Vancouver Public Schools reiterated its commitment to student safety after a woman alleged her niece, a transgender teenager, was punched at McLoughlin Middle School by a fellow student because of her gender identity.
According to a Facebook post by the girl’s aunt, Leslie Goodnight, 13-year-old Lindsey Smith has been the victim of ongoing harassment by fellow students throughout the year. On Wednesday, she said a boy punched Lindsey in the face several times after shouting “She is a boy” at her in the hallway. Goodnight also shared a photo showing a bruise forming on Lindsey’s cheek.
The post had been shared more than 7,700 times as of Thursday afternoon.
“She has been harassed relentlessly, almost daily, since the beginning of last school year and nothing is getting better,” Goodnight told The Columbian.
A Vancouver Public Schools spokeswoman, Amanda Richter, said the district is responding with “appropriate disciplinary action” against the aggressor.
However, due to student privacy laws, she could not specify how the school will discipline the individual student.
“Within district policy, discipline could fall within a range of actions, including suspension or emergency expulsion,” Richter said.
Lindsey, a seventh-grader, began her transition from male to female in fifth grade, said her mom, Carrie Smith. She said her daughter struggled with bullying and harassment, including alleged mistreatment by teachers, since she started middle school last year.
Smith also said teachers on multiple occasions have called her daughter by her male birth name and male pronouns, which would be a violation of protections for transgender students.
“I’m always in contact with the school, but it doesn’t seem they’re taking it as seriously as they should,” Smith said.
The district did not comment on those allegations because personnel files are private.
Smith is exploring options for alternate schools for her daughter, she said.
“I just don’t want her to suffer anymore bullying,” Smith said.
Washington law requires that schools protect transgender students from discrimination, including using preferred names and pronouns, participation in sports, protection from harassment and allowing students’ use of preferred restrooms and locker rooms.
Vancouver Public Schools has its own policy on transgender and gender nonconforming students, which the board approved in 2015. That policy encourages principals to meet with transgender students and their parents to discuss the family’s individual needs. It also requires schools to allow students to participate in activities and use facilities that correspond with their gender identity.
“The Board believes in fostering an educational environment that is safe and free of discrimination for all students, regardless of sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression,” the policy reads.
McLoughlin Middle School Principal Travis Boeh wrote a letter to school parents about the incident, saying a student at the school was “intentionally injured” by another student. Boeh wrote that the school is working to protect students from bullying, harassment and intimidation.
“We are deeply concerned by this behavior, and I want to assure our students and families that bullying or any other form of harassment is not acceptable and will not be tolerated,” Boeh wrote.
