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Winthrop board delays formal action on contested ACDC policy after sustained public opposition
Summary
After extended public comment urging delay, the Winthrop School Board declined to hold a formal first reading on a proposed ACDC policy affecting transgender students, saying it will seek more guidance and allow time for public input.
The Winthrop School Board declined to move forward with a formal first reading of a draft ACDC policy on transgender students at its May meeting after more than an hour of public comment opposing the change.
Community members pressed the board to postpone any decision, saying the draft was added to the agenda on short notice and would be discriminatory. "There is no emergency that requires action tonight," said Whitney Khan, a Winthrop parent, who asked the board to "table any action on policy AC/DC tonight and place it on a future agenda with proper public notice." Tony Mercy, another resident, urged the board to refrain from decision-making in light of recent ballot and notice controversies.
Superintendent Dr. Foley said the late posting was an oversight and emphasized that the administration had no intention of taking a final vote that night. "We have no intention of doing a vote tonight. It will just be a further discussion as we've been doing at previous board meetings around this topic," he said, adding that the district would continue to seek clarity and allow public input.
The policy committee has recommended waiting to enact the draft until either a local need arises or pending litigation and higher‑level court rulings provide guidance. Several board members signaled differing views: some urged proceeding with the board’s prior schedule of first and second readings, while others said they preferred to wait for legal outcomes or allow more public notice and comment. Chair and other members asked staff to check whether placing the draft on a future agenda for discussion could be done without triggering a formal "first read" and to report back.
Public commenters repeatedly warned that adopting the draft could expose the district to litigation and fiscal risk. "Adopting the ACDC policy will get us sued. Period," said Elizabeth D., a Winthrop parent, citing concerns about exposure under state human‑rights laws. Several speakers also argued the draft was unnecessary given local circumstances and urged the board to prioritize budget and staffing issues instead.
Board members and administrators framed the next steps as procedural: the policy committee will continue its work, the superintendent and staff will research notice and process options, and the board expects further updates at an upcoming meeting. No formal vote on the ACDC draft occurred at the May meeting.
What happens next: Board members said they will reconvene the policy discussion after summer developments in related litigation, and staff will return with procedural guidance about whether the board can discuss the draft without triggering a first reading.
(Reporting based on remarks and public comment at the Winthrop School Board meeting; quotes drawn from the public comment period and board discussion.)
