Clark County school trustees vote to move ahead with gender policy

The Clark County School Board voted late Thursday to move forward with a plan to craft a policy relating to students with “gender diverse identities.”

The board’s vote to direct Superintendent Pat Skorkowsky and his staff to create a process came at 11:47 p.m., after hours of public comment. Trustees Kevin Child, Linda Young and Chris Garvey voted against the measure.

The vote — which previously has been delayed multiple times because of community concerns — would not enact a formal policy. It would direct staff to create a draft policy to bring before the board, which would go through multiple public hearings before a final vote.

Community members on both sides of the issue crammed into the Clark County Commission chambers, a larger venue than the School Board meeting room, as the board was set to discuss and vote on the topic again.

The board also pushed the meeting’s start time to 6 p.m. to allow for more community members to attend.

Clark County School District officials estimated more than 200 members of the public signed up to speak on the topic.

But while some parents appreciated the move to a large venue, it didn’t negate issues with the overall plan.

“What we’re asking is we take a step back,” parent Erin Phillips said. “This process has been really tainted. It’s caused a lot of divisiveness and distrust.”

Earlier in the meeting, some board members accused others of stalling on the issue. Elected officials, including County Commissioner Chris Giunchigliani and state Sen. David Parks, urged action on the issue.

“We can’t sit on this. The time has already passed us,” said Assemblyman Nelson Araujo, a Democrat running for secretary of state. “It is our responsibility as elected officials to always stand up for what is right.”

Dan Reynolds, a Clark County School District graduate and member of Imagine Dragons, wrote a letter of support for the creation of a policy, read by Trustee President Deanna Wright.

“Our LGBTQ youth need us. They need to know they are safe at school,” he wrote.

Under a state law passed last year, districts must require certain training concerning the needs of persons with diverse gender identities. District trustees voted to create a working group in July, after the law was passed, to help obtain input on the policy.

The yet-to-be-written policy would provide consistent, districtwide guidelines on certain topics, including how students can change their names, where they may dress for gym and overnight accommodations for field trips.

But that’s inviting abuse, according to some parents.

“We know there will be kids out there who will abuse it, and then my child is no longer safe in a place she is supposed to feel safe,” said parent Tiffany Frederick.

Others said the policy wouldn’t protect the majority of students.

”I urge you to consider the privacy of all children and not just a small minority,” said MaryAnn Dillard. “Please don’t disregard their right to privacy and their right to feel safe and protected while at school.”

Nevada’s Department of Education is also working on a regulation, which could serve as a starting point for districts and includes areas they must consider and include in their own policies. In January, the state put a hold on its regulation, since Clark County had already started the process. The state is set to vote on its regulation March 30.

A draft version of the state regulation required districts to allow students to pick the cap and gown combination appropriate to their gender identity; and it would generally require districts to take steps to prevent discrimination, harassment, bullying and cyber-bullying of transgender students.

Contact Meghin Delaney at 702-383-0281 or mdelaney@reviewjournal.com. Follow @MeghinDelaney on Twitter.