(TheIndependentStar.com) – Disregarding parental objections and opposition to this topic, a school district in Colorado is rolling out an “LGBTQ+ tool kit” that forces students to attend lessons on LGBTQ+ topics.
The Denver School District developed this tool kit, which was updated in July, and explicitly prohibits students from opting out of LGBTQ+ lessons and curriculum, even if they or their parents have differing beliefs.
The only exception where opting out is allowed is for sex-ed lessons, but no parental permission is required for teaching other LGBTQ+ topics.
According to the document, Denver Public Schools also provided several books on LGBTQ+ subjects. These topics are considered age-appropriate and will be taught across all grade levels.
Furthermore, the tool kit also includes a glossary of LGBTQ+ definitions and sets specific rules for staff when dealing with students who are transitioning.
It notes that no student, whether transgender or non-binary, will be excluded from overnight trips. Plus, a student’s “sexual orientation” and gender identity must remain private during these trips.
In turn, the document states that the Denver school district does not need parental consent to use a student’s preferred pronouns at school. It also provides guidelines on how to assist a student in transitioning, even if their parents are unaware.
Faculty members are prohibited from “outing” students, meaning they cannot disclose a student’s “gender identity” or “sexual orientation” to their family. The tool kit emphasizes that all “sexual orientations are valid” and that transgender individuals may have more than one “sexual orientation.”
These LGBTQ+ topics are part of the district’s “commitment” to equity and inclusion.
When a student is transitioning, the tool kit advises faculty and staff to ask the student about their “self-asserted gender.”
It also clarifies that transgender students do not have to provide physical proof of their gender identity, nor do they need to dress or act differently to be recognized as transgender.
Similarly, these policies have been enforced in other districts. In Washington, a school district required students to learn about LGBTQ+ topics without allowing them to opt-out. During Pride Month in June 2023, students who missed lessons were marked with unexcused absences.
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