Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/1509126
T H E 16 - Y E A R - O L D S T U D E N T stood before the September 12 Kern County Board of Education and told their story. After they were outed to their parents, their parents kicked them out of the house. "As you should have been!" shouted a woman from the back . The student ignored the outburst , wait- ing for a board member to stop the commotion that followed. When that didn't happen, they took a breath and continued speaking: They now had nowhere to live. The student was part of a coalition of students, parents and CTA locals, including Bakersfield Elementary Teachers Association, Kern County Education Association, Kern High School Teachers Association and Kern Community College District/CCA. The coalition also includes supporters such as the Democratic Women of Kern. Coalition members shared concerns about the policy, which would require educators to "out" students who choose to be identified as any name, nickname and/or gender that does not match enrollment records or is not of the "common" nicknames recognized by the school. Ultimately the county board tabled the vote on the proposed gender dis- closure policy until a legal decision is made on a similar policy in the Chino Valley Unified School District, a legal process expected to take two years. Similar policies have been proposed in other school districts. CTA and local chapter educators say such policy endangers students, is discriminatory, promotes bullying and threatens edu- cators by jeopardizing their teaching credentials if they violate state laws. An outing policy was passed in Anderson Union High School District in Coalition members against the proposed "outing" policy show support at the Kern school board meeting, including Marisa Wood (CTA member and candidate for U.S. House of Representatives District 20; at right in blue). A Victory — for Now Kern County school board tables vote on forced outing policy By Cynthia Menzel Shasta County in August. The Ander- son Union High School Teachers Association filed an Unfair Labor Practice charge demanding the policy be rescinded. The Rocklin Teachers Profes- sional Association (RTPA) has asked the Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) to order the outing policy passed by the Rocklin Unified School District board in September be rescinded. RTPA was denied the legal right to bargain the effects of the outing policy on teaching and learning; bargaining after the fact puts RTPA educators at a disadvantage and enables the board to benefit from unlawful, uni- lateral changes. RTPA is asking that the district restore the status quo by rescinding the policy entirely before the chapter agrees to bargain its effects. RTPA has also filed an unfair labor practice charge on this issue. CTA local leaders say they will defend against any attempt to discipline educators for refusing to follow any directive that violates state law. "Our students are our top priority," RTPA President Travis Mougeotte said. "We appreciate and have great respect for our parents. We support all parent rights under the law. We will continue to work with our local parents to provide the highest quality public education to our students." "Our students are our top priority. We will continue to work with parents to provide the highest quality public education to our students." —RTPA President Travis Mougeotte STOP EXTREMISM P r o t e c t O u r S t u de n t s T E A C H T R U T H 30 cta.org Feature