Opposition intensifies at meeting

During a packed school board meeting Tuesday, about 20 people wanted to speak on the suggested revision to Kalispell Public Schools nondiscrimination policy.

For several months, discussion has hinged on whether or not to add six words — gender identity, sexual orientation, gender expression — to the district’s nondiscrimination policy.

Supporters and opponents who addressed the board Tuesday during the second reading of the revision appeared evenly divided, unlike past meetings where the majority was outspoken in support of the measure.

The wording is part of a recommended revision to school policy on Equal Education, Nondiscrimination and Sex Equity suggested by the Montana School Boards Association in January.

Keith Regier, a parent of children who graduated from Flathead High School, made a comment echoed by others rejecting an amended policy.

“If this policy allows for gender identity and expression, then the door opens for any other form of identity,” Regier said. “What about species, race or academic identity? Who knows what will be next. Recognizing one identity would discriminate against any other identity, so why start?”

People who supported the policy at past meetings have illustrated personal experiences with bullying, harassment and intimidation.

Regier and three other opponents said there is already an anti-bullying policy in place that was adequate to address these concerns. Two people said the solution was training staff, students and teachers to intervene.

“Stop the harassment and intimidation with the policy you have. Another policy simply is not needed,” Regier said.

Regier, the House majority leader in the Montana Legislature, later added that this divisive issue should remain in the political arena not in a public school system.

“This is a political issue. This board should not be perceived as political activists but advocates for student education,” Regier said.

Community member Taylor Rose was met with applause when he suggested adding the language would be an invitation for students to abuse the system.

“What is to stop this policy from being abused if, let’s say, a 16-year-old male student wakes up one day and wants to shower with the girls and just chooses to identify as a girl and we can’t discriminate against him because he identifies as a woman?” Rose said, later adding, “What about preventing an environment from perversity?”

Many of Tuesday’s supporters wore light blue shirts — a color of the transgender pride flag. They included Flathead student Stephanie Woodland, who countered the suggestion that the district’s current anti-bullying policy was enough to protect students. Her comments were also met with applause.

“Now I may not be part of the LGBTQ community, but I am a very strong advocate and I’ll tell you right now, these students are still facing horrible discrimination, not only by students but by teachers as well,” Woodland said. “Last year in one of my business classes a person openly called another student ‘gay’ with a negative connotation. The teacher clearly heard this comment and did nothing about it. Nothing.

“This policy is still necessary as opposed to what other people have said this evening because if our own educators are still discriminating against these students despite already existing policies, then how come it hasn’t stopped?” she asked.

Parent Lynn Stanley was one of several supporters who urged school board members to adopt the policy with the suggested language because all students should be protected, minority or not.

“This policy needs to be updated to protect LGBT from discrimination and predatory behavior,” Stanley said. “It really isn’t about anything other than the dignity rights and well-being of every single student regardless of what minority they belong to.”

Kim Leighton of Pride Foundation said the revised policy will raise the bar for staffers and administrators to intervene.

Retired Glacier High School government teacher Richard Hildner also urged the school board to adopt the revised policy.

“I think our students deserve to be free from fear, hate and bigotry and I think this will make a huge step in that direction,” Hildner said.

Following public comment, trustee Steve Davis proposed an all-or-nothing approach by eliminating protected classes listed in the current policy and retain the phrasing “all students,” so as to not leave anyone out.

“Every time we add someone to the list, we’re leaving someone out,” Davis said.

When a motion was made to consider Davis’ approach, only Davis and trustee Dave Schultz voted yes.

Trustee Don Murray has been a proponent of amending the policy from the start, but was thankful to the public for sharing both perspectives.

As discussion has unfolded on whether or not to add six words to the nondiscrimination policy, Murray reflected on the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent decision overruling state laws banning same-sex marriage.

“It was a huge development,” Murray said.

When Woodland addressed the board earlier, Murray said he was reminded of the historic moment that occurred during his senior year of high school.

“It made me think when I was a high school senior in 1967, the United States decided Loving vs. Virginia, which made it unconstitutional for states to have laws that said people of different races can’t marry,” Murray said. “So the arc of history is long — but it bends toward justice — and I think as a school district, if we do this, we are following the course toward justice for all of our students, and so I strongly favor us doing this although I respect the views of those who think we shouldn’t.”  

The third and final reading of the policy is scheduled to be on the agenda for the next school board meeting at 6 p.m. Aug. 11 in the Kalispell Middle School library.

Reporter Hilary Matheson may be reached at 758-4431 or by email at hmatheson@dailyinterlake.com.