The Keller Independent School District has implemented a policy that mandates the use of pronouns matching students’ biological sex, as listed on their birth certificates, regardless of the students’ pronoun preferences or gender identity. Keller is a suburban city north of Fort Worth with a population of 45,000.
The policy also requires that parents be notified if their child requests to be addressed by a different name or pronoun. Parents must provide written consent for any such changes to be acknowledged by school staff. Students must have parental permission to use a restroom or changing facility different from that of their birth sex.
The new policy also prohibits students from using cell phones during school hours; the cell phone ban is similar to those at other North Texas school districts. Students in Keller will have to keep phones turned off and stored in a bag or backpack, including during lunch and recess.
The Keller Independent School Board did not discuss the policies before voting last Thursday, but board president Charles Randklev wrote that, “Parents matter, and this policy will ensure they have a seat at the table when it comes to their child’s education.” He also stated that the board would consider a parental rights policy that recognizes and protects the fundamental rights of parents to make decisions concerning the upbringing, education, and care of their children.
The new policy represents significant push back by parents against trans activists, who have used the radical Left’s death grip on American public schooling at all levels to instigate a social contagion of teacher-caused gender dysphoria designed, with meticulous premeditation and planning, to destroy the younger generation of Americans.
The policy has been criticized by students and advocacy groups. During a public comment session, Kennedy Schultz, a high school senior, criticized the district for prioritizing “a political agenda” over the well-being of students. Another senior, Madison Hickman, described the policy as promoting an atmosphere of “fear and isolation,” arguing that it undermines the values of compassion and inclusion.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) also expressed concerns, sending a letter to the district warning that the policy could be seen as discriminatory. Despite this, the Keller ISD board moved forward with the policy.