Staff Reports
In Idaho, school districts are being told to implement procedures that prevent staff members from sharing student names or gender changes with parents without their permission, according to a report by Fox News.
The ISBA in Idaho, which represents school boards in the state, ordered school officials to stop telling parents about the petitions that students submitted to change their gender or name.
In several school districts, policies related to sexual orientation and gender identity have been implemented. These policies can lead to the demotion or dismissal of staff members who violate a student's privacy.
One school district's policy explicitly states that staff members who commit a violation of student privacy will be disciplined.
The policy also states that school personnel should not disclose a student's sexual orientation or gender identity to other students or their parents. This restriction applies to both middle and high school students.
It states that employees could be disciplined, as well as fired, if they violate the student's confidentiality. The policy also provides a list of possible repercussions for staff members who break it.
It also states that school personnel should use the student's legal name and pronoun, which refers to the gender that they were given at birth, when referring to the student's parent or guardian.
Nicole Neily of Parents' Defending Education called on school officials to implement policies that prevent unaccountable officials from violating the privacy of students.
This policy is further proof that being a resident of a red state does not protect families from the various challenges that schools face. The establishment of school board associations and other power structures in education policy are also contributing factors to the issue.
The Payette School District responded to the recommendations made by the ISBA in December 2021. In response, a staff member stated that the board did not intend to restrict the rights of parents to raise their children. After changing the policy, it stated that school personnel should refrain from discussing a student's gender identity or sexual orientation with other individuals unless the student or their family has given their prior permission.
The preceding article is a summary of an article that originally appeared on American Examiner News
