BELLEVUE, Neb. (WOWT) – The room started full and stayed full for the Bellevue Public Schools Board of Education meeting.
In attendance, parents, students, alumni.
Some agreed.
“I want to commend you,” said one woman.
Others didn’t.
“You should not adopt this change,” said another man.
The change in question slashes many parts of the district’s current transgender regulation, or Code 511.
In 2015 Bellevue Public Schools adopted CODE 511. It provides guidance for “how to support the needs of the district’s transgender students and their families.”
The changes include allowing teachers to disclose a student’s transgender status to others, including parents; removing the right of transgender students to talk about their gender identity; and rewriting restroom access to say students shall have access to the bathroom that corresponds to their sex, not their gender identity.
Superintendent Jeff Rippe cited a few reasons for the change:
“We’ve had concerned students, concerned parents, about this policy,” he said.
Earlier this month, the Department of Education sent a letter requesting schools certify they’re not using DEI policies or else they’ll lose federal funding.
“$10 million is what we get in federal funding,” said Rippe. “And that means a lot to this school district. Speaking personally, we cannot afford to lose $10 million.”
Rory Vargas is transgender. He graduated from Bellevue Public Schools last year and is against the change.
“What is the logic to tell whether or not a student is trans?” said Vargas. “It’s invasive not only to trans children but also every single child in that school to be subject to investigation depending on what restroom you’re using.”
Timothy Fisher from Bellevue supports it.
“Girls need to know they’re safe when they use these facilities and that their leadership at all levels recognizes and supports them,” said Fisher.
In the end, after more than an hour of public comment, the board unanimously voted to approve the change.
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