Citizen Portal
Sign In

Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!

Get email alerts on the Public Comment topic

No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.

Public commenter urges inclusive DEI explanations but says trans women should not compete in girls' sports

Tempe Elementary School Board · August 6, 2026
AI-Generated Content: All content on this page was generated by AI to highlight key points from the meeting. For complete details and context, we recommend watching the full video. so we can fix them.

Summary

A community member spoke during open call urging clear explanation of transgender topics in elementary education and expressed opposition to trans women participating in women's sports; the board received the comment during public comment and did not act.

During the open call to the public, Noah James Markham identified himself and addressed the board about disability accommodations and how the district presents diversity, equity and inclusion topics to elementary students.

Markham said he supports DEI efforts but asked that elementary materials explain concepts clearly: "I will say that I support women's sports, and trans women should not be in women's sports, period." He also said elementary students are "very smart" and urged the district to explain what a trans woman or trans man is through age-appropriate materials. Board policy and the president's procedural rules kept the comment in the public record; the board did not take action during the meeting on the speaker's request.

The comment was filed during the Open Call portion; board members thanked the speaker for participating and continued with the agenda. The district did not respond substantively during the public comment period beyond acknowledging receipt.