PORT ANGELES — The School Board delayed a decision on a transgender student policy, which is required by the state, after hearing protests from an overflow crowd Thursday night.
The board voted unanimously to table the proposed policy and turn it over to the district’s policy committee to create a procedure on how to implement the state’s requirement for transgender policy in a way satisfies all parties’ needs for privacy and safety.
“We want to get procedure in place before we vote on the policy” to see “how it actually is going to look,” Sarah Methner, the board member who moved for the referral to the committee, said later.
The committee, which includes School Board member Lonnie Linn as well as community and staff members, also will be asked to consider adding transgender aspects to the district’s existing discrimination policy instead of creating a stand-alone policy, the board said.
No timeline was approved for consideration of the procedures and policy.