Protesters Challenge Frederick County School Policy on Transgender Students

FREDERICK, MD News (9/12/2023) – A protest is slated to occur on September 13, 2023, outside the Frederick County Public Schools (FCPS) Board of Education building, located at 191 East Street in Frederick, Maryland. The protest is in response to FCPS Policy 443 and is scheduled to take place from 5:30 pm to 7 pm.

According to a video on the FCPS website, policy 443, adopted in 2017, aims to protect and affirm the rights of transgender and gender nonconforming students within the Frederick County Public School system. However, according to a flyer distributed by the organizers and obtained by Radio Free Hub City, protesters claim that the policy permits school staff to facilitate a student’s transition to a new gender identity, even if the parents and the child’s doctor and psychologist object to changes in the child’s name and pronouns.

To address these claims, Radio Free Hub City examined the specifics of Policy 443:

Input from Parents and Doctors: The policy does not explicitly state that parents and doctors are involved in making decisions regarding a child’s preferred name or gender pronouns. It emphasizes a student’s right to privacy and their freedom to express their gender identity, but it doesn’t provide detailed procedures for parental or medical input.

Access to Facilities and Sports: The flyer also alleges that Policy 443 allows biological males to enter girls’ bathrooms and changing rooms, as well as participate in girls’ sports teams. Based on the policy’s text, it does grant students access to facilities that correspond to their gender identity, which means yes, a student who is a biological male but identifies as female would have access to girls’ bathrooms and changing rooms. The policy emphasizes inclusivity and privacy for all students without specifying restrictions based on biological sex. Similarly, the policy permits transgender students to participate in sports and physical education classes in line with their gender identity.

Full details of FCPS policies, including Policy 443, are available at the FCPS website.

The flyer promoting the protest under the banner of “Schools aren’t listening to parents. It’s time they did” encourages parents to also join an international school walkout by keeping their children home on September 14 to protest what they perceive as schools infringing upon parental rights.

The flyer also provides a link to Unteach.net, a website offering resources and information related to the protest, including a sample excused absence letter and videos on the topic.

According to sources, a counter-protest is also planned.

This is a developing story, and Radio Free Hub City will update it as new information becomes available.

Article by multiple RFHC staff.