The letter printed in this paper by Cañon City School District Superintendent Adam Hartman regarding the draft transgender policy falls short of complete transparency and a few statements are not based upon facts.
First, the board did not take an "unprecedented step of accommodating all individuals who expressed the desire to address the issue." School boards in the past have moved their meetings into larger areas, such as the CCHS gym, to allow many people to attend and speak. Additionally, this particular school board moved their meetings around the district during the past year, so they were well aware of the "ease" with which such a move could have been taken.
What the statement by the superintendent did not make clear was that only a portion of the people who wanted to attend the Aug. 8 meeting was allowed into the small area that is normally used by the board. The remaining attendees (at least 145 people) "attended" the meeting in the CCMS building and watched the meeting through a video feed. I have to wonder what prompted the board to make such an arrangement. Were they afraid of having that many of the people who elected them in the same room as themselves?
Additionally, there was more than one person who spoke in favor of this policy who were not even citizens of this school district. This seems to go against the school board's policy: "the Board desires to hear the viewpoint of all citizens through the district…" One has to wonder what was the motivation of the people who traveled to Cañon City to speak to this board. Were they recruited to attend and speak? If so, by whom?
The board policy on public participation also includes: "Please know that you may not receive an immediate response during this meeting…" and "Questions asked by the public that require further investigation may be referred to the superintendent or superintendent's designee for consideration and later response." During this Aug. 8 meeting, many questions were asked and no one received immediate response and I have not found anyone who has received a "later response."
Superintendent Hartman's letter further explained that the school district must follow state and federal requirements with respect to the support of transgender students. However, I have not been able to find anything in state law that requires that the parents should be excluded from the transition process of their own child. The Cañon City draft policy specifically states that parents are not required to be notified and/or their consent is not required. These statements are found in more than one place in the policy. Additionally, this policy specifically states: "…notifying parents carries risks for the student and the potential for mental health challenges."
In other words, the district thinks parents are not able or willing to do what is in the best interest of their children and that can make them a danger to their children.
There is also nothing in state law that requires that parents are to be excluded from a decision-making process regarding shared bathrooms and locker rooms. Additionally, if overnight accommodations are to be shared by students of the opposite sex, these rules do not require that the parents of all students involved are not to be notified.
The Cañon City School Board is attempting to pass a policy that allows their employees to keep critical information from the parents of students and it even goes so far as to require that employees keep this information from parents. This policy also requires staff to allow a student (as young as 6 years old) to make life-altering decisions about their gender.
If the school will exclude parents and collude with a child to conceal such an important and life-altering issue, what else will they hide from parents? Where does this web of deceit begin or end? It makes me wonder, what is already occurring within our schools that parents do not know?
Are the citizens of this school district really willing to let such an attack on parental rights happen? Are you ready to take action?
Susan Jones is a member of the Protect Our Kids – Fremont County group.
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