1. Do you support the HCPSS guidelines that transgender students will have access to restrooms, changing facilities, and sports in accordance with the student’s gender identity? Please explain your answer.

Yes, I completely support transgender students access and identity.

2. Would you support a policy that codifies the guideline that requires HCPSS staff and non-official documents to use the name and pronouns that a student requests? Please explain your answer.

I would support a policy or Implementation of policy that would allow students to use the name and pronoun they request on documents. I think we should also make sure software systems that student and staff interact with have documentation that makes updating student information more easily accessible.

3. To what age groups (if any) is it appropriate for teachers and other staff members to disclose to students that they have LGBTQ+ family members or are in a same-sex relationship?

I trust that teachers and staff members of the school system are trained and knowledgeable on what topics are age appropriate for the groups of students they are around. That said, topics like disclosing LGBTQ+ family members (with consent) or personal sharing of same-sex (or other types of relationships) relationships status are normal and not a question of age appropriate conversation.

4. What concerns, if any, do you have with students talking about themselves or family, friends, or community members related to being LGBTQ+?

I don’t have any concern unless the intent of the comments are to cause harm to individuals or if the person was asked not to share and there is no emergent need to ask for support on behalf of the individual.

5. Should curriculum be revised to include reference to LGBTQ+ individuals, including the fact or possibility that the individuals were LGBTQ+ identified. If yes, what (if any) is the minimum grade level at which these changes should be made? Please explain your answer.

Yes and there are resources for every grade level. These should be available to staff and students.

6. Should curriculum be revised to include reference to LGBTQ+ themed works of literature, art, and media, and if yes, what (if any) is the minimum grade level at which this should be done? Please explain your answer.

Yes, all grade levels should have inclusive curriculum available.

7. Should HCPSS make sure schools continue to offer access to LGBTQ+ student clubs like GSAs to their students? At what levels (High? Middle? Elementary?) should this happen? Please explain your answer.

Yes, all school levels should have clubs and groups for students and groups for staff.

8. Do you support the continued funding of programs for LGBTQ+ students at HCPSS such as employing an LGBTQ initiatives specialist and rainbow representatives within the schools? Please explain your answer.

Yes, I support funding these groups and specialists in our schools. The work they do is needed and valuable to every student in our school system.

9. What changes would you like to see made to the way HCPSS handles identification, reporting, interventions, and prevention of bullying?

I don’t have any current specific recommendations on this area now but know that there should be changes made based on feedback from students, staff and community. We need to investigate more and design a better proactive and preventative solution that handles both education on inclusion and belonging as well as response to when incidents occur.

10. What measures should the school system take to prevent suicide among the student body?

I am so saddened to hear of any suicide that occurs among the student body. We really need to lean on professionals in suicide prevention and make changes to all areas that are impacting students in this way at school and outside school. We need to not only listen to these professionals but make sure we follow through with the changes they recommend.

11. HCPSS has a diverse student population with regard to race, ethnicity, country of origin, immigration status, socioeconomic status, disability, family structure, etc. What roles do you think these intersectional identities should play in the school system’s policies and practices in supporting LGBTQ+ students?

Every person in existence is a combination of all of these diverse examples. Every person walks this earth with a different perspective and a different experience and is impacted by the way others interact with them. We need change in the school system around these topics so that the baseline is an inclusive, understanding and respecting space to exist in. These changes should be made in every aspect of the interaction a person has with the school system.

12. HCPSS has guidelines for gender inclusion (found in https://www.hcpss.org/f/supports/gender-inclusive-guidelines.pdf). Do you support these guidelines and would you vote in favor of a policy that codifies these guidelines? Please explain your answer.

I am interested in hearing more from subject matter experts on the content of the guidelines themselves and I believe there should be changes to diversity policy to make sure the system is accountable to expert guided guidelines.

13. What are your views on training all staff on LGBTQ+ and other diversity related issues?

Yes, this is an area that has been a common theme of need in the training of all staff. I also believe there should be more student and community resources for learning more about these issues as well.

14. How should the school system deal with requests for book removal? How do you prevent those requests from disproportionately affecting LGBTQ+ themed books?

There is a current request process that has been used by the public to ask for removal of books. That process does not include public discourse around the books however, public testimony is open to everyone to speak. I acknowledge and see that there has been a disproportionate public discourse of ask of removal of these themed books.