The National Center for Lesbian Rights, Gender Spectrum, the National Education Association, the Human Rights Campaign and the American Civil Liberties Union have joined forces to produce Schools In Transition: A Guide for Supporting Transgender Students in K-12 Schools for distribution to various school administrations.
The publication's aim is to provide an informative guide to help school officials as well as parents assist and encourage transgender students.
Lead authors were Asaf Orr of NCLR, and Joel Baum from Gender Spectrum. Ellen Kahn of HRC wrote about the importance of the guide Op-ed: Let's Take the Terror Out of Transitioning in School at the Advocate.
Educators should have the tools they need to guide them through the process of supporting transgender students, and this first-of-its-kind blueprint covers topics ranging from basic concepts of gender and the importance of affirming gender identity, to best practices for restroom access and working with unsupportive parents.
--Kahn
Having worked with many transgender students and their families, I know that school administrators want to do what they can to meet the needs of their transgender students and comply with Title IX. Unfortunately, many are unsure about how to achieve that goal. This guide changes that by giving all the stakeholders in a school the tools to support a transgender student in their school. Following this guide will not only assist schools in complying with Title IX, but also create a safe and more supportive environment for all students in the district.
--Orr
NEA is proud to be a co-author of Schools in Transition, a first-of-its kind guide to supporting transgender students in K-12 schools. This publication is an extremely valuable resource for the three million NEA members who work tirelessly to assure that their schools and classrooms are safe and welcoming for all students. And it will be a lifesaver for the increasing number of transgender students who are living as their authentic selves. Only when every school provides an inclusive, respectful environment can every student achieve their full potential.
--NEA President Lily Eskelsen Garcia
At the ACLU, I talk with trans and gender-nonconforming students and their parents from all over the country all the time. This guide answers many questions I hear almost daily, and provides practical step-by-step advice for everything from how schools should approach names and pronouns, to privacy concerns, to ways transgender students can use special education laws to get accommodations at school.
--ACLU strategist Chris Hampton
We could not be more proud of this partnership with other leaders dedicated to creating safe, supportive schools for transgender students. This groundbreaking publication will provide in-depth and practical guidance for school administrators, counselors, teachers, and parents — all of whom are key to ensuring that transgender children can learn and thrive at school.
--Kahn
Schools in Transition is a unique and crucial resource for educators, caregivers and students. A young person's assertion of their authentic gender and the attendant questions it raises can feel overwhelming for all involved. This invaluable tool effectively breaks down the process, helping convert uncertainty to action. It provides a roadmap in which everyone can locate themselves on the journey to a successful experience for all.
--Baum