Trans Student Policy Sparks Discussions In Ocean City
OCEAN CITY, NJ — A school policy regarding transgender students that has made headlines statewide was recently discussed in Ocean City, with advocates emphasizing its importance.
Policy 5756 has made headlines and raised questions statewide in recent months, as districts including Middletown, Hanover and Marlboro are being sued by the state for trying to implement policies that require schools to inform parents if a child identifies as transgender, going against the policy.
Opponents of the policy say it erodes parental rights in the district, while advocates that requiring schools to inform parents of a transgender student’s identity puts the student at risk of harm and violates their civil rights.
Find out what's happening in Ocean Citywith free, real-time updates from Patch.
The policy was not on the agenda for the latest Ocean City Board of Education meeting, however, those who spoke during the public comment session said that some board members had discussed repealing it.
It was not clear which members specifically did so, as the board has a policy against naming members during public comment. But the policy was criticized in a recent candidates forum by incumbents Robin Shaffer and Cecilia Gallelli-Keyes.
Find out what's happening in Ocean Citywith free, real-time updates from Patch.
“Any attempt by a school board to repeal this policy is at best misguided and uninformed,” said Atlantic County Queer Alliance Director Mico Lucide.
Policy 5756’s opponents say that it removes parental rights. But that is not the case, Lucide said.
State guidance on the policy says that the school does not need to inform parents of their child’s gender identity. If there is a risk related to the parent knowing, then the school can discuss that with the student and gives the student the chance to do the coming out instead of being forcibly outed, Lucide said.
“Parents and guardians are not being removed from the discussion,” Lucide said. “The school is simply prioritizing students’ safety and compliance with state laws.”
Laurie Greene, an anthropology professor at Stockton University and chair/founder of the LGBTQ Youth Safe Space there, shared statistics citing how LGBTQ students, particularly transgender teens, are more likely to attempt suicide. Rates of suicide attempts for transgender teens are almost six times higher than the average among all teens, Greene said. Ten percent of American youth ages 13 to 17 identify as LGBTQ, she said.
“LGBTQ youth are not inherently prone to suicide risk because of their sexual orientation or gender identity, but rather placed at higher risk because of how they’re mistreated and stigmatized in society,” Greene said.
The numbers improve for those who live in gender-affirming homes and whose pronouns are respected, she said.
“I’m just here to say, be mindful of your actions, the actions that you take and how it impacts safety over comfort,” Lucide told the board.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.