USD 253 Emporia will be adhering to new mandates regarding the use of restrooms and like spaces within district facilities following the passage of Senate Bill 244, also known as the “bathroom bill,” last week. However, USD 253 Superintendent Dr. David McGehee says the district will not be enacting any new policies or procedures outside of the scope of said mandates.
McGehee’s comments came in an interview with KVOE News Wednesday evening, just before the USD 253 Board of Education meeting and shortly after McGehee stated district families noted that effective Thursday new signage will be placed on district facilities indicating students and staff must utilize the bathrooms, locker rooms or changing rooms in accordance with the gender they were assigned at birth. McGehee reiterated to KVOE News Wednesday that this is not a district-specific decision, nor is it one that the district has any true choice in saying it is a state mandate that, should the district not conform to, would bring significant penalties.
That said, McGehee stated the district will not be instituting new policies meant to force compliance by individuals, nor will it be actively tracking student movements or facility usage. McGehee, in his district-wide statement, says the district remains committed to “ensuring that every student we serve feels safe, valued and supported at school.”
As for punishments or disciplinary actions for violations of the mandate, McGehee says that should the district receive a complaint or concern, it will be investigated and steps will be taken to ensure compliance; however, the district is not enacting any specific policies or procedures for discipline. Additionally, McGehee states the district will not be taking any steps to identify students’ gender or identity, saying they will comply with the mandate, but “not be the sheriff.”
SB 244 was previously vetoed by Kansas Governor Laura Kelly last Friday, with the governor calling the legislation a “poorly drafted bill with significant, far-reaching consequences.” She would add, “Not only will this bill keep brothers from visiting sisters’ dorms and husbands from wives’ shared hospital rooms, it will cost Kansas taxpayers millions of dollars to comply with this very vague legislation. It is nothing short of ridiculous that the Legislature is forcing the entire state, every city and town, every school district, every public university to spend taxpayer money on a manufactured problem. Kansans elected them to focus on education, job creation, housing, and grocery costs.”
That veto was overridden by the legislature last week and went into effect almost immediately, with supporters of the bill stating it is a necessity to “ensure privacy, safety, and clarity in public spaces by defining sex based on biological sex at birth.” In his statement to district families, McGehee stated, “Nothing matters more than ensuring that every student we serve feels safe, valued and supported at school.” In addition to the use of public facilities, the bill also requires that individuals’ driver’s licences, birth certificates and other identifying documents reflect their birth-assigned gender and invalidates any documents that do not.
Opponents to the legislation have claimed it directly targets the transgender population, violating their rights and putting them in harm’s way for harassment, with many individuals indicating their plans to relocate from the state entirely. When asked if he is concerned as to whether the new mandate could hurt the state school system, McGehee says it is not a pressing concern at this time, at least at the local level.
At the tail end of discussions on this matter Wednesday night, USD 253 board member Jami Reever spoke out in opposition to the legislation, saying she fears for the safety and well-being of transgender students and residents as a result of its institution.
As for the next immediate steps, Reever says the district should follow the letter of the law; however, she hopes the district will also take steps to provide resources and support to any students or families who may be negatively impacted by doing so. When asked what she feels would be ideal in that regard, Reever says it’s too early to say for sure, but she trusts Superintendent McGehee and his staff to do what is right for their students, adding that whatever decisions are made, she hopes they are done so with “humanity” in mind.
Those with questions or concerns regarding SB 244 and its impact on the district are asked to reach out to their child’s specific school building or the district offices by calling 620-341-2200.
In other business Wednesday, board members received a strategic plan measurables update, which included information on student achievement and success and culture and communication. Previously, Wednesday’s information would have been a smaller piece of a much larger quarterly report; however, as noted Wednesday evening, the leadership team has chosen to begin “piecing out” measurables throughout the quarters rather than trying to include metrics and measures on every single area in a single report.
District Community Relations Director Lyndel Landgren says the condensed, more focused reports will likely be less “overwhelming” than what has been delivered in the past.
Landgren says there is no exact plan for how the district will determine what information will be presented during which quarter, saying they will likely look at the most pressing matters to determine the best set of data to present at each given time.
Additional details from Wednesday’s meeting can be found online at USD253.org under the Boarddocs tab.
The USD 253 Board of Education will next convene on Wednesday, March 11 at 6 pm inside the Mary Herbert Education Center.
