The Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) has determined that the La Center School District discriminated against students and staff based on gender identity, violating state law.
The ruling follows an investigation into the district’s policies and procedures related to gender inclusion, specifically the district’s directive prohibiting staff from asking students about their pronouns.
OSPI opened its investigation in April 2023 after receiving a complaint from La Center High School teacher Minna Thayer, who alleged that the district’s policy was discriminatory. OSPI’s examination found Gender-Inclusive Schools Policy and Procedure 3211, approved by the district board in January 2023, did not comply with state law.
OSPI determined that in January 2023, the district omitted language from the state’s model procedure requiring schools to ask transgender or nonbinary students how they prefer to be addressed before informing their parents or guardians.
OSPI concluded that the district’s pronoun directive is discriminatory because “it negatively impacts gender-expansive students’ ability to participate in or benefit from the district’s educational programs or activities,” according to OSPI’s letter.
The agency also found that the school district’s requirement, requiring staff members to inform parents if their child is using different pronouns, was not compliant with the state’s non-discriminatory laws. OSPI noted the policy effectively outed non-gender conforming students against their wishes.
The OSPI letter noted that on March 28, 2023, La Center graduate Brendan Gilbert, who identified as transgender shared that a staff member disclosed their gender identity to their family in 10th grade without their consent, which resulted in physical abuse from a relative. That graduate shared that the abuse kept them from school and away from the Gay-Straight Alliance at school, their only safe space, which drove them to the point of suicide.
“The day before my 16th birthday, I attempted suicide. I got halfway through before I realized that I would be buried under the wrong name. This realization is the only reason why I’m still alive,” they stated during public comment.
The agency’s findings require the district to make several corrective actions, including rescinding its directive that prohibited staff from asking students about pronouns, revising its gender-inclusive policy to align with state law, providing staff bias-awareness training and implementing a screening tool to eliminate bias in instructional materials.
La Center Superintendent Peter Rosenkranz defended the district’s policies, arguing that they were designed to ensure parental involvement. Rosenkranz confirmed he plans to appeal the agency’s decision.
“La Center School District rejects OSPI’s baseless claim that we have discriminated against students or families,” Rosenkranz wrote in an open letter. “Our teachers, staff and administrators treat all students with dignity and respect. OSPI’s findings are an insult to our district, our educators, and the parents who support policies that prioritize both student well-being and parental rights.”
Rosenkranz later told The Reflector OSPI’s findings infringe on parental rights.
“It really comes down to, are we willing to hide things from parents? And I’m not,” Rosenkranz said. “When students are struggling to know who they are and they reach out to the school, the best way we can help that child is to include them with their families.”
Rosenkranz contends that the school’s policy to inform parents of “gender confusion” is no different than reporting any other issue and should not be withheld.
“Now, on occasion, there are times when those families are not as supportive, and that’s still their right, but once that crosses into abusive, then we (report to) Child Protective Services. It’s no different than when we call home and parents are angry about any other thing … That the state seems to know better than parents, which being a father and a grandfather, I cannot support,” Rosenkranz said.
The superintendent indicated that he would explore alternatives if an appeal is unsuccessful.
A board member of Clark County Pride, a local advocacy group, who is also a parent of a La Center student, welcomed OSPI’s decision and emphasized the harm caused by the district’s policy. The board member wished to remain anonymous due to safety concerns.
“I was delighted to see that OSPI was thorough and determined, like my organization and many other district parents, that it was a discriminatory policy,” the board member said. “The purpose of the policy was discriminatory — that was a really important observation.”
The board member further stated that the policy created an atmosphere of fear for students who do not conform to traditional gender norms.
“We have talked with dozens of students who wanted to come out at school but couldn’t because they felt they were in danger of harm from classmates or even at home due to parents who are not accepting of queer identities … Unfortunately, we have talked to children who were harmed to the point of hospitalization by a family member due to being outed by a La Center school district staff member,” they said, alluding to the graduate who spoke before the school board in March 2023.
The organization also vowed to hold the district accountable for implementing the required policy changes.
“We’re celebrating this decision, but we’re also watching closely to make sure the district follows through,” the board member said. “All students, including queer students, deserve a safe and supportive learning environment.”
