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Public speakers urge Edmonds board to repeal gender-inclusive policy; others urge caution amid shifting courts and guidance
Summary
Two public-comment speakers asked the board to repeal the district's gender-inclusive schools policy, while another speaker urged adherence to evolving federal and state guidance and focus on graduation rates.
Two members of the public and one other commenter used the board's public-comment period Tuesday to press the Edmonds School District board of directors on the district's gender- and Title IX–related policies.
Jess Grant, a North Edmonds resident, urged the board to repeal Policy 32.11, which she described as the district's gender-inclusive schools policy. “This policy harms the girls in our district in so many ways and it exposes the district to legal liability for physical injuries sustained as a result of this ill conceived policy,” Grant told the board. She referenced a report from the Independent Women's Law Center and an individual case she said illustrated safety risks in athletics.
Sarah Dilling, who identified herself as a Mountlake Terrace taxpayer, urged the board not to change district policy immediately because federal and court guidance has shifted repeatedly in recent years. She summarized a timeline of federal guidance and court decisions, and said, “I don't think that we should change our policy just now because things keep changing.” Dilling recommended aligning with Washington laws, Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) policies, and federal requirements as they stabilize.
Board members did not vote on policy repeal or revision during the meeting. The topic came up only in public comments; the board did not schedule formal consideration or action on Policy 32.11 at this session.
Why it matters: Public commenters framed the issue as both a student-safety and legal-liability concern and as a policy area subject to shifting federal and judicial guidance. Any future board action could affect athletics, Title IX compliance, and district liability.
Details and context: Grant cited reports and online spreadsheets she said document athlete displacement and injuries; Dilling traced federal agency guidance and court decisions back to the 1970s and recent years and urged caution.
Next steps: No formal motion or referral occurred during this meeting; the board did not place the matter on the agenda for action at this session.
