Debate over transgender policies rages on at New Jersey school boards

🏳‍🌈 NJ school boards continue to debate controversial trans policy

🏳‍🌈Vineland is the latest to reject the Murphy administration policy

🏳‍🌈Most school districts in NJ has kept the policy in place

School boards in New Jersey continue to debate, and reject, Gov. Phil Murphy administration's controversial policies on transgender students.

The latest debate was in Vineland, where the school board rejected what is known as Policy 5756 in a 7-2 vote.

At least nine other districts have officially repealed the policy that includes a ban on parental notification if a student changes gender identity in school. Other districts are considering it.

Some Vineland board members expressed concerns about the safety of students who could be outed to their parents if they confided in a trusted teacher or faculty member.

Board President Kimberly Codispoti rejected that argument, saying there are already protections put in place for those students.

"Simply put," Codispoti said, "Parents have a right to know what is going on with their own child." She voted to repeal the state policy.

The vote in Vineland came after a stern warning from district Superintendent Alfonso Llano warned board members he would be forced to come up with a new district policy. That policy, he said, would likely be very similar to the Murphy administration policy "because that is the way it is written in the law."

Llano did not give specifics.

The "bombshell admission"

After school districts were misled by the Murphy administration for months about whether Policy 5756 was mandatory, came a stunning admission.

During a court hearing on Sept. 6, 2023, that involved the Hanover Township School District's defiance of the policy, Deputy Attorney General James Michael conceded the ban on parental notification was only "guidance" and not "mandatory."

School board member Gregory Skiff was incredulous about what he said was "a widespread effort to misrepresent to school districts statewide that 5756 was mandatory" when it simply was not.

Middletown School Board vice president Jacqueline Tobacco said at the time, "It felt like a complete bombshell to us."

Up until that point, New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin had threatened legal action against any school that altered Policy 5756.

Majority of NJ districts stick with policy

Fewer than a dozen of New Jersey 593 school districts have officially repealed the controversial policy.

In many districts, it is simply not considered an issue.

Where the policy has been repealed, it is in districts where pressure from parents and community members has been intense.

If a district places the policy on the agenda, it often draws crowds of angry parents and members of the LGBTQ community who passionately attempt to persuade district members.

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