Hellobee Boards

I guess I understand the point of the assembly, but I do not agree with it at all. I really hope the parents were aware of it and wanted it, like you said. I feel like it's probably just setting that child up for a lot of problems.

That sounds super weird and humiliating for the new student.

By not having the answers to the students questions ie thinking how the school will truly welcome and work for this child they have already set up Emily for undue scrutiny. I really hope the school identifies friendly students to welcome her and help navigate her first week at the school.

The big thing I have an issue with is that they have no answers to questions! Like, get your stuff together before at least!

I could MAYBE understand if you had a current student who came out as transgendered and you were explaining how she used to go by male-name and would now go by female-name and for all intents and purposes should be treated as a girl (or vice-versa). But for a new student??? Why would you do that?? When Emily joins a class, just introduce her there as "This is Emily, a new student. She is joining our class." Period. End of story. And if Emily identifies as a girl, she would do girl sports and use the girls bathroom (assuming they don't have a private bathroom that any student is allowed to use) just like any other girl.

I really hope the parents are the ones that requested this, and even then, I have to wonder why they would?? This is so bizarre.

@Adira: Agreed. As an educator who has had a transgender student /training on this topic this is very strange. If a student has transitioned prior to being in my class, it's possible I might not even be informed. When I did have a student transition midyear, administrators met with each of the student's classes to explain. I think a school wide assembly is totally inappropriate no matter what, even if the parents requested it. Especially with an administration that is unprepared to respond to basic questions.

I'm kinda pissed reading this. Especially so if the parents had no idea. This is inappropriate and completely wrong for the school to do. Would they have an assembly to announce that a cis-gendered child was joining the school? Definitely not, so why was it necessary to have one because a transgendered student is joining. As a parent, and as an educator, I cannot fathom why this was done. Especially when there were no answers to the questions.

I can't help but think this was requested by the parents (or heck, maybe even the student). If not, wow, I'd of course be pissed as the parent.
But I agree with @anagram I'd reach out to the family if at all possible to welcome them with open arms.

I think all students should have a right to some privacy. Putting Emily on the spot like that feels so wrong. Even had the parents requested it, the school should have gently declined.

Besides, unless it's high school and there's facial stubble involved, how would most kids even know? Maybe it would make sense to talk to just the new student's class, since they would share a locker room, but a school-wide announcement seems over the top. If the new kid felt like sharing this information, she could do that on her own terms.

speaking as a teacher at a school who has a transgender student...

The parents requested an all staff training, and for admin to meet with each classroom of that grade level. The student transitioned over the summer. in regards to people noticing, it was definitely noticeable, and at a middle school, students have lots of questions and comments... So I think schools need to be proactive and initiate the conversation, as long as the parents are okay with it.

My reaction depends on who wanted this.
@DesertDreams88: thanks for sharing!

I have to imagine the parents asked for the assembly; or for something similar and the administration thought an assembly was the easiest way to go about this. I agree that it shouldn’t be necessary (at all), and especially not for a new student. Also, the administration should have had answers at the ready, because all of those “concerns” should have already been discussed and addressed between the school and the parents/student.

Not the same, but my company recently had a current employee transition. This is a large company in a liberal area with a strong/supportive company culture and the employee asked that an email be sent out alerting everyone to her change. Some people thought it was insensitive of the company to “broadcast the news”, but it was at the request of the EE (also came with a reminder about company policies of inclusion, etc.). So, FWTW. Could have been at request of parents.

@josina: The school not being ready to answer questions is a red flag to me Our school told us which bathrooms and which procedures (since we have different bathrooms per grade level, and hallway passes, and students aren't supposed to be in other hallways / bathrooms etc). They also told us how they were able to accomodate the student in regards to their student ID and paperwork, etc. (the students name is changed socially but not legally yet).