Columbus schools OKs 'Parents' Bill of Rights' policy

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- The Columbus City Schools Board of Education voted on a new policy at Tuesday’s meeting to comply with House Bill 8 before the July 1 deadline.

HB 8, also known as the Parents’ Bill of Rights, said a parent has a fundamental right to make decisions about their child’s education and well-being.

The school board had to enact a policy to make sure schools are notifying parents about a substantial change in a student’s mental, emotional, and physical health. The bill specifically said schools have to tell parents about a student wanting to identify as a gender different from their biological sex.

At the meeting, many said the district’s policy could end up outing transgender and nonbinary students before they are ready to speak about it. Speakers said this could have severe consequences on a child’s mental health.

Board members said they took time to try and make the policy comply with HB 8 while also protecting their students.

“We did our best to make sure that we are doing exactly that, providing as much support to our students and to our staff and to our families that is legally compliant, so I do think that that is reflected in the product,” board member Sarah Ingles said.

The board included a clause in the new policy that said parental notification is only required if the student themselves said they wish to identify as a different gender. The policy specifically stated that rumors and sources other than the student will not trigger the school to contact home.

Ingles said this clause was important to the board.

“We reaffirmed our board values and commitments to the children that attend this district and the staff and the families that live within our boundaries and I think that that is reflected in the policy that we passed today,” Ingles said.

The Board of Education had to pass this policy by July 1 in order to comply with the law.