School board member voices defiance to student identity disclosure policy

School board member Travis Padget voted against the first reading of a new policy that forces teachers to out LGBTQ students to their families, saying that if a rule like this was in place when he was in school he very likely would have killed himself. The first reading passed in a 5-1 vote.

With the new “parental rights” laws now in effect, the Newton school board on June 27 reviewed the new policies prohibiting district employees from providing “false or misleading information to the parent/guardian of a student regarding that student’s gender identity or intent to transition.”

Signed by Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds in May this year, the law requires school districts to notify parents if their child asks to use a new name or pronoun. Several people who are against the bill, including Padget, say this puts LGBTQ students in jeopardy by outing them against their wishes.

Padget, who is a gay man, voted against the first reading of the state-mandated policy, reasoning he is “not OK with putting a policy on our books that leaves kids in harms way.” Padget said Newton schools should be a safe place to LGBTQ students who do not feel safe at home, but the policy would not allow that.

“As a young gay man, I felt at risk and in danger in the community, but I also felt at risk and in danger of losing my family if I came out,” Padget recalled of his own experiences. “I had some opportunities for a safe space to say, ‘I think I’m gay’ or whatever the conversation was at the 1980s or early 1990s.”

If he had been afraid of individuals being forced to tell his parents and out him to his parents, Padget said he would have never had a safe space.

When it came time for Padget to want to come out to friends and family, he did so in stages. “You don’t just come out on a billboard,” he said. Sometimes it requires LGBTQ individuals to come out to a few exclusive people to know they have some level of acceptance before branching out even further.

“That process has changed dramatically in the last 30-some years. When I was coming out I maybe I knew of three other gay people in the world, maybe four. I was pretty isolated and I wasn’t sure there was a safe space,” Padget said. “…For me, coming out was a gradual process.”

To gradually come out to friends or a trusted teacher may not be possible now thanks to the new policy.

“I would have had no choice in that matter,” Padget said. “I can’t tell you how I would have felt about it, but it would have been horrifying and scary. I’ve had friends that were kicked out of their families for being gay. I know people who have been kicked out of their families for being transgender.”

It is a potentially extremely harmful letter and process to do to somebody, he added.

As part of the policy, students can update their identity initially presented on registration forms or records with the permission and signature of a parent or guardian. Employees are to report student requests to an administrator, and they must report the request to a parent or guardian. This also applies to nicknames.

“To maintain compliance with Iowa law and also provide efficiency in the reporting requirements listed above, the superintendent will provide the opportunity for parents and guardians to list in the student’s registration paperwork any and all nicknames used for students,” the policy states.

The policy also states the reason no employee can provide false or misleading information to parents or guardians about a student’s gender identity is because it is part of “creating that safe educational environment.” Padget disagrees with that reasoning and said it contradicts the school board’s mission and vision.

The district’s mission states: “The Newton Community School District empowers every learner to achieve a lifetime of personal success.”

The district’s vision states: “We are a collaborative and cohesive team that inspires all learners in a culture of safety and acceptance.”

“It doesn’t say cisgender or identifying as a particular gender. It says all learners, every learner,” Padget said. “The state is denying us our actual vision and putting our vision at risk. Because if there are kids that aren’t safe, they don’t have a culture of safety and acceptance. It could interfere with their learning.”

Padget said every student should have an opportunity for a safe learning environment. The school board member questions what the positive impact of this new policy would be, and said it is an unreasonable expectation to add to teachers and administrators.

Padget’s worst fear is losing the life of just one student because he or she or they did not feel comfortable being themselves.

“One. One. I’m not putting a number more than one. One is a tragic loss or any life for any reason,” Padget said. “I won’t be a part of increasing that risk”

According to The Trevor Project — an organization dedicated to ending suicide among LGBTQ young people — LGBTQ youth are not prone to suicide risk because of their sexual orientation or gender identity, but rather are placed at higher risk because of how they are mistreated and stigmatized by society.

Suicide is the second leading cause of death among young people, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning are at a significantly higher risk, The Trevor Project states. A 2022 survey by the organization found that 45 percent of LGBTQ youth seriously considered suicide in the past year.

If you are in crisis, please contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988, visiting www.988lifeline.org or text SAVE to 741741.