Poudre School District board adopts resolution supporting Transgender Day of Visibility

The Poudre School District R-1 Board of Education on March 25 voted 5-0 to adopt a resolution supporting Transgender Day of Visibility, set for March 30, 2025.

Delia Mahaney, the district’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion coordinator, told the board that students who had previously spoken at resolutions were absent this year "for their safety." She said students want daily safety and belonging, "representation in curriculum and school spaces," and "respect for their gender identities." Mahaney also said, "Under Colorado law and PSD policy, gender identity is defined as a person's innate sense of self. Students have the right to use a chosen name and pronouns that reflect their identity."

Board member Kevin Havelda read mental-health data from national and district sources to underscore urgency. Citing a 10-year study published in the American Journal of Public Health and local results presented to the board, he said rates of frequent mental distress were higher among transgender adults and that, within PSD, students identifying as genderqueer or nonbinary reported higher rates of sadness, suicidal planning and suicide attempts than the general student population. Havelda said, "Against this backdrop, I wish to convey a sense of urgency to us all here tonight as well as to our greater PSD community," and urged passage of the resolution.

Board President Kristen Draper, Connor Duffy, Carolyn Reid and Scott Schoenbauer joined Havelda in voting "aye." The motion that the board approve the resolution was moved by Board Member Kevin Havelda and seconded by Board Member Connor Duffy. The board clerk recorded the outcome as "Motion passes 5–0."

Superintendent Brian Kingsley thanked speakers and said the district's mission is to "educate every child every day," adding that affirming students' identities and centering relationships on joy are part of meeting that mission. At the meeting Havelda also announced a community fundraiser for Trans Visibility Day on March 30 at Movement Apothecary and Splash NoCo in Fort Collins.

The resolution and the statements in its support do not themselves change district policy; the board adopted the resolution as an expression of support and affirmation.

Proponents and board members emphasized students' safety and access to affirming resources. Mahaney and Havelda asked the community to consider concrete practices cited during the meeting—such as offering chosen-name and pronoun opportunities at the start of the school year and addressing slurs promptly—to improve day-to-day safety for transgender and gender-diverse students.