School board approves Gender Equity and Access policy

Three-and-a half hours into their regular June 6 meeting, the Board of Trustees of Sonoma Valley Unified School District opened discussion of and ultimately voted 3-1 to approve Board Policy 5157, Gender Equity and Access. The policy, presented in draft form and approved without changes, was written by Superintendent Jeanette Chien and Trustee Celeste Winders.  

Superintendent Chien stated, in the discussion that preceded the vote, that the policy is in alignment with the federal law Title IX, and was brought forward by a formal request from two trustees. Responding to a query from Trustee Landry, she said that District counsel had looked at the entirety of the policy, and “they gave us a green light.” The Superintendent is committed to providing annual training for staff about students’ personal rights, including training for compliance with the amended regulations in Title IX that go into effect August 1, 2024. These new federal regulations are broader in scope and more inclusive than previously, including sexual discrimination and sex-based harassment, and what constitutes a hostile environment.

Troy Knox, President of the Board, told the Sun, “As a public institution we are required to enforce the law, to ensure that every student who enters our schools is treated with respect. We will do our best to abide by law and support our students.” Acknowledging that there is controversy about this issue, Knox stated that he had received some emails voicing concern about the new policy. He said that the Superintendent is committed to providing training, so no child feels unsafe with regard to personal rights. And he offered this understanding of what implementing the law and the policy mean: “This is a time for all of us, as educators, as communities, as families, to have greater understanding. This is about how we are trying to be better people, more accepting of people’s individuality.” 

Trustee Winders said the new board policy is rooted in student voices, the statements of students expressed in listening circles and other venues, that they do not feel safe, welcome, belonging. She explained that after gathering this data from students, she felt like a “mandated reporter,” and went to the Superintendent to help create a document that addresses gender equity, a proactive policy to prevent from occurring the complaints that Title IX addresses. Winders said this is “really innovative work,  there is no policy like it in other CA districts. The policy is how you hold adults and students accountable.” The new board policy makes clear the responsibility of adults to protect students from homophobic and transphobic language and actions, i.e. bullying and abuse.  She added she feels that enacting the policy is a celebration of Pride month, since the whole Pride movement began as a civil rights protest. 

Winders pointed out it was remarkable that some students and former students waited three-and-a-half hours to be able to show support for and make public comment on the proposed gender equity policy. This is really about the student’s ability to self-identify. “The only person who gets to decide their identity is the person.”

Trustee Anne Ching wrote this for the Sun: “One of the principal duties of a school trustee is to govern in accordance with state and federal laws. When the US Department of Education released its final amendments to Title IX in April, which go into effect on August 1, the board and district had a duty to revamp its own policies and administrative regulations related to Title IX. The new ruling not only expands the definition of sexual harassment, it provides explicit protection for pregnant students and employees as well as the LGBTQ+ community. While four states have issued temporary injunctions blocking the new Title IX regulations, it is the role of the courts and legal system to determine whether the Department of Education overstepped its authority, not the role of the board.” Ching added, “I strongly believe that every person should be treated with respect and dignity and should not be subject to discriminatory practices no matter who they are or whom they love.”

Trustees Ching, Knox and Winders voted to approve the Gender Equity and Access policy; Trustee Landry voted against. Trustee Kelly was absent, attending his daughter’s graduation. In response to the Sun’s request for comment on the new policy, the Superintendent said she would respond in July, upon return from leave; Trustee Kelly deferred to the trustees present for the meeting; and at press time, Trustee Landry had not responded to the Sun’s request for comment.

Story by Anna Pier