WATERTOWN, New York (WWNY) – “Appalling.” That’s the word state Senator Mark Walczyk used to describe the New York State Education Department’s most recent guidelines for schools.
“There’s a lot of concerns here. But right off the top, the message from the state Education Department to schools is to not tell the parents what’s going on with their own children,” said Walczyk (R. – 49th District)
The guidelines are designed to protect the sexualities and gender identities of students.
It includes measures like mandatory inclusive math word problems, a requirement to reprint yearbooks if students change their gender identity, and it makes misgendering a student a human rights violation. (Misgendering is when someone is referred to by a gender they don’t identify as.)
Senator Walczyk says the state’s priorities are wrong.
“Working on reading and math skills, science and technology. Instead, the state Education Department is bizarre in their focus on childhood sexuality,” he said.
At ACR Health’s center for LGBTQ+ youth, Hillary Avallone says she believes the guidelines are a step in the right direction.
“I think having best practices like this can help make sure that all students are succeeding, not just the ones that are cisgender or straight to make sure they get everything they need,” said Avallone. (Cisgender is a term used to describe a person whose gender identity aligns with that typically associated with the sex assigned to them at birth.)
According to Avallone, an overwhelming number of LGBTQ youth experience discrimination. She says fostering a healthy environment should take precedence.
“If they don’t feel safe in an environment the way they’re told they have to be, how are they supposed to learn and be successful in what they are legally supposed to be doing,” she said.
These guidelines affect every level of education in New York, except those run by religious organizations.
Read the guidelines below:
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