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Riverside board pauses action on gender-inclusive policy pending state rulemaking
Summary
Board members said they will not adopt a local gender-inclusive policy now, citing pending OSPI rulemaking and potential litigation; the district convened a community group and will await state guidance before taking further action.
The Riverside School District board said it will delay adopting a local gender-inclusive policy until it reviews forthcoming rulemaking from the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, and acknowledged the district is preparing for potential litigation.
Board Chair (speaking during reports) told the board and audience that the district has "been poised for the lawsuit" and that several other districts have stepped back from similar policies, leaving Riverside in a solitary position on the issue. The chair said the district has formed a community group including students, teachers and community members to advise the board.
The chair said the board has engaged with state legislators and members of the education committee and will wait for OSPI's rulemaking process to conclude before deciding how to adopt or implement policy 3211 or any locally tailored gender-inclusive policy. "We are going to make our decision for our school district after we know the full ramifications of that," the chair said.
Board members did not propose or vote on a local policy at the meeting. The record shows the board’s approach for now is to monitor OSPI’s rulemaking and continue community engagement rather than move unilaterally toward adoption. The chair said staff will report back after OSPI issues its rules and that the district’s legal posture remains under consideration.
The board ended the discussion by returning to other business; no formal action on a gender-inclusive policy occurred at this meeting.
