Transgender Student Policy Abolished In Barnegat Schools

BARNEGAT, NJ — The Barnegat Township Board of Education opted to abolish Policy 5756, a controversial policy that aims to protect transgender students.

The policy, repealed in some districts throughout the state after it was determined to not be mandatory, offers guidance on how to treat transgender students. This includes allowing the student to dress in accordance with their gender identity, use their chosen name and pronouns in school and keeping said changes confidential from parents/guardians, if need be.

Opponents of the policy say that this removes the parents from the equation. But some - clad in rainbow clothing - pled with the school board and said by repealing the policy, they could be putting transgender students in danger.

"Why did the student choose to come to a teacher, guidance counselor, school psychologist or other member of your administration, rather than his, her or their parents?" asked Michael Gottesman, founder of the New Jersey Public Education Coalition. "Well, the obvious answer is there's something going on at home that makes that student conclude that they will not be accepted. And there'll be a potential negative reaction."

"Children have been abused, killed, assaulted because of disclosing to a family in an unprotective, unsafe environment, their sexual attraction, their gender identity and expression," said Phil McCabe, a social worker and health education specialist at Rutgers University who was on the advisory committee that drafted Policy 5756.

Monmouth County teacher and member of the LGBTQ community, Andrea Levine, shared a story from a transgender student who was outed by her nurse. The student was emotionally and physically abused at home and ended up in a homeless shelter.

The board said they were looking to abolish Policy 5756 and Policy 2260, also known as affirmative action, because they were "poorly written."

"We are not at liberty to make changes to the verbiage of the policy to fit our school district needs," said governance committee chairperson Doreen Continanza. "The only option we have is to abolish the policies. The Barnegat school district will still be following all state laws."

Three board members - George Fedorczyk, Bruno Iamonte and Bonnie Levy - were the "no" votes as the policies were abolished.

Fedorczyk said that while he had issues with the way the policies were written, abolishing 5756 "puts our students at risk."

"I'm all about parental rights," he said. "But this is the wrong way for the board to do it." He suggested that the board should come together and figure out what the policy should look like, and work with other boards to challenge the state.

"It is our duty and responsibility to protect all of our students," Iamonte said. "No matter what race, color, religion, we should protect them."