By Elizabeth Troutman |

Scottsdale Unified School District is on Parents Defending Education’s list of schools with gender support plans. 

The gender support plan, filled out by school staff, caregivers, and students, allows schools to hide students’ identification as transgender from their parents.

The purpose of the document is to “create shared understandings about the ways in which the student’s authentic gender will be accounted for and supported at school.” 

The district’s plan to support a minor’s transgender status despite parent support or knowledge appears to be in direct violation of the Arizona Parents’ Bill of Rights, which states that parents have the “right to make all health care decisions for the minor child.”

The form asks for the name the student uses, the name on their birth certificate, their gender identity, and so-called assigned sex at birth. 

The “Parent/Guardian Involvement” section on the form measures parent knowledge of their child’s “gender status.” The form asks if parents are aware of the child’s gender status, then offers a scale of 1 to 10 to denote the student’s parents’ level of support.

“If support level is low, what considerations must be accounted for in implementing this plan?” the form asks.

The “Student Safety” section of the form establishes a “go to adult” at the child’s school, and asks “if this person is not available, what should the student do?” 

In the “Privacy: Names, Pronouns and Students Records” section, the plan asks, “How will instances be handled in which the incorrect name or pronoun are used by staff members?” 

The document asks for the “name/gender marker” on the student’s identity documents and entered into the Student Information System, as well as the name and pronouns to be used when referring to the student. 

The form asks about what adjustments need to be made to protect the student’s privacy and who will be the point person for ensuring the adjustments are made. 

Scottsdale also uses the document to denote what bathroom the student will use and where they will change clothes, demonstrating that the district would allow biological male students to share rooms, bathrooms, and changing rooms with females.

“What are the expectations regarding rooming for any overnight trip?” the form asks.

The district, which educates 22,000 students, also suggests that biological male student athletes would be allowed to play in girls’ sports. 

“In what extracurricular activities or programs will the student be participating (sports, theater, clubs, etc.)?” asks Scottsdale Unified School District. 

Elizabeth Troutman is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send her news tips using this link.