Policies on transgender students in place at local districts

The three largest school districts in Clark County — Evergreen, Vancouver and Battle Ground — weighed in on the Obama administration’s school restroom guidelines Friday. All three districts already have policies in place. The policies are set by each district’s school board, but must comply with a 2006 state law that prohibits discrimination based on a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity.

In all three districts, students may use the restroom of the gender they identify with, or may ask to use single-stall, gender-neutral staff restrooms.

“This is not new for Washington state, which enacted RCW 49.60 in 2006,” said Gail Spolar, spokeswoman for Evergreen Public Schools, the county’s largest district.

Evergreen’s school board adopted transgender student policy that is consistent with Washington state law in April 2015.

“Battle Ground Public Schools updated its nondiscrimination policy to include gender expression and gender identify as pro tected classes to align with the state’s law” in August 2014, said Sean Chavez, district spokesman.

Vancouver Public Schools adopted policy regarding transgender and gender nonconforming students in April 2015.

“We want to respect every student’s rights,” said Amanda Richter, spokeswoman for Vancouver Public Schools.

Chavez added that in 2012, the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction sent local school districts a publication, “Prohibiting Discrimination in Public Schools,” which offered guidelines for districts to implement state laws prohibiting discrimination, including RCW 49.60 and RCW 28A.642.