NATICK PUBLIC SCHOOLS: "If the student’s guardians are not aware and/or supportive of the student’s gender status, how will school-home communications be handled?"

Campaign posts for current Natick School Committee member Catherine Brunell (who is up for re-election) claim that “the schools are not going behind the backs of caregivers to counsel LGBTQ+ students.” Does she understand the current gender policy she’s in charge of? 

On November 21, 2023, Natick School Committee Chair Shai Fuxman (also up for re-election) confirmed that Natick Public Schools follows guidance from the state for children undergoing gender transitioning, which can involve secrecy from parents and gives children authority over their parents about life-changing decisions that can impact their health. Here’s what the School Committee Chair told us on public record about its policy:

“In each specific case, a plan is developed with the student. Each plan is different and developed in collaboration with the students and a team of folks at the school, and the parents if appropriate. If a student is developmentally able, we honor their wishes in the planning stages, which may include not revealing this information to their families. If this is the case, we do try to counsel them regarding how to communicate with their families. Ultimately, being able to advocate for yourself is the developmental milestone we look for here, regardless of the age.”

Natick Public Schools' gender support plan and gender communication plan documents show how the district implements its parental exclusion policy with children: “If the student’s guardians are not aware and/or supportive of the student’s gender status, how will school-home communications be handled?”  

The support plan for children changing their gender status at school also involves things such as indicating which staff members (including teachers and administrators) know about the student's gender status, which gender markers (pronouns) and name the child uses in the Student Information System, how to handle official school-home communication, which facilities the child uses, where the child changes clothes, and what facilities the child uses for class trips, including overnight trips!

Email the Natick School Committee at schoolcommittee@natickps.org to voice your concerns about its unhealthy gender policies!

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