Community Advisory Council Meeting September 20, 2016 Guidelines for Gender Identification Non-Discrimination Steve Johnson, Assistant Superintendent of Instruction, gave a presentation on guidelines for gender identification non-discrimination (attached). He provided background information on the “Dear Colleague” letter and shared the charge and recommendations of the committee and subcommittees. A revised student dress code policy that assures Title IX compliance on gender neutrality has been presented to the Board of Education for approval and is now out for public input. Other policy revisions, as well as a recommended new policy on equal educational opportunities, will be brought to the Board beginning in October. The Board has decided to hold on action regarding facility assessment and athletics, student activities, and overnight field trips pending the outcome of appeals to the Superior Court and likely the Supreme Court. CAC members were asked to share this information with their school communities. The full report is posted on the CCPS website at: https://www.carrollk12.org/boe/BoardShareDocs/2016/09-14-2016/Attachments/9.3/COVER%20Guidelines%20for%20Gender%20Identity%20Non-Discrimination%20and%20Attachments.pdf. Items Currently Out for Feedback Board feedback items are highlighted in the Board Notes email that is sent to all parents the day after the Board meeting. New this year, Carey Gaddis will be sending the documents related to items out for feedback directly to CAC members for their input. She will compile the information and prepare a report from CAC for the Superintendent and Board. The Board is currently accepting feedback on the following items from the September meeting:

• 2017 Legislative Position Statements

• Proposed 2017-2018 Pre-Labor Day and Post-Labor Day Start School Calendars

2016/2017 MEETING DATES

September 20, 2016 November 15, 2016

January 18, 2017 March 16, 2017

May 17, 2017

Community Advisory Council CARROLL COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

• Proposed High School Program of Studies and Career Pathways Planning Guide 2017-18

• Proposed Revisions to Board Policy JICA – Student Dress Code

• Proposed Curriculum Guides for 2016-2017

• Proposed 2016 Five-Year Comprehensive Master Plan. Mr. Johnson also gave an update on the new Board policy and administrative regulations on freedom of expression in student journalism. Due to a change in the law, principals no longer have as much latitude in determining what information is or is not appropriate for student publications. He outlined some of the concerns related to the new policy and indicated that the Board will receive updates on how it is working. Information for New Members Ms. Gaddis reminded members that the Community Advisory Council is one of six Board-appointed committees and is not an independent organization. She highlighted the following:

• CAC receives assignments from the Board to provide feedback and study specific topics. In addition, CAC may make a request through the Superintendent to study a topic of its choosing.

• An important part of being a CAC member is sharing information with the school principal and school community and bringing information back to CAC, the Superintendent, and the Board.

• CAC members include a representative from each school and each of the five employee bargaining groups.

• If a CAC member is unable to attend a meeting, it is highly recommended that he or she send a representative.

• All CAC meetings are open to the public, but there is no public participation.

• Fact sheets will be prepared and distributed for CAC members to share on specific topics.

• New members are encouraged to review the CAC bylaws.

• Please make sure that we have your correct contact information and let us know if there are changes throughout the year.

• Agendas, minutes, bylaws, and other information is available on the CCPS website at https://www.carrollk12.org/admin/commedia/Pages/CommunityAdvisoryCouncil.aspx.

Promotion of CAC Ms. Gaddis outlined activities associated with an awareness campaign to better inform parents about the role of CAC:

• Develop a video PSA and flyer

• Send emails to parents and employees

• Attend principals meetings to talk about how CAC members communicate with principals and school communities, make sure that it is being done the same way in each school, and that all CAC members have an opportunity to communicate with their school communities and get information from their school communities to bring back to CAC. It was suggested that CAC representatives could have a space in school and PTA/PTO newsletters and that a link to CAC could be placed on each school website.

• Provide principals with information about CAC that they can share in their newsletters. Proposed Changes in Bylaws According to the CAC Bylaws, nominations for Chair are to take place at the March meeting each year and the election is scheduled for the last meeting of the school year. CAC members discussed the possibility of moving the election to the beginning of the school year so that new members could vote. It was decided to continue holding elections in the spring as written in the Bylaws. Since the election for Chair was not held in the spring, Ms. Gaddis will be sending out an email calling for nominations and the election will take place at the next CAC meeting. Updates Ms. Gaddis announced that CCPS is now on Facebook and will soon begin using Twitter. CAC members would like to see the school system make more use of social media and recommended that the Superintendent begin Tweeting. The Carroll County, MD PTA/PTO Sharing Page on Facebook is for current Carroll County PTO and PTA board members and committee chairs to share information and experiences in their organization. This is a moderated, closed group. It is in no way affiliated with Carroll County Public Schools. https://www.facebook.com/groups/CarrollPTAPTO/ https://m.facebook.com/ShilohPTO/. (Shiloh's FB page) Discussion took place regarding the scheduling of PTA/PTO meetings. It was suggested that schools in the same feeder area try not to schedule their meetings at the same time. Please see below for CAC contact information: Nancy Codner, Chair ngcodne@carrollk12.org 443-821-2415 Bob Lord, Board Representative relord@carrollk12.org 443-522-0180 Carey Gaddis, Staff Liaison wcgaddi@carrollk12.org 410-751-3020, 443-744-0605

The meeting adjourned at 8:45 p.m. Attendance Jen Audlin, Freedom Elementary; Erin Bishop, Liberty High; Stephanie Brooks, Cranberry Station Elementary; Tim Brunker, Sandymount Elementary; Nancy Codner, Cranberry Station Elementary; Diane Deal, Carroll Springs/Carroll Association of School Employees; Steve Geiger, South Carroll High; Grace Giemek, Manchester Elementary; Heather Grimsley, Linton Springs Elementary; Patty Hill, Career and Technology Center; Ariana Kamalvand, Carroll County Student Government Association; Karen Lander, Hampstead Elementary; Tina Le, Ebb Valley Elementary; Tina Lewis, Mt. Airy Middle; Bob Lord, Board Representative/Mechanicsville Elementary; Bethany Mazalewski, Parr’s Ridge Elementary; Teresa McCulloh, Carroll County Education Association; Christina McGann, Shiloh Middle; Tracey Michael, Sykesville Middle; Susan Neubert, Friendship Valley Elementary/Westminster High; Tom Rhoads, Manchester Valley High; Rob Schilling, Gateway School/Crossroads Middle; Heidi Risser, Spring Garden Elementary; Erin Sipes, Runnymede Elementary; Laura Valente, North Carroll Middle; Jen Weitzel, Mt. Airy Elementary; Missie Wilcox, Winters Mill High The following schools were not represented: Elementary Carrolltowne, Eldersburg, Elmer Wolfe, Piney Ridge, Taneytown, Westminster, William Winchester, Winfield Middle East, Northwest, Oklahoma Road, West High Century, Francis Scott Key

Guidelines for Gender Identity Non-Discrimination

Board of Education

September 14, 2016

1

Background• October 2015: MSDE publishes, Providing Safe Spaces for Transgender and

Gender Non-Conforming Youth: Guidelines for Gender Identity Non-Discrimination

• May 13, 2016: U.S. Departments of Education and Justice publish a Dear Colleague Letter

• May – June, 2016: CCPS found in violation of Title IX regulations related to student dress code

• June 15, 2016: Superintendent Guthrie establishes a committee to review all CCPS policies, regulations, procedures, and practices related to Title IX and transgender students

2

Committee• 71 Total Participants

– 17 Central Office Administrators– 18 School-Based Administrators– 13 CCPS Teachers, Counselors, Coaches– 6 CCPS Students– 17 Parents and Community Members

• 6 Subcommittees– Restrooms, Physical Education Locker Rooms, Dressing Rooms– Overnight Field Trips, Performing Arts Attire, CTE Uniforms– Student Dress Code, Graduation Traditions, Proms, School Dances– Student Records, Names, Pronouns– Athletics, Team Locker Rooms, Athletic Handbook– General Policies

3

Charge

• To make recommendations on changes to current CCPS policies, regulations, procedures, and practices that would comply with the Dear Colleague Letter and protect the rights and privacy of all students.

• NOT to debate the merits of the Dear Colleague Letter.

• NOT to make any implementation decisions.

4

Dress Code- Title IX Compliance• Policy JICA shall remain gender neutral.

• School dress codes for specific activities (i.e., graduation ceremonies, dances, performance attire, etc.) shall be gender neutral; that is, no separate categories of clothing requirements for either males or females.

• High schools shall choose one gown for use by all students during the graduation ceremony.

5

Identification of Transgender Students

• Notification by student or student’s parent/guardian

• Once notified, school begins to treat student consistent with gender identity

• No legal or medical documentation required

• Transition conference

• School counselor check-ins

6

Student Records, Names, Pronouns• Student’s legal name shall be used for all official student records.

• Legal documentation must be presented for an official name change.

• School staff shall address a student by the student’s preferred

name and pronoun.

• Preferred name shall be used in school publications that do not require the legal name (i.e., programs, yearbooks, etc.).

• School forms that request a student’s name shall also have a

space for the preferred name. 7

Facility Accessibility

• All students shall be provided with the option of using a restroom, locker room, and dressing room that corresponds to their gender identity.

• No student shall be required to use a facility that conflicts with the gender identity or to use individual-user facilities when other students are not required to do so.

• Restroom stall doors shall be installed and lockable.

• Privacy partitions shall be installed around urinals and showers.

• A unisex bathroom shall be designated in all schools and be available to all students.

8

Facility Accessibility (cont.)• A private changing and shower area shall be designated in all

locker rooms and made available to all students.

• For any student who expresses a need or desire for increased privacy, an alternative restroom schedule, locker room changing schedule, or facility accommodation shall be made available.

• For stadium events, schools shall provide a handicap accessible portable spot-a-pot as a unisex restroom option, unless the stadium is equipped with a unisex restroom.

9

Athletics, Student Activities, Overnight Field Trips• Students shall be permitted to try out for interscholastic athletic

teams consistent with their gender identity.

• Student participation in school-sponsored classes, clubs, and activities, where students are separated by gender, shall correspond with a student’s gender identity.

• For overnight field trips:– Allow students the opportunity to room with others according to their gender

identity;– Make efforts to accommodate any student who desires greater privacy;– Must protect the privacy rights of transgender students; that is, do not disclose

a student’s transgender status.

10

Board Policies Reviewed• No Changes Needed:

– DJAB: Band Uniform Purchase– JR: Disclosure of Directory Information– JRC: Family Educational Rights

• Changes Needed:– AC: Non-Discrimination– ACF: Bullying, Harassment, Intimidation, Discrimination, or Hazing– GBA: Equal Opportunity and Non-Discrimination– GBAA: Sexual Harassment– IICA: Student Field Trips and Excursions– JICA: Student Dress Code

• Recommended New Policy– JB: Equal Educational Opportunities

11

Next Steps

• Consider for urgent approval revisions to Board policies and administrative regulations that would bring CCPS into compliance with existing Title IX regulations and Maryland law:– AC: Non-Discrimination;

– ACF: Bullying, Harassment, Intimidation, Discrimination, or Hazing;

– GBA: Equal Opportunity and Non-Discrimination;

– GBAA: Sexual Harassment;

– JICA: Student Dress Code.

• Give direction to the Superintendent about the guidelines for gender identity non-discrimination outlined in the report.

12