ANN ARBOR, MI - Ann Arbor Public Schools now offers more specific protections for transgender and gender non-conforming students in the form of a new policy.

The board of education approved the transgender and gender non-conforming students policy and a non-discrimination policy on Wednesday, June 28.

Board Vice President Susan Baskett asked that the items be pulled from the consent agenda because they were important enough to warrant individual votes, she said, and the trustees unanimously approved both of the policies.

Baskett said the policies have been a long time coming, and Board President Christine Stead said schools already have made accommodations for transgender students as the need arose.

"So it's - in some ways - not headline worthy so much, in terms of trying to accommodate some of our students already. .... I really feel like this sends a strong message to our community just that we want this to be a safe and welcoming place for all of our students," Stead said. "Both of these policies will help send that message I think."

The transgender and gender non-conforming student policy mirrors guidance set by the Michigan State Board of Education, and the AAPS board also reviewed similar policies of school districts across the country.

The policy outlines expectations for transgender students' ability to be called by a name and pronouns that reflect their gender identity, to use the bathrooms and locker rooms that align with their gender identity and participate in school sports and other activities in accordance with their gender identity. The policy also calls for training for school staff on how to meet the expectations for interactions with transgender students.

The non-discrimination policy says students will not be excluded from any educational program or school activity based on "race, color, sex, religion, creed, political belief, age, national origin, immigration status, linguistic and language differences, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, socioeconomic status, height, weight, marital or familial status, disability or veteran status."

Trustees said they received plenty of feedback from the public on the proposed policies since their first briefing on the topic last week, and most people were supportive. Trustee Jessica Kelly said she received 20 emails in favor of the policies, and one from someone with concerns.

Michael Fraley, the parent of an Ann Arbor student, was one of six people who spoke about the new policies during the public comment portion of the meeting. He said his son was stressed by the thought of potentially sharing a bathroom or locker room with a student who is biologically a different gender.

As a Christian, Fraley said he's called to love and respect all people, and he did not ask the board to veto the transgender student policy. He did ask that the district accommodate students who may not be comfortable in bathrooms with transgender students as the district is making for transgender students.

Later in the meeting, Baskett clarified that private bathroom facilities will be available to students who wish to use them for any reason - regardless of gender identity. Part of the new policy says AAPS will not require transgender students to use a separate bathroom.

Five other people spoke at the board meeting in support of the district's new policies. Many of them recounted instances where transgender students are the targets of bullying. While Ann Arbor is generally a progressive place, they said there is still more work to be done in providing protections from discrimination for the LGBTQ community.

"There's a lot of data out there that show the danger that gender non-conforming students face. What I see in my clinic are the faces of those data," said Kristin Mahler, who has been a school nurse with AAPS for 10 years. "I see students that come because they've got a headache, and when I did a little bit deeper, they may be questioning what's going on with their sexual feelings or their gender identity, or they may have just experienced a very unpleasant interaction with another student."

Mahler said there's research that shows when a school district has clear non-discrimination policies, students and families feel supported.