Colorado Teachers Union allegedly instructed teachers to delete evidence of student surveys on gender identity, according to a report.
Colorado Teachers Union Instructs Teachers to Destroy Evidence of Student Surveys on Gender Identity
A Colorado teachers union reportedly instructed teachers to destroy evidence of student surveys on gender identity. This controversial move has sparked outrage among parents and raised concerns about transparency in schools.
Jeffco Public Schools, the district serving students in the west Denver area, had previously advised teachers to avoid administering surveys about students’ preferred pronouns due to ongoing lawsuits surrounding the issue. A slide sent by the school district explicitly stated, “Please no preferred pronoun/gender identity questionnaire. Do not promise to keep information from parents.”
However, the Jefferson County Education Association, which represents teachers in the area, gave teachers different guidance, CBS Colorado reported.
The union sent out an email to teachers advising them to conduct any gender identity questionnaires using paper and pencil, as digital records are more permanent and may be subject to requests under federal law. They also instructed teachers to make notations about students without holding onto the documents.
Parents have accused the teachers and their union of disregarding federal and state laws. Local group Jeffco Kids First claims that dozens of teachers conducted the gender identity surveys after receiving guidance from the union on how to hide the evidence.
Denice Crawford, a parent with three children in the school district, expressed her feelings of betrayal when her son came home with a survey asking about his gender identity. She told CBS Colorado, “I don’t feel I can trust the teachers. This is not political. It’s just they’re breaking the law.”
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Initially, Crawford felt reassured when the school district emailed all employees before school started, reminding them about restrictions on surveys that ask children about protected information and the option for parents to opt out. However, school board member Susan Miller emphasized that the union’s actions have put teachers’ jobs at risk, as violating the law can result in the loss of their licenses.
“The leadership actually provided an avenue to get around the law and basically saying it was OK,” Miller stated. “I want parents to know the district takes this very seriously.” She called on the teachers union to issue a correction to their guidance, acknowledging their mistake and the need to comply with the law.
However, the union’s president, Brooke Williams, did not offer a correction in her statement. Instead, she defended the importance of allowing students to share their preferred pronouns while maintaining privacy. Williams also emphasized that teachers should follow the district’s policy, which prohibits disclosing a student’s gender identity to parents unless the student gives permission or legal requirements demand it.
“Transgender and gender nonconforming students have the right to discuss and express their gender identity and expression openly and to decide when, with whom, and how much to share private information,” Williams stated.
Transparency surrounding students’ gender identity has become a contentious issue among parents in recent years. Some parents in various states have accused schools of keeping their children’s identities a secret, leading to lawsuits against school districts.
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