1

MEMORANDUM
To:

BoardofEducation

From:

ErinJ.MacGregor,Ed.S.,Superintendent

Date:

July18,2016

Re:

EXECUTIVESUMMARYOFSURVEYRE.DISTRICTPRACTICESFOR
TRANSGENDERSTUDENTS

_____________________________________________________________________________________
____

Inresponsetotherecentfederalguidanceregardingtransgenderstudents,Isenta
communicationonJune8toallfamiliesprovidingclarificationontheDistrictspractices
relativetorestroomuse.

Inaddition,thiscommunicationincludedabriefsurveytogatherfeedbackonthisissue.I
haveprovidedanexecutivesummaryoftheresultsfromthissurveybelow.Thefullresults
areattachedforyourreview.

ExecutiveSummaryofSurveyRegardingDistrictPracticesforTransgenderStudents

*Thiswasnotascientificallyadministeredsurvey.
*ThesurveyopenedonJune8andclosedonJune24.
*SomemediasourcesonlypublishedthelinktothesurveyanddidnotincludetheDistricts
letter.

Q1:DoyoucurrentlyhavestudentsinHowellPublicSchools?

833responses
Yes86.1%
No13.9%

Q2:
Basedontheinformationsharedinthiscommunication,doyoufeelinformed
oftheDistrict'scurrentpracticerelativetothismatter?

834responses(5=veryinformed/1=notatallinformed)
526.4%
429.5%
BoardofEducation
411N.HighlanderWay

Howell,MI48843

p.5175486200

f.5175486229
ChallengerElementary

HutchingsElementary

NorthwestElementary

SoutheastElementary

SouthwestElementary

Three
FiresElementary

VoyagerElementary

HighlanderWayMiddleSchool

ParkerMiddleSchool

HowellHighSchool

2
324%
211.2%
19%

Q3:Istheuseofrestroomsbystudentsoftheoppositebiologicalsexahigh
priorityissueforyou?

833responses(5=veryimportant/1=notimportant)
553.8%
413.4%
39%
25.9%
117.9%

Q4:AreyoucomfortablewiththecurrentDistrictpracticerelativetothismatter?

812responses
Yes58.9%
No41.1%

Q5:Ifnot,whatconcernsdoyouhave?

207responses*

SummaryofResponses
Concern

NumberofResponses

Ensureuseofrestroomfacilitiesisbybiologicalsex

53

Stillunclearondistrictspractice

28

Provideunisexrestroomaccommodationsfortransgenderstudents

27

Allowuseofrestroomfacilitybasedongenderidentity

25

Studentsaretooyoungtodealwithissue

21

Studentsareunsafewithstudentsusingrestroomsoftheopposite
biologicalsex

17

Localissue(nofederalinterference)

11

Uncomfortablewithstudentsusingrestroomsoftheoppositebiologicalsex

10

Notanimportantissue

Willremovestudentsfromdistrictiffederalguidanceisfollowed

Makeallrestroomsunisexfacilities

Concernedwiththeharassmentoftransgenderstudents

BoardofEducation
411N.HighlanderWay

Howell,MI48843

p.5175486200

f.5175486229
ChallengerElementary

HutchingsElementary

NorthwestElementary

SoutheastElementary

SouthwestElementary

Three
FiresElementary

VoyagerElementary

HighlanderWayMiddleSchool

ParkerMiddleSchool

HowellHighSchool

3
Policyneededtorequirerestroomusebasedonbiologicalsex

Lackoftransparencyfromdistrict

Contradictingmessagesfromthedistrict

Federallawtakesprecedent

Noopportunityforinput

Whatwillthepracticebeinotherfacilities?

Poorleadership

Parentinvolvementnecessary

Thefederalguidancewillinevitablybybinding

Needtoprovideparenteducationonthisissue

Needcleardirectionsfromthestateandfederalgovernmentonhowto
implementanychanges

*Somecommentscouldnotbecategorized.

Q6:Ifthefederalguidanceweretobecomebindinglaw,whatsuggestionsdoyou
havetohelptheDistrictmoveforward?

215responses*

SummaryofResponses
Suggestion

NumberofResponses

Providesingleoccupant/unisexbathroom

155

Dontfollow/fightfederalguidance

91

Followthebindinglaw/federalguidelines

49

Separatebathroomsforboys,girls,andtransgender

44

Willremovestudentsfromdistrictiffederalguidanceisfollowed

38

Private/individualbathroomsandlockerroomsfortransgender

24

Allrestroomsshouldhavestallsforprivacyandnourinals

22

Convertallstallstoprivate,singleuselavatories

13

Continuewiththeopenconversation,meetings,andemailsinorderto
receiveinputfromfamilies

11

Usestaffbathroom

10
BoardofEducation

411N.HighlanderWay

Howell,MI48843

p.5175486200

f.5175486229
ChallengerElementary

HutchingsElementary

NorthwestElementary

SoutheastElementary

SouthwestElementary

Three
FiresElementary

VoyagerElementary

HighlanderWayMiddleSchool

ParkerMiddleSchool

HowellHighSchool

4
Needtoprovideparenteducationonthisissue

10

Foregofederaltaxdollars

10

Addmoresingleoccupantbathrooms

Addbathroommonitors

Localissue(nofederalinterference)

Keepparentsinformedaboutthedistrictspolicyontheissue

Privatechangingareainthelockerroomsfortransgenderstudents

Makeallrestroomsunisexfacilities

Workinglocksonallstalldoorssothateachdoorwillproperlyclosefor
privacy

Treattherequestlikea504accommodation

Dowhatoftheschooldistrictvotersdecideisbestforourschools

Putittoavotetoseveralltiestothefederalgovernment

Havethestudentwhowantstousethebathroomoftheoppositesexuse
thebathroomlocatedinthemainoffice/clinic

Thereshouldbeparametersfordecidingwhoactuallyfitstheneedsthis
lawconcerns,anddoesnotsimplyallowotherstousetheopposite
bathroomatwill

Iflawbecomesbinding,thenFederalGovernmentshouldsubsidizeschools
toaddstallsorunisexbathrooms

Eliminatestaffbathroomsandmakethemunisexforalltouse

Takestepstoprotectthemodestyandprivacyofallstudents(e.g.stalls
vs.urinals,privateshowerandchangingareasingymsandpools,etc.).
Moveinthisdirectionregardlessofstateandfederaldecisionsinceitwill
likelybealawatsomepoint

Donotrequireparentalconsentforthesestudentstousethebathrooms
oftheirchoice

Individualbathroomsforeveryclass.Stallsonlyinthebathrooms

Requestfederalgrantmoneytodesignandbuildnewlockerroomsthat
aregenderneutral

Thestudentsgenderidentityshouldbedeclaredandthestudentshould
befunctioningasthatgender

Becomeacharterschoolinordertoavoidthisidea

BoardofEducation
411N.HighlanderWay

Howell,MI48843

p.5175486200

f.5175486229
ChallengerElementary

HutchingsElementary

NorthwestElementary

SoutheastElementary

SouthwestElementary

Three
FiresElementary

VoyagerElementary

HighlanderWayMiddleSchool

ParkerMiddleSchool

HowellHighSchool

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Studentprovidesadoctor'snotestatingtheirgenderpreference.Havea
unisexbathroomavailable

Keepparentsinformedabouttransgenderstudentsintheirchildsbuilding

*Somecommentscouldnotbecategorized.

Q7:Whatadditionalfeedbackandsuggestionsdoyouhave?

209responses*

SummaryofResponses
Additionalfeedback

NumberofResponses

Provideunisexrestroomaccommodationsfortransgenderstudents

32

Considerthemajority,dontcatertotheminority

30

Willremovestudentsfromdistrictiffederalguidanceisfollowed

27

Ensureuseofrestroomfacilitiesisbybiologicalsex

21

Studentsareunsafewithstudentsusingrestroomsoftheopposite
biologicalsex

19

Dontfollow/fightfederalguidance

17

Allowuseofrestroomfacilitybasedongenderidentity

14

Poorcommunicationaboutissue

12

Makeallrestroomsunisexfacilities

12

Keepthedistrictsfocusoneducation

10

Thankyoufortheopportunitytocomment

Goodcommunicationaboutissue

Poorleadership

Keepcommunicatingaboutissue

Noissuewiththefederalguidance

Keepcurrentpolicy

Poorsurvey

Separatebathroomsforboys,girls,andtransgender

Studentsaretooyoungtodealwithissue

BoardofEducation
411N.HighlanderWay

Howell,MI48843

p.5175486200

f.5175486229
ChallengerElementary

HutchingsElementary

NorthwestElementary

SoutheastElementary

SouthwestElementary

Three
FiresElementary

VoyagerElementary

HighlanderWayMiddleSchool

ParkerMiddleSchool

HowellHighSchool

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Ifguidanceisfollowedwillorganizesickout

Policyneededtorequirerestroomusebasedonbiologicalsex

Needtoprovideparenteducationonthisissue

Needtoholdparentmeeting

Uncomfortablewithstudentsusingrestroomsoftheoppositebiological
sex

Stillunclearondistrictspractice

Goodleadership

Localissue(nofederalinterference)

*Somecommentscouldnotbecategorized.

BoardofEducation
411N.HighlanderWay

Howell,MI48843

p.5175486200

f.5175486229
ChallengerElementary

HutchingsElementary

NorthwestElementary

SoutheastElementary

SouthwestElementary

Three
FiresElementary

VoyagerElementary

HighlanderWayMiddleSchool

ParkerMiddleSchool

HowellHighSchool