APS transgender guidelines criticized

[Amelia Pond]

APS transgender guidelines criticized
Alex Goldsmith, August 14, 2013, 11:13 PM MDT

Now the district is diving into the controversial issue, laying out guidelines for principals on an array of transgender issues.

"Every year, this issue comes up and principals ask for direction," said Winston Brooks, APS superintendent. "I don't want principals in a position where one principal on one side of town decides one direction and somebody else decides another."

Under the guidelines, transgender students will be given the option of using a gender-neutral bathroom or locker room. If a specific gender-neutral facility isn't available, the student will be given access to an alternate bathroom.

[Jamie D]

APS = Albuquerque Public Schools 

[aleon515]

Oh yeah another local story with which I am familiar. But not as happy as the marriage story. There was a meeting and the guidelines were actually tabled. A bunch of people came to the meeting and/or wrote letters. I couldn't go but wrote a letter and got a long winded response which contradicted half the things they said in the guidelines.

So there are no guidelines and most of the trans kids in the district (way way more than the 20 the district admits to) go to schools which have established rules on a case by case basis. Of course not ideal but better than the guidelines. But many trans kids already use what is the correct bathroom for them.

The other stuff on birth certificates is just tabled. And hey Amelia are you in ABQ?
I don't think Jamie is.

--Jay

[Amelia Pond]

No, I'm not in ABQ, were asking because I used the term APS? That's just how the article was written.

Amy

[Jamie D]

I am located about midway between Los Angeles and Santa Barbara, in Ventura County, CA

In California, we just passed legislation addressing many of these issue for students.

[aleon515]

I am located about midway between Los Angeles and Santa Barbara, in Ventura County, CA

In California, we just passed legislation addressing many of these issue for students.

I know, driving some people nuts, huh? I referred to this legislation when writing my letter.

--Jay

[Jamie D]

Let me put my libertarian glasses on for just a second - they really aren't rose-colored.   



The Framers of the Constitution endorsed the idea that (to use modern language) social experimentation is best tried in the States.  For instance, the women's vote was tested in numerous states before the ratification of the Suffrage Amendment in 1920.

Whether or not the California experiment in transgender rights for children will work, remains to be seen.  I would hope it does.

[aleon515]

Every day in the country, kids are using bathrooms matching their gender identities. This goes for adults too. How do I know this? Well I know of kids who do this. The sky doesn't fall or anything like that. I used the men's room way before I passed half the time. Little chunks of clouds didn't fall. (Trans women have trouble sometimes but then the problem is not that they are the aggressors.)
I don't think there's any reason to think that what is going on in CA won't "work".

At Philly Trans health we had gender neutral bathrooms. I don't think there's ever been an incident with thousands of people and also staff at the convention center.


--Jay