The Daily Caller is reporting about a drafted guidance from Michigan’s Department of Education to Michigan’s State Board of Education.  This drafted guidance directs Michigan’s public schools to allow only the student to choose their gender, name, which pronoun they would like to be called and which bathroom and locker room they will use.  No input will be considered from the parents or medical professionals.

Basically the child, and only the child, decides what gender they want to be.

Boy oh Boy oh Boy, the Michigan Department of Education is trying to pull a fast one past parents of Michigan students.  Why a fast one?  On February 23, 2016, a memo was written by Michigan’s Department of Education (MDE) to Michigan’s State Board of Education with no press release.

Do you find it curious that Michigan’s Department of Education would not release a press statement about something so sensitive to parents of Michigan?

I read the Detroit News, Detroit Free Press, Lansing State Journal and Mlive.com everyday and did not see an article about this.  I performed a Google search to determine if I missed something.  My search came up empty.  A national news site inform me what was going on in Michigan.

Another reason MDE wanted to slip this through in the middle of the night is the citizens of Michigan have only until April 11th to comment on the drafted guidance.  The board wants to finalize the guidance at a meeting on May 10th.

What exactly does this “guidance” state:

  • “The responsibility for determining a student’s gender identity rests with the student. Outside confirmation from medical or mental health professionals, or documentation of legal changes, is not needed”
  • “Students should be allowed to use the restroom in accordance with their gender identity”
  • “Alternative and non-stigmatizing options, such as an all-gender or single user restroom (e.g., staff bathroom or nurse’s office), should be made available to students who request them, but not presented as the only option.”

Let me point out that the transgender person cannot be offered an “all-gender” or “single user” restroom “as the only option.”  This is interesting because the MDE also wrote in their drafted guidance, a young girl who might be concerned that a boy is standing naked in front of her in the locker room, can request:  “an adjusted changing schedule” or “use of a private area in the facility.”

Interesting how the children who identify as the gender they were born with, that being the 99.997% of us, are offered only a private area or adjusted schedule.

Now when it comes to parents, the guidance states that unless the child wants their parents to know, the school is not allowed to inform the parents.

The guidance states:   “Transgender and GNC [gender nonconforming] students have the right to decide when, with whom, and to what extent to share private information.”

And, “When contacting the parent/guardian of a transgender or GNC student, school staff should use the student’s legal name and the pronoun corresponding to the student’s assigned sex at birth, unless the student or parent/guardian has specified otherwise.”

So let me see if I have this right:

  • A state government agency (MDE) informs another government agency (public schools) that when a child decides they are a gender different than what they are born as, they must be addressed by their gender of choice.
  • The government has made it official by requiring another government agency record the chosen gender in school records.
  • The government agency cannot inform the parent of this choice, unless given permission by the child.
  • If the school does need to speak with the parent for a different issue, the school is to identify the child by their legal name.

Does that sound right to you?

You can officially comment about these new drafted guidelines at Every Voice Counts Forum.

If you are so inclined you could contact the Michigan's State Superintendent of Education Brian Whiston at 517-373-3324.  Or contact John Austin, President of the State Board of Education at 517-373-3902.

The Live with Renk Show, airs Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to noon, to let me know your thoughts call (269) 441-9595.

Or please feel free to start a discussion and write your thoughts in the comment section

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