Will Public Schools in Washington Teach Kids About Gender Identity?

K-12 students in Washington could soon be learning about gender identity and HIV prevention beginning in elementary school. Seattle Municipal Archives

As the 2017-2018 school year fast approaches, right-wing, anti-LGBTQ groups such as the Family Policy Institute of Washington are getting on their soapboxes to denounce state efforts to better educate students about gender identity and HIV prevention. The Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction announced its recommendations for updated health and physical education standards last year.

While critics whine about the proposed standards "undermining traditional values," representatives with the state superintendent's office say their recommendations for more inclusive sex ed are "age appropriate and necessary to teach respect and understanding for different people," the the News Tribune reports.

Kids will begin learning about sexual health and HIV prevention, which is already a state requirement, by fourth and fifth grade. The basics on gender identity, however, can begin in kindergarten and first grade classrooms, the Tribune reports.

An OSPI document explaining the health standards says students can be taught in kindergarten and first grade that “there are many ways to express gender.” ... In fourth grade, when children are typically 10 years old, the guidelines say students should learn the definition of sexual orientation and more. From there, the standards recommend discussion of cultural influences on gender identity and eventually ramp up to more in-depth lessons on biological sex, gender identity, sexual orientation and more.

These learning standards, which go more in depth as students get older, is intended to "quell bullying" and prevent suicide due to harassment. It's also optional, state superintendent spokesman Nathan Olson told the Tribune.

Schools must meet a set of broad standards when teaching sexual education and physical health. But districts can choose whether to teach most topic areas outlined within those standards, including the new and controversial “self-identity” guidelines. Districts also can choose how to interpret the guidelines and vary their teaching based on community values, Olson said.

Seattle Public Schools representatives were not immediately available to comment on whether the school district would adopt the state recommendations for the upcoming school year. We will update this post when we hear back.