AMHERST — A new policy being considered by the Amherst Regional School Committee, which could be in place before the new school year, would ensure gender identity and LGBTQIA+ inclusion by setting a standard of professional conduct for teachers, counselors and others who work at the middle and high schools.
The committee on Tuesday did a first reading of Policy ACAA, also known as “Commitment to Identity-Affirming School Culture and Staff Accountability.”
“It sets out a policy that demands an accepting environment and demands accountability for those who do not provide an accepting environment,” said Shutesbury representative Anna Heard, who sits on the committee’s Joint Policy Review Subcommittee.
“What we really wanted to do is state within this document that misgendering individuals, using dead names, using derogatory remarks concerning sexual orientation, gender indeity or gender expression, whenever in a school environment, whether that be at the school, whether that be over social media, whether that be on a school trip, especially by a staff member, is considered bullying and is considered conduct unbecoming,” Heard said.
The policy calls for that unbecoming conduct to lead to consequences that would be enforced by Superintendent E. Xiomara Herman, including adjusting an educator’s student-facing role, being reassigned or even terminated, even if Title IX violations are not confirmed. The policy also has an element that allows families to seek from building principals a no-contact directive that would prevent a teacher or staff member from contacting a student in a family’s household.
Pelham representative William Sherr, who is also on the subcommittee, said he drafted the policy so that students who might otherwise be targeted by misgendering and deadnaming, or who are subject to derogatory remarks concerning their sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression, are protected.
“We’re really trying to implement this as the best we can to protect the students,” Sherr said.
The policy starts with definitions of various terms used throughout. It also recommends various training and professional development take place for affirming LGBTQIA+ students, inclusive language, biased-based bullying and trauma informed practices related to gender identity.
“This training shall be required for all staff,” the policy states. “Participation will not be optional, and completion will be tracked by Human Resources.”
“Through these measures, we commit to not only words of support but to policies that enforce them, ensuring that all students, especially LGBTQIA+ youth, are protected, affirmed and empowered in our schools.”
Committee members noted there were few models elsewhere from which to draw. “It’s just understood that staff do the right things,” Sherr said.
“It’s a new territory, it’s a new policy, it’s a new thought on it,” Sherr said.
Heard and Sherr explained that they looked at a policy from the Berkeley, California school district to protect trans students, from other districts across the country and consulted with the Human Rights Campaign.
Amherst representative Sarah Marshall said she worries that the first time someone slips up could lead to serious consequences, wondering if it might be sufficient to hjave retraining, more professional development and coaching before more punishment is handed out.
But Sherr said being courteous to all students isn’t that big a challenge, and the results of inappropriate actions can be attempted suicides by trans students.
“I don’t understand how it can be difficult, and I don’t want us to hide behind that, because kids are still dying,” Sherr said.
Scott Merzbach can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com.
