Harrington Schools consider gender-inclusive policy

HARRINGTON – The School Board is considering adopting a “gender inclusive” policy that would create procedures for addressing the needs of transgender and gender-expansive students.

The board had the first reading of the policy at their meeting on Sept. 30.

The policy affirms that an “inclusive approach” to transgender and gender-expansive students in regards to “use of names and pronouns”, “restroom and locker room use”, dress codes and other items. The goal of adopting the policy would be to “provide these students with an equal opportunity for learning and achievement.”

In order to do this, the policy outlines that the district would require specific training for staff and volunteers and appoint a primary contact to receive copies of formal and informal complaints.

Superintendent Wayne Massie said Harrington School District is considering adopting the policy in order to “comply with civil rights requirements.”

Massie declined to comment about potential restroom or locker room policies and said those rules “would be developed.”

“The policy we reviewed is a model policy from the Washington State School Director’s Association,” Massie related. “The board may or may not adopt this policy.”

Based on school board policy procedures, the board may vote to adopt the policy at the upcoming Oct. 28 meeting. The meeting begins with a 6:00pm work session and a regular meeting at 6:30pm.

However, the board may also continue the policy for a third reading before making a decision.

Discussion of the policy at the Sept. 30 meeting suggested that some state funding or grants may not be available if the school does not pass the policy. Superintendent Massie said funding “may or may not be attached.”

Other school districts in the county, including the Davenport School District, have not adopted the gender inclusive policy.

Katy Payne, a spokesperson for the Office of Superintendent for Public Instruction, said a 2019 law requires districts to pass policies that incorporate elements of the “gender inclusive schools” policy.

“Senate Bill 5689 (2019), now codified in state law as RCW 28A.642.080, requires each school district to adopt or amend, if necessary, policies and procedures that, at a minimum, incorporate all of the elements of the WSSDA “Gender-Inclusive Schools” policy and procedure,” Payne said. “The law also requires the WSSDA model policy to be consistent with OSPI’s rules and guidelines related to gender identity and gender expression.”

Districts may be penalized for not passing the gender inclusive language, according to Payne.

“It is accurate that funding could be tied to compliance with this requirement. RCW 28A.642.050 gives OSPI the power to enforce and obtain compliance with statute, as well as with OSPI’s rules and guidelines,” she noted. “That section of RCW says: The order may include, but is not limited to, termination of all or part of state apportionment or categorical moneys to the offending school district, termination of specified programs in which violations may be flagrant within the offending school district, institution of corrective action, and the placement of the offending school district on probation with appropriate sanctions until compliance is achieved.”