Toutle School Board Elects to Not Adopt Gender Inclusive Schools Policy—Klog 100.7 News

During a packed school board meeting last night, the Toutle Lake School Board voted to remain out of compliance with the state’s gender-inclusive policy, at least for now.

The district has until May 7th to come into compliance or face the possibility of losing state funding, insurance, and the likelihood of being sued. What the board voted to do last night was suspend the adoption of OSPI Policy 3211 for Gender Inclusive Schools until further communication with the federal government. This was brought forward by board member Lisa Mathes. The communication in question likely refers to the current lawsuit involving the La Center School District and its dispute with the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) over their gender-inclusive policy.

The board vote was split: Mathes, Susan Dorcheus, and Janell Wheatley voted in favor, while Sherry Schwinn and Heather Schoonover voted against it. The board also scheduled a special meeting for next Tuesday, April 29th, at 6 p.m. to discuss the issue further.

During the meeting, the district’s superintendent, Chris Schumaker, explained what adopting the policy would entail. He stated that Toutle was one of a small group of schools found to be out of compliance by the OSPI. Since this discovery, the school has worked on a revised policy to be considered. Schumaker emphasized that the district believes it should have local control over such matters, though the state and OSPI do not share that view. Schumaker said, “They feel like they can make better decisions for us than we can make for our own community.”

Schumaker went on to explain that the revised policy under consideration would still allow transgender students to use bathrooms and locker rooms that match their gender identity. However, a new section has been added that would allow the school to discipline students who “fake their gender identity” in order to access those facilities. Another new section would allow any student to request a separate facility if they feel uncomfortable using the same restroom or changing area as transgender students.

Schumaker also addressed the issue of transgender athletes. He stated that while Toutle Schools disagree with the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) policies, they have no choice but to comply in order to compete at the district and state levels. He did, however, mention the possibility of the school starting its own sports association or joining Oregon as alternatives.