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Community speakers urge Thompson School District to maintain and strengthen protections for transgender students
Summary
During public comment the board heard multiple community members urge maintenance and enforcement of policies that affirm transgender and gender-nonconforming students, citing national data on bullying and mental health and local examples of supportive school practices.
Multiple community members addressed the Thompson School District board on Aug. 20 urging continued and explicit protections for transgender and gender-nonconforming students.
"I want our schools to be welcoming to all students, especially LGBTQ plus youth," Deborah Sprague, who identified herself as a licensed professional counselor and a grandmother, told the board. Sprague said she consulted her 17-year-old granddaughter about school supports and relayed three items she said schools should provide: privacy and safety in restrooms and changing areas; use of students' preferred names; and access to counseling or partnerships to meet mental-health needs.
Angie Van Heel, who said she and her children are longtime residents and alumni of Thompson School District schools, thanked the district for policies that protect LGBTQ students and urged the board to preserve them. Van Heel cited national surveys showing higher rates of bullying, absenteeism and attempted suicide among transgender youth and referenced research linking affirming school policies to improved mental-health and academic outcomes.
Speakers asked the board to maintain nondiscrimination protections, respect for pronouns and preferred names, safe facilities and affirming adults and curricula. The public comments did not prompt a board motion; board members listened and did not vote on policy changes during the meeting.
Speakers and citations mentioned during public comment
- Deborah Sprague, licensed professional counselor and community member, urged privacy, name-use and counseling access for transgender students. - Angie Van Heel, parent and district resident, cited 2023 CDC Youth Risk Behavior Survey statistics and Trevor Project and Society for Research in Child Development findings linking affirming policies to improved outcomes for LGBTQ youth.
Board members did not take formal action during the public-comment period but acknowledged the remarks and thanked speakers for participating.
