Transgender Policy To Be Reviewed In Bridgewater-Raritan Schools

BRIDGEWATER, NJ — The school district's Policy 5756(Transgender Student Guidance for School Districts) will be reviewed in Bridgewater-Raritan.

The policy has been the topic of discussion amongst Board of Education(BOE) members and the public at the past three school board meetings.

On Tuesday, the public comment section once again monopolized the BOE meeting with more than 30 people speaking in favor of or against the policy for more than one hour.

Previously, at the March 18 BOE meeting, about 50 parents came to the meeting and spoke for more than two hours during public comment. This followed the Feb. 25 BOE meeting when Board members Lanfang "Lucy" Li and Jeremy Li introduced a vote to abolish the policy. Read More: 2 School Board Members Try To Abolish Transgender Student Policy In Bridgewater-Raritan

"I think having these discussions are worthwhile. They are difficult to have, but they’re worth having because it’s an important issue," said Jeremy Li on Tuesday night. "Some points I think that were made, that policy 5756 is not an issue in our district. We should not be addressing issues only when they come up, but try and find ways to prevent them before they become an issue. Why are we waiting until it becomes a problem or there is public outcry from parents?"

Li went on to say that Policy 5756 "wrongly asserts that decisions about a student’s gender identity are not a matter for families to decide, when they should be," said Li. "This policy has no place in our schools, and I will fight tooth and nail to see that this policy be removed from our district."

Lucy Li pointed out that there was a unifying message in all the speakers.

"That everybody wanted the best for the kids. There might be a difference of opinion on how it is done, there might be a difference of opinion of who should decide who should know; however, the unifying message is we all want the best for our students in the district," said Li.

Li asked the Board for the Academic Committee to do a critical review of Policy 5756.

"Give it a good review and see if the alternative policy is better," said Li, referring to New Jersey School Board Association's Gender Identity and Expression policy.

Loughran also asked that the Academic Committee review Policy 5756 at the March 18 meeting and compare it to the NJ School Board Association Gender Identity and Expression policy.

"I agree with the speaker who said it was disappointing that teachers, students, and this Board be vilified," said Loiughran on Tuesday. "I was the board member who brought up the New Jersey School Board Association's model policy called gender expression, and I stand behind every single word I said. And that's all I have to say about that."

Board member AJ Joshi said Policy 5756 "will be reviewed next month at the May academic committee meeting."

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