “we believe what students are saying and respond to the needs they express,” according to the guidance.
If parents raise concerns about girls’ safety and feelings when transgender people use their restrooms, CPS tells staff that “the person who is trans is also a girl and has the right to use the bathroom that aligns with their gender identity … If someone is uncomfortable with using a shared bathroom with other students in the school, they have the right to access a single stall bathroom if that would make them more comfortable.”
“The onus should not be on the transgender student to use a different bathroom to make cisgender students more comfortable,” it continues.
The guidance also explicitly tells staff not to inform parents if a student who identifies as transgender begins using girls’ locker rooms or restrooms.
When parents object to LGBT history lessons in schools, CPS expects staff to tell parents that these lessons are required as part of state law.
CPS did not respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
Megan Brock contributed to this report.
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