Menasha board hears views on transgender nondiscrimination

MENASHA – More than a dozen people shared their opinions on the Menasha Joint School District's transgender nondiscrimination policy with the school board Monday night.

Joel Hofman was one of six people who spoke against the proposed policy. He said he and his wife may pull their children out of the school district if the board approves the guidelines at its April 13 meeting.

"The last several days my oldest (son) with a learning disability came up to me specifically and said 'Dad, I don't feel safe at school' because of the situations that have been going on," Hofman said.

Heather Maass said she was initially scared to read an article she found on the proposed policy. She was among seven people who voiced support during the open forum.

"I didn't want to feel ashamed of my community. I didn't want to open it up and read it, but I took a deep breath and did it anyway. … I was elated to see and read that the district has supported this student," she said. "I really was overcome with pride to be part of this community and to know that everyone is treated fairly and treated with dignity and respect."

Transgender people identify with a different gender than the one their biological sex assigned them at birth. Gender nonconforming people express their gender in ways that differ from prevailing social expectations.

The school board reviewed a second draft of the policy Monday night, as is standard procedure with policy additions or revisions. About 25 people were in attendance at the meeting.

The administration wrote the policy after a transgender student and her family asked for restroom accommodations at Menasha High School. The policy establishes guidelines for the privacy, names, pronouns and records of transgender and gender nonconforming students.

Furthermore, the proposal states that students can use the restrooms for the gender they identify with if they have "held the belief deeply, followed the belief consistently over a period of time, is supported by (a) parent or guardian, and … has sought guidance or counseling in coming to the decision."

Mike Norton, a pastor at Crossroads Foursquare Church in Menasha, said the nondiscrimination policy continues down a societal path God would not approve of.

"I understand your situation, but you have to understand our concerns that it is not about an individual," Norton said. "It's about what we're doing to America as a whole and bringing upon ourselves the removal of God's blessing."

To try to dispel some of the concerns brought forth by community members, Helen Boyd Kramer, a professor of gender studies at Lawrence University, said transgender students are most often the victims of violence and bullying in bathrooms, she said.

In addition, Boyd Kramer said she appreciates the district taking action to protect transgender and gender nonconforming students early in their lives.

"Thank you so much for creating a policy that would allow young trans people who are going to be facing pounds and pounds of discrimination further down the line in education and employment and housing and every possible way to not drop out as early as this, because if they don't get this education they don't even have a chance," she said.

— Jen Zettel: 920-993-1000, ext. 539, or jzettel@postcrescent.com; on Twitter @jenzettel

On the Web

Read the proposed nondiscrimination policy at http://www.boarddocs.com/wi/mjsd/Board.nsf/Public.