Recent developments in the discussion of civil rights of transgender students are causing school districts to adapt.
However, Fulton Public School District is ahead of the curve, according to Jacque Cowherd, superintendent of Fulton Public Schools.
"We have a policy on transgender students that we adopted last year," said Cowherd. "We have transgender students across the school district, and the principals have worked with parents and students to find a plan to accommodate."
Cowherd added that he is pleased with the communication between principals and parents concerning the issue.
"I credit the principals for accommodating students and working with the parents," said Cowherd.
Last Friday, the U.S. Department of Education and Justice released guidelines providing school districts with the information they need to ensure that all students, including transgender students, can attend school in an environment free of discrimination.
The guidelines state that, "Schools receiving federal money may not discriminate based on a student's sex, including a student's transgender status."
According to the guidelines, when schools are notified by a student or their parent that a student is transgender, the school must treat the student consistent with the gender with which they identify. Additionally, school officials cannot require the student to have a medical diagnosis, undergo any medical treatment, or produce a birth certificate or other identification before treating them as the gender with which they identify.
The guidelines also obligate school officials to respond promptly to reports of sexual harassment, allow students to participate in gender-segregated activities and access gender-segregated facilities. They must also provide additional privacy options to any student for any reason.
Many school districts have yet to update their current policy concerning transgender students. "We are all in the same boat, and for the most part we are looking to make changes this summer," said Kevin Hillman, superintendent of South Callaway School District.
Hillman says that many school districts are waiting on an official statement from state government to make the necessary changes.
"It's very unclear what the state is doing on the issue," said Hillman.
Even though the policy changes concerning Friday's statements are being discussed by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Sarah Potter, communications coordinator for the department, says that all Missouri school districts are required to have a non-discrimination policy.
Some schools across the United States have begun to allow students to participate in competitive sports based on their gender identity. Some have required that, on overnight trips, a student be assigned a room based on their gender identity as well.
The Missouri State High School Activities Association, the governing body for high school athletics in the state, doesn't plan on making changes based on the statement.
According to the MSHSAA handbook, students must undergo a year of hormone therapy in order to participate in activities as the gender opposite their birth gender.
"The one thing we want to make sure of is that we have the safety of all students in mind," said Jason West, communications director for MSHSAA. "There are biological differences between males and females that we have to take into consideration."
In a handbook released by the U.S. Department of Education concerning transgender students, all students need to have access to a restroom or locker room consistent with the gender with which they identify.
"Schools often segregate restrooms and locker rooms by (gender), but some schools have policies that students must be permitted to access facilities consistent with their gender identity and not be required to use facilities inconsistent with their gender identity or alternative facilities" stated the handbook.
While policy changes have been made to accommodate transgender students, complete compliance with the statement is a work in progress.
"Most of our current policy works," said Cowherd. "What varies with the federal edict is our policy on restroom use."
He noted that the policy states that students must use a restroom consistent with their birth gender.
School districts, according to Cowherd, need to find equilibrium between protecting the rights of transgendered students and the rights of other students, which is a difficult task to conduct during the final month of the school year.
"Most of us in schools have a lot going on at this time, we will have time to address this in the summer," said Cowherd.
Federal guideline also state that school officials must provide alternative privacy options, upon request, to students who may not feel comfortable sharing facilities with transgender students.
Parents can access Fulton's transgender student policy on the Board of Education's website, fulton58.org. Official statements from the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, and policy changes consistent with the state laws can be expected in the summer.