Aug. 19, 2019 10:25p
(WGTD)---The Kenosha School Board will apparently take a preliminary stab Tuesday night at coming up with a policy on transgender student issues.
The agenda item—listed under “discussion”-- is among three policies that already exist. But “School Board Policy 5110.2”—titled “Nondiscrimination Guidelines Related to Students Who are Transgender and Students Nonconforming to Gender Role Stereotypes”—currently doesn’t.
A draft policy—if there even is one—wasn’t included with the agenda.
The other items up for discussion include policies on bullying, harassment and equal opportunities for students.
The district’s treatment of a transgender student at Tremper High School three years ago became a federal court case which rose to the U.S. Supreme Court.
A major issue was the district’s insistence that the student—Ash Whitaker—use a private unisex styled restroom instead of boys’ bathrooms. Whitaker was born female but identifies as male.
In lawsuit filed by Whitaker's mother, lower courts ruled against the district, which then appealed to the Supreme Court. The petition was eventually withdrawn, and the district’s insurance company, with the school board’s blessing, settled out of court for $800,000.
Any action taken at Tuesday’s night meeting won’t be final. The board’s policy on policy development requires passage by a majority of the board at two regularly-scheduled board meetings.
Tuesday’s meeting—which begins at 5:30-- is billed as a special meeting. The agenda includes time for citizen comments.
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