Sacramento City school board approves transgender policy
Published: Thursday, Dec. 19, 2013 - 10:18 pm
Transgender students in the Sacramento City Unified School District will gain new rights and protections, with the approval of a set of guidelines by district trustees Thursday night.
The policy, passed in a 7-0 vote, will give administrators direction on how to accommodate transgender students – those who identify with a gender different from their sex at birth – and will allow them to use bathrooms and locker rooms for whichever sex they identify as.
The vote comes on the heels of a bill Gov. Jerry Brown signed in August that solidifies the rights of transgender students. Assembly Bill 1266 by Assemblyman Tom Ammiano, D-San Francisco, is scheduled to take effect Jan. 1.
District board member Jay Hansen hailed the policy as setting an example for the state.
“We’re a trendsetter in the best possible way for other districts,” he said.
The discussion before the vote was heated. Second Vice President Christina Pritchett raised numerous questions from her constituents.
Pritchett said the main concern involves a transgender female undressing in the girls’ locker room.
“I don’t feel we have the nuts and bolts figured out,” she said. “It’s easy for us to say we support this issue, but how are we going to go forth with protecting our students.”
Twenty-eight people spoke before the board during the public comment period. A majority of them urged district officials to pass the policy.
“Thank you for supporting all students. By approving this policy, you are helping to teach our youth how to affirm diversity,” said Mandy Taylor, interim director of programs at Sacramento