1. Do you support the policy that requires all HCPSS schools to allow transgender students to use restrooms and changing facilities based on their identified gender? Please explain your answer.

I believe HCPSS should study and adapt the model School Facilities policy developed by GLSEN, which supports equal access to all school facilities by making clear that all students have the right to be treated according to their gender identity, while also acknowledging and making accommodations for those students who, for a variety of reasons, may feel uncomfortable using shared services.

2. Would you support a policy that requires HCPSS staff and non-official documents to use the name and pronouns that a student requests? Please explain your answer.

Yes, I would support a policy requiring HCPSS staff and non-official documents to use the name and pronoun that a student requests. All students have the right to be addressed by a name, pronouns, and other terms that correspond to their gender identity. This foundational respect should not rely on whether a student has access to a legal name change or gender marker change on official documents. Educators, staff, and peers should be expected to respect a student’s name and pronouns, once they have been made aware of said student’s correct information.

3. To what age groups (if any) is it appropriate for teachers and other staff members to disclose to students that they have LGBTQ family members or are involved in a same-sex relationship?

There should be no difference in how or when LGBTQ and non-LGBTQ teachers and staff disclose their relationships to students. If it is appropriate in a given situation for a straight teacher or staff member to discuss their family or relationship with students, then it is appropriate for an LGBTQ teacher or staff member to do the same.

4. Should curriculum be revised to include reference to LGBTQ individuals, including the fact or possibility that the individuals were LGBTQ identified. If yes, what (if any) is the minimum grade level at which these changes should be made? Please explain your answer.

I think a diversity lens should be incorporated into all curriculum reviews conducted by the district, to ensure that the instructional materials used in our schools at all grade levels are not only aligned to the HCPSS curriculum; of high-quality content and format; compliant with all relevant federal, state, and local laws and standards; and age and grade appropriate; but also are representative and respectful of the pluralistic nature and diversity of our county and our global society, which includes diversity in sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression. The Instructional Materials Criteria/Review Committee (CRC) and Curricular Area Selection Committees, made up of teachers, parents, community members, students, subject area coordinators, and instructional facilitators, are charged with re-evaluating approved texts, reviewing materials for which requests for reevaluation have been received, and reviewing curricular area selection criteria, and these committees’ mandate should ensure that curriculum includes age-appropriate references to LGBTQ history and individuals when relevant.

5. Would you like to see LGBTQ themed works of literature, art, and media be introduced into the curriculum, and if yes, what (if any) is the minimum grade level at which this should be done? Please explain your answer.

I believe that our students are best served by curriculum that incorporates diverse authors/artists and themes, and this should include age-appropriate LGBTQ themed works of literature, art, and media, in accordance with HCPSS Policy 8040 - Selection of Instructional Materials, which provides a strong framework of procedures for the evaluation, selection, and review of accurate, effective, age-appropriate instructional materials used in our schools.

6. How should the school system provide more education to parents/guardians with regard to understanding and supporting LGBTQ youth? How should HCPSS reach out to parents/guardians who are unsupportive of their children’s LGBTQ identities?

Overall, HCPSS needs to improve its communication and engagement with parents, and outreach and education for parents and guardians is an important and often-overlooked component of building and sustaining schools that truly understand and support LGBTQ youth. All avenues and channels for community outreach should be explored, including leveraging existing community organizations such as PTAs and PTSAs, neighborhood organizations, religious organizations, etc. to get HCPSS staff in front of parents and community members to gain their buy-in for supporting our LGBTQ youth. As far as how to reach out to parents/guardians who are unsupportive of their children’s LGBTQ identities, the district should follow the advice and recommendations of groups like GLSEN, PFLAG, and CARY to ensure that any such outreach is conducted carefully and with the safety and welfare of the student as paramount consideration.

7. What accommodations should be made for transgender students participating in athletics organized by the school system? Which policies should be revised to reflect these accommodations?

I believe that every student should have equal opportunity in HCPSS to thrive and reach their full potential, which includes participation in extra-curricular activities such as sports. Unfortunately, many transgender and nonbinary students face barriers to participating in sports. Having the opportunity to participate in sports is so important for all students. Studies have shown that sports participation can result in so many positive outcomes, including improved emotional regulation, decreased hopelessness and suicidal tendencies, fewer depressive symptoms, and higher self-esteem. Research has also found that sports participation among LGBTQ youth specifically, results in increased psychological well-being. While HCPSS must comply with state-level policies developed by bodies such as the Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association, the district should develop policies for ensuring fairness and equality in athletic participation for all students. The district should ensure that students have the right to participate in athletics in a manner consistent with their gender identity, and where a student has a transgender or nonbinary identity, the district should work in partnership with the student to ensure participation and facility usage that is affirming and safe. Specific recommendations developed by GLSEN are an excellent starting point for developing such policies.

8. Should HCPSS make sure schools offer access to LGBTQ student clubs like GSAs to their students? At what levels (High? Middle? Elementary?) should this happen? Please explain your answer.

I believe that LGBTQ student clubs like GSAs are absolutely critical for our students at the middle school and high school levels. These clubs provide our LGBTQ students a safe and affirming space within a school environment that they may otherwise experience as hostile, and also provide avenues for students to advocate for the safety and inclusion of all students in their school. Research has shown that among LGBTQ students, attending GSA meetings more often was related to greater feelings of school belonging, slightly higher levels of self-esteem, and slightly lower levels of depression—and all these benefits are critical when considering how LGBTQ youth are at higher risk for experiencing serious mental health issues. Regarding whether GSAs should be offered in our elementary schools, I would defer to the experience and knowledge of our elementary school Rainbow Representatives and parents of our LGBTQ students; if they feel that clubs will benefit their elementary school students, then I am 100% in support.

9. Do you support the creation and funding of an LGBTQ initiatives specialist role within HCPSS? Such a role would be responsible for coordinating and developing policies and programs in support of LGBTQ students and staff within HCPSS. Please explain your answer.

Yes, I fully support the creation and funding of an LGBTQ initiatives specialist role in HCPSS, and I am very pleased this position was included in the FY23 budget. This position will provide the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion with much-needed expertise and focus in coordinating and developing policies and programs that will best support the district’s LGBTQ students and staff.

10. What changes would you like to see made to the way HCPSS handles identification, reporting, interventions, and prevention of bullying?

Policy 1060 “Bullying, Cyberbullying, Harassment, and Intimidation” is the current foundation for identifying, reporting, intervening, and preventing bullying, but there is more that HCPSS should be doing to protect all students—especially those most vulnerable to bullying like our LGBTQ youth. The district needs to track and analyze incidents of bullying that include harassment (which Policy 6010 defines as “Includ[ing] actual or perceived negative actions that offend, ridicule, or demean another person with regard to race, ethnicity, national origin, immigration status, family/parental or marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, religion, ancestry, physical attributes, socioeconomic status, physical or mental ability, disability, or political opinion”) so that district leaders can identify trends and take action as necessary. The district also needs to develop age- and school-level appropriate response plans to incidents of harassment as described above, so that our educators and administrators are prepared to handle such incidents in a way that minimizes and mitigates harm to the victim, while creating opportunities for healing and growth.

Towards this end, I strongly believe we must fully fund restorative justice practices in all our schools. I have seen restorative practice in action at Swansfield Elementary School, where my daughter is a student. The power of restorative practice is this – it teaches children to take charge of the growth and care of their community. And when that community suffers a breach, they learn how to heal it. Incidents of bullying, racism, intolerance, and fighting are an unfortunate part of youth. But restorative practice empowers students and educators to turn these incidents into moments of growing and learning. Every student in every school deserves the opportunity to learn and use these strategies from pre-K through graduation.

11. What measures should the school system take to prevent suicide among the student body?

We can’t afford to underestimate the mental health issues our students are facing today. Even before COVID-19 upended almost every aspect of their lives, alarming numbers of our children and teenagers were coping with depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, and behavioral disorders. The adversity, disruption, stress, and loss brought about by the pandemic has greatly intensified these trends. The situation is so dire that this past October, a coalition of pediatric health experts, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, declared a “National Emergency in Child and Adolescent Mental Health.” If left unaddressed, the mental health challenges our children’s generation are suffering now will continue to worsen, and may become lifelong afflictions, with dire consequences for individuals, families, and society as a whole.

There are no shortcuts or low-budget options to solve this rising crisis. It will take real commitment and significant investment of resources from the Howard County government the Board of Education, and Howard County’s legislative delegation to ensure that high-quality, trauma-informed, and culturally competent mental health care is made available to every child in every school. We simply must have more school counselors and psychologists in our schools, to bring down the ratio of mental health professional to student and allow all of our students, but especially those in crisis, to get the attention and support they need. In an environment of already strained budgets, this is a daunting prospect. However, if we fail to properly address this mental health crisis, our children will pay a heavy price, today and for decades to come.

An additional step we can take is to continue investing in social and emotional learning. Social and emotional learning (SEL) is an essential, integral part of education, learning, and human development. It’s the process by which all children and young adults learn and apply the skills, knowledge, and attitudes that are necessary to develop healthy identities, manage their emotions, build and maintain supportive relationships, make responsible decisions, and achieve their goals. Developing SEL skills (which include self-awareness, relationship skills, self-management, responsible decision-making, and social awareness) provides our children with the foundation they need to learn, grow, and achieve in our schools. Hundreds of research studies have shown that SEL leads to improved academic performance, improved behavioral outcomes, and improved school environments. (SEL is even a smart financial decision for HCPSS, as research published in 2015 found that every dollar invested in SEL programs returns $11 worth of benefits!) I am committed to ensuring that HCPSS continues the systemic implementation of SEL at every school across the district. For the Board of Education, this starts with making certain that sufficient SEL resources are prioritized and included in each year’s budget.

Finally, we know that LGBTQ youth are at increased risk of serious mental health problems. We also know that inclusive schools and supportive educators can save students’ lives. It is critical that we continue to do everything we can to ensure that our LGBTQ students feel safe, welcomed, and encouraged to learn.

12. HCPSS has a very diverse student population with regard to race, ethnicity, country of origin, immigration status, socioeconomic status, disability, family structure, etc. What roles do you think these cross identities should play in the school system’s policies and practices in supporting LGBTQ students?

In a school district as wonderfully diverse as ours, it’s critical that all our educators and staff have a deep understanding of intersectionality in order to best support and educate the county’s children, and this is especially true regarding our LGBTQ students who often have multiple intersecting marginalized identities, including but not limited to race, ethnicity, ability, and immigration status. Our LGBTQ students’ experiences at home and in school vary widely depending on their race, ethnicity, country of origin, immigration status, socioeconomic status, disability, and family structure. In order to best support the variety and complexity of these experiences, the Board must ensure our administrators, classroom educators, school counselors, Rainbow Representatives, and policy makers have the resources and training they need to keep LGBTQ intersectionality as a central focus.