Olathe school officials, parents denounce gender identity worksheet given in a class
Several Olathe parents were outraged this week when they learned high school students were given a worksheet that asked questions about their gender identities.
District leaders said students in a human growth and development class were given a handout that is not part of the district’s curriculum, and that officials do not condone. The worksheet included the “Gender Unicorn,” an illustration chart promoted by some LGBTQ organizations that helps kids describe and define their sexuality, identity and expression.
The worksheet describes the difference between gender identity and gender expression. And then goes on to ask, “Do you know your identity or are you still in identity confusion stage? Give me three reasons you have or have not achieved your identity.”
Kansas Rep. Adam Thomas, R-Olathe, said the worksheet was given to one of his children in class.
“Let kids be kids,” he said. “Whoever they decide to be is fine, but the classroom is not the place to push this ideology onto them. That’s at home with their family or a school counselor.”
He said he applauds the school district’s “rapid response.”
The unicorn graphic was created by Trans Student Educational Resources, a youth-led organization dedicated to the wellness of transgender youth.
District officials said in a statement: “This worksheet was not appropriate for students and asked questions that could violate their personal privacy rights. Students who received the worksheet have been asked not to complete it.”
“The district is working with staff to make sure this worksheet is not distributed to any other classrooms and is not used in any instruction moving forward. While this worksheet was not appropriate in terms of the information requested, the district supports all students and strives to create inclusive environments where students can reach out to trusted adults for support.”
Dozens of parents shared mixed opinions on the handout after it circulated on social media, with many voicing concerns about the worksheet violating students’ privacy.
“If an individual student has questions about themselves, that’s best handled in a one-on-one environment. Not in a classroom. This worksheet has no business in a classroom,” one person commented on a Facebook post shared by board member LeEtta Felter.
Other parents said the worksheet in general didn’t bother them, and that they could see the benefits of talking to students about gender identity and expression at the high school level.
“I believe that including diversity in health classes is important. So often the LGBTQ community gets overlooked in health and sex education classes. This worksheet can be an important tool in informing students and making sure that all students are being included,” Equality Kansas Metro Chair Taryn Jones said. “I believe that as long as the teacher wasn’t asking students to turn this in or share this with their classmates this isn’t a privacy issue.”
The controversy comes as other districts deal with a series of incidents against LGBTQ youth in recent weeks.
Earlier this week, a Kansas City high school English teacher was placed on administrative leave for making degrading comments against people who identify as LGBTQ, as well as Muslims.
And hundreds of students walked out of Lee’s Summit High School earlier this month in support of a gay student who had faced harassment and bullying, leading to a fight that left one student injured.
Earlier this school year, the Independence School District removed the option for students to display their preferred pronouns on Canvas, the district’s virtual learning platform. The school district didn’t explain why they removed the option.
Kansas City’s LGBTQ Commission has decided to hold an emergency meeting Monday to address the trend in hate-related incidents. The meeting will be at 8 p.m. over Zoom.
This story was originally published October 29, 2021 at 11:15 AM.
