North Dakota School District Won’t Tell Parents About Kids’ Gender Identity Despite Law
"Our students need advocates, not opposition," the superintendent said in defending the decision.
A school district in North Dakota will not abide by a new state law requiring teachers to tell parents if their child identifies as transgender.
Citing recent suicide rates among LGBTQ+ youth, Dr. Rupak Gandhi, the Fargo Public Schools superintendent, announced that the district would be obeying federal law and not the new state law.
"As a district and as an administration, my responsibility is to our students and our educators," Gandhi said at the meeting, which happened the day after the new legislation was signed into law by North Dakota Gov. Republican Doug Burgum.
The bill also allows public schools and government entities to ignore the pronouns of transgender people.
- North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum Launches Presidential Campaign
- North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum Set to Enter 2024 Presidential Race
- North Dakota Governor Exploring Presidential Run
- Tattletale laws: Florida and Texas are trying to get the public to be their culture warriors
- Florida School District Removes Book About Segregation After Parent Complaint
"There will be times where we have to make decisions that may not be interpreted in the same accordance of the spirit of state law," he added, saying the law places "politics over our humanity."
"Our students need advocates, not opposition," Gandhi said, adding that he would not allow the outing of any of the district's students.
The decision was met with ire from some parents and local clergy, who spoke out during a 50 minute-long public comment period at the board's crowded May 23 meeting.
"My two children are my two children, not yours," one mom said, pointing at the board before threatening legal action. "If very important information is being shared with a teacher or staff member and you withhold that information from me, the parent, god forbid something happened to my child."
Another woman said the board would be setting a bad example for students by breaking state law.
Several speakers said they didn't think it was the district's place to keep students' secrets from their own parents.
You are now signed up for our newsletter.
- Thousands of Mormon Crickets Descend on Nevada Town: ‘The Smell Is Extremely Bad’News
- Reporter Accidentally Tells Host ‘I Love You’ on Air While Texting Mom During Live HitNews
- Raj Shah, Fox Exec, Has Left Company After Dominion SettlementNews
- Man Survives Flesh-Eating Bacteria He Got After Being Bitten While Breaking up Family FightNews
- Russia to Deploy Nuclear Weapons in Belarus in July, Putin SaysNews
- Oklahoma Softball Completes Three-Peat, Runs Winning Streak to 53 Consecutive GamesNews
- WHO Sees Risk of Cholera After Dam Break in UkraineNews
- Horses Won’t Lead Caissons at Arlington National Cemetery Funerals Through June 2024 for Health ReasonsNews
- Designer of Viral Double-Decker Airplane Seat Says It’s More Comfortable for PassengersNews
- 18-Year-Old Accused of Trying to Raise Money for ISIS Through Gift Card SchemeNews
- Ukraine Says it Intercepted Telephone Call Proving a Russian ‘Sabotage Group’ Blew Up the Kakhovka DamNews
- Worst Air Quality Hovers Over Mid-Atlantic as New England Starts Seeing ImprovementNews