Clark County school trustees delay vote on gender policy

The Clark County School District Board of Trustees once again delayed a vote on whether to craft a policy on how to address the needs of gender-diverse students, sparking backlash and anger at individual trustees from people on both sides of the controversial debate.

Trustees made the decision Thursday night after consulting their attorneys, facing a huge turnout that flowed into another room and outside the Edward Greer building on East Flamingo Road.

The board will hold another meeting that would be able to hold the large crowd, in compliance with open meeting law. Trustees at their Jan. 29 meeting also delayed a decision on crafting the gender policy.

Lori Bryan, president of Our Revolution Nevada, confronted the trustees after the announcement, comparing the move with the Florida Legislature’s decision to vote down a bill to ban assault rifles.

“There could be kids committing suicide or getting beaten up between now and then, or being too ashamed to go to gym class because they don’t know where to change their clothes or they’re scared to be laughed at,” she said later outside the building. “And that’s an everyday thing for these kids.”

But Karen England, executive director of the Nevada Family Alliance that opposes such a policy, said the board needed to pull the discussion because it was clear that the board was violating the law.

She also claimed officials were selecting who got into the building based on their opinions. She took issue with the way Trustee Carolyn Edwards has handled the process and wanted more information on the makeup of the working group that gave input to the board on a potential policy.

“They are so intent on bullying and pushing this policy through that they don’t care what the people think,” she said.

District spokeswoman Kirsten Searer said the public comment process was crafted with consultation with attorneys, and about 49 people on each side of the issue were allowed into the board room. Edwards said people on both sides of the issue were on the working group.

Community members also took issue with the departure of Trustees Chris Garvey and Kevin Child immediately after the decision, calling their actions shameful.

“Garvey should be ashamed. Child should be ashamed,” said Laura Hernandez of Gender Justice Nevada, leveling her comments directly at Trustee Linda Young. “It is enough kids are suffering — this is not about your political agenda.”

Ruben Murillo, president of the Nevada State Education Association, also was disappointed.

“That sends a message to the community that they don’t care,” he said. “They would’ve been here had that agenda item not been pulled. For them to leave and not stay and finish the rest of the meeting is a disrespect to the community, to the constituents they serve.”

Both Garvey and Child said they left the meeting over concern of a possible open meeting law violation. They also both took issue with the executive board officers and the lottery-style public comment process that was set up.

“During the meeting I had a couple individuals text me that they were not being allowed to enter the building and that they wanted to speak on other agenda items,” Garvey said.

Child also said everybody has to be heard.

“It’s about democracy,” he said. “Tonight was more about a dictatorship, and I’m not happy about it.”

State law requires the Department of Education prescribe a policy for all school districts that addresses the rights of gender-diverse people.

The state Board of Education will discuss revisions to existing regulations on March 30. That proposed revision states that each district shall address the rights and needs of gender-diverse students on an individualized basis — although districts are free to craft more comprehensive policies.

Contact Amelia Pak-Harvey at apak-harvey@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4630. Follow @AmeliaPakHarvey on Twitter.