North Dakota Human Rights Coalition issued the following announcement.
We need your help. Our school board and administrators of Grand Forks Public Schools need to know that there is a large amount of vocal support for FDI-AR, the Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Student Procedure. This policy exists as a way to support trans and gender nonconforming students with the goal of equity and keeping trans and gender nonconforming kids successful in school (and, most importantly, keeping them thriving and ALIVE). The opposition to this policy is coming from a place of fear. We need to show Grand Forks Public Schools that this policy is largely supported from our community and that we sincerely appreciate the work they are doing to keep our trans and gender nonconforming kids safe, healthy, and supported.
From the policy:
This administrative rule serves as a guide on how to best support the needs of the district’s transgender and gender nonconforming students and their families. This regulation does not anticipate every scenario and situation that may occur with respect to transgender and gender nonconforming students, and not all transgender and gender nonconforming students’ needs may be the same. Therefore, administrators are encouraged to discuss these issues with each transgender and gender nonconforming student and their families on a case-by-case basis to determine how best to support the student within the parameters of this administrative regulation.
The full policy can be found here: https://bit.ly/3JHWi85
ACTION ITEM:
Please attend the school board meeting on Monday, June 13th at 6:00 pm at the Mark Sanford Education Center (enter at Door 3), 2400 47th Ave S, Grand Forks ND 58201, and let GFPS know that you support this policy. Those who want to speak will have three minutes to do so. All you will need to do is fill out a comment card (available at the meeting) and submit it to the school board secretary prior to the start of the meeting. There is more information on the citizen comment process here: https://www.gfschools.org/domain/11
Let them know how this policy is currently helping your student, or how it would have helped you if you were a GFPS student. Let them know that you appreciate the work they are doing to support this population. Let them know you are grateful that they care this much about transgender and gender nonconforming youth. Let them know that YOU care about transgender and gender nonconforming youth and you want them to do everything in their power to keep these kids happy, healthy, thriving, and ALIVE.
PLEASE BE AWARE that there will be vocal opposition to this policy at this meeting, and that may be triggering, damaging, and/or deeply harmful to members of the community in attendance. If you want to show your support but you feel you would be putting yourself in too vulnerable of a position to attend in person, THAT IS COMPLETELY OKAY. Please send an email to the board and to district admin. You can reach them at the following email addresses:
aflynn180@mygfschools.org,
elunn040@mygfschools.org,
dcarpenter270@mygfschools.org,
cdouthit919@mygfschools.org,
jhassett050@mygfschools.org,
jmanley180@mygfschools.org,
smikula300@mygfschools.org,
bpalmiscno260@mygfschools.org,
cshabb260@mygfschools.org,
tbrenner270@mygfschools.org,
blewis220@mygfschools.org,
cgillach210@mygfschools.org
Sample email:
Dear Dr. Brenner, Dr. Lewis, Ms. Gillach, and Members of the Grand Forks School Board,
My name is _____________ and I am a resident of Grand Forks. I am writing to you to thank you for passing GFPS Policy FDI-AR “Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Students”. This policy shows that you truly care about transgender and gender nonconforming students - students who are at much greater risk of bullying, discrimination, suicidal ideation, and even more. This action shows that you want to do all you can to help these students thrive. This means a lot to me personally because __________________.
I am very grateful that you passed this policy and strongly urge you to keep it firmly in place to protect transgender and gender nonconforming students. This is incredibly important.
Sincerely,
Name
Original source can be found here.
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