Parents Do Not Need To Fear Foxboro Elementary Music Teacher For Being Transgender
http://magnasententia.wordpress.com/2008/10/16/parents-do-not-need-to-fear-foxboro-elementary-music-teacher-for-being-transgender/10/16/2008
In Vacaville, California, numbers of parents are concerned because the administration of Foxboro Elementary School did not "notify them ahead of time" that a music teacher at the school had gone through gender reassignment surgery. ("Kids Pulled From Transgender Teacher's Class") The teacher, who was born biologically female, "returned to school as a man at the beginning of the school year."
"Some parents told Travis Unified School District that they feel like their rights to know were violated." However, "the school board said such disclosure would violate HIPAA privacy rules," and Superintendent Kate Wren Gavlak asserted, "We have a legal obligation to protect our employees." (Watch "Kids Pulled From Transgender Teacher's Class" Video)
Although we feel that Ms. Wren Gavlak and the Travis Unified School District made the appropriate decision in following HIPAA privacy rules, we also completely appreciate why parents were alarmed: In this country, transgender individuals are deeply misunderstood and quality information about the transgender community is not widely publicized.
