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Students and community urge Bellevue School District to publicly reaffirm support for gender‑diverse students
Summary
Multiple public commenters, including students and staff, urged Superintendent Dr. Kelly Aramaki and the board to publicly reaffirm protections for transgender and gender‑diverse students and to communicate district policy clearly to students and families.
Several Bellevue students, educators and parents used the public‑comment period Feb. 6 to urge the district to publicly reaffirm support for gender‑diverse and LGBTQIA+ students amid recent federal executive actions reported in the news.
Nate Block, a nonbinary student, told the board that gender‑diverse students are “scared” and asked Superintendent Dr. Kelly Aramaki and board members to send a districtwide email reaffirming the district’s commitment to follow state law and district policy. Block cited statutory and administrative references from the transcript when asking for a clear public message: “I’m not asking you to change any policy or do anything differently, but only to communicate that you stand by and will continue following the law,” Block said, naming RCW and WAC references and BSD Policy 32.11 as the legal framework he wanted reaffirmed.
Parent and district educator Abigail Horstfall likewise asked the board to publicly restate support for LGBTQIA+ students and to make district policies easier to find on the website. “This is a scary time right now for our queer, especially transgender students, their families, and our staff,” Horstfall said, and she asked the district to communicate details of Policy and Procedure 32.11 and to “promote gender inclusive messaging.”
Why this matters: Callers described fear among students who worry federal actions could affect healthcare, athletic eligibility or other school access. Commenters requested clear, proactive communication to reassure students and families about district practice and legal compliance. The superintendent acknowledged the concerns and said she intends to issue a statement reaffirming support for students.
No formal board action was proposed during the meeting; requesters asked the superintendent to send a districtwide email and to use multiple channels to explain existing policy and protections.
