Foster-Glocester School Committee under pressure to repeal policy that protects trans students
Local parents turn out 3 to 1 against right-wing extremists seeking to harm transgender, gender diverse and transitioning students.
Cheryl Greathouse was the tenth person to testify at Tuesday evening's Foster-Glocester School Committee meeting in Ponaganset High School's library. I start here because Greathouse is a Republican member of the Glocester Town Council, running for re-election.
“The word that I hear all the time is equity,” said Councilmember Greathouse. “The definition of equity is fair and impartial. So I stand here for the 98% of the cisgender kids who identify as the sex that they were born with - not the gender but the sex. I think it's important that they also have equity. I think the girls who identify as the girls they were born as should have the right to have privacy in their bathrooms. They have the right to privacy in their locker rooms.
“There is no hatred. I'll speak for myself, but also for the people that I sit with. There is no hatred for transgender kids. We accept them, we understand perhaps they're confused and I hope that as they get older they'll truly find their way or what the path that God has blessed them with is, although they need to be protected as well.
“I agree with all of that. What I don't understand is what the big deal is that trans kids are forced to use bathrooms with cisgender kids. That truly, in my opinion, is putting them in perhaps a dangerous situation. I'm truly in favor of equity. I'm truly in favor of transgender kids being able to express themselves, but they should have their place to do that so that they're not bullied, so they're not abused, so that they don't feel that they're not part of something. If they were part of their situation, they wouldn't feel like outcasts.
“I'm in favor of girls using girls' bathrooms, boys that are the sex they were born using boys' bathrooms, and let the transgender kids have the freedom to use a bathroom that you don't have to identify as anything to use.
“It's not fair that girls have to use bathrooms and especially locker rooms with boys. I want you to consider boys in girls' sports. We've seen what's happened in the Olympics. We've seen what's happened to the boxer, [Imane Khelif]. It's unfair.
“Students in our school, athletes in our school, and girls, really work very hard and put their heart and souls into the sport that they choose and they should not have to compete with a boy who's a lot bigger and stronger in most cases. I ask you to consider the policy we're speaking about, which is simply equity of fairness and an impartial decision that all students, not just the trans students, but the cisgender students also, have equity in their time here at Ponaganset.”
After her testimony, Foster resident Matt DelSesto corrected the Councilmember during his testimony, noting, to applause, that Olympic boxer Imane Khalif is a woman, and not transgender. “The girl in the Olympics wasn't a boy,” said DelSesto.
“Is she a woman?” Greathouse quietly asked the person sitting next to her.
“Yes,” replied the person sitting next to her.
“The Olympic boxer? She's a woman?” repeated Greathouse, with evident confusion.
“She's a woman,” came the reply.
There was nothing on the school committee's agenda about transgender students. The school committee was conducting ordinary business, but during public comment that all changed because Robert Chiaradio had made the drive from Westerly to address the committee about his concerns regarding the Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE)’s Transgender, Gender Diverse, and Transitioning Student policy, as well as his concerns regarding transgender students in sports. It's part of Chiaradio's quest to address every school committee in Rhode Island about his need to police the genitalia of children.
It was the usual drivel from Chiaradio - a baseless bigoted screed full of fearmongering and threats of lawsuits.
“There will be a line of families, I promise you, lining up to sue you and I will be helping them should this policy not change,” said Chiaradio. “Your job as a school committee is to support and protect all kids, not simply those who are confused with their sexual identity. Angelica Infante Greene is lying to you. RIDE is lying to you. Your Title IX policy parrots the current [Biden] administration's attempted hijacking and it's unlawful... Should you choose to enforce this illegal rewrite... there will be lawsuits lined up against you and plenty of people want a piece of it.”
Around a dozen people from around the state were there in support of Chiaradio, but nearly 30 people, mostly residents of Foster and Glocester, were there in opposition to his views and in support of their towns’ transgender children.
The next speaker, June Arribas from Cumberland, echoed many of Chiaradio's talking points, emphasizing her religious beliefs.
Then Warwick resident Isabel G. spoke.
“I want to start by saying that despite Robert's insistence, trans people are not a threat. Rather, he and people like him are a threat to the trans and LGBTQ+ community as a whole. I refuse to have my identity, as someone assigned female at birth and identifies as a woman, weaponized against my trans sisters. You may insist that what you say here is only words or truth, but if you have even the slightest understanding of history, you will know that words and sometimes truth can lead to terrible, terrible things.
“I say this as a Jewish woman and a member of the LGBTQ+ community who has seen what has happened to my people when people corrupted by hatred insinuate that their bigotry and beliefs, wherever they come from, are the truth. I know it firsthand.
“I'm here not just in support of RIDE's guidance for Rhode Island schools on transgender and gender nonconforming students, but more importantly, trans students across Rhode Island. It should not have to be said, but trans kids are worthy of protection and they must receive it. Schools must provide a safe haven for trans students. Many, sadly, cannot find that safety and acceptance at home. This is a truth. Trans people and their presence are vital to all communities and we cannot take for granted the light, beauty, and insight they bring to our communities and our lives, I will never stop fighting for them, especially as someone with trans friends and family. It is our responsibility to keep trans kids safe and create environments in which they're welcome and at home, not ones where they feel alienated.
“Inclusion is not exclusion. Being certain of your sexual and gender identity is not confusion and gender-affirmative care saves lives. Everyone uses pronouns. I want to end with a quote by Magnus Hirschfeld, who saved many people's lives through gender affirmative care by offering it in the 1920s and 30s. "Soon, the day will come when science will win victory over error, justice a victory over injustice, and human love a victory over human hatred and ignorance." I hope that those who are coming here out of ignorance can find it in themselves to love. Thank you and God bless trans people.”
Foster resident Tiffany Madrano also spoke in favor of protecting trans students and in support of the policy.
“I love this town. I live here. I grew up here and I went to this school and it's a great school," said Glocester resident Alisha Martin. "It's a great school system and part of what makes it great is its inclusivity, tolerance, and the fact that in this town people care about each other. We're a small town... I'll fight for this town. I'll fight for the kids in this town. I love trans kids. I love trans youth. They deserve a spot in this town. They deserve to feel welcome and I will also be here fighting for every chance for them too. I want to state that for the record I'll be here to fight for them. This is my town.”
“I want all kids to feel like they are part of our community and that they are valued. That includes trans kids,” said Glocester resident Meredith Whitty. “I know that you are going to hear from people who don't think trans is real. We don't need to get into that. This is established. It's 2024. I'm also pretty sure you guys already had this discussion this year. I don't see why you'd want to get into it again.
“That's what you're being asked to do [but] I don't see the reason to do it. You guys have a policy that I appreciate. I was actually at a meeting here in 2018 when you folks were discussing it so I'm somewhat familiar with it. I've read it. It seems pretty good to me... I, for one, would like trans kids to have all the protections. It is tough being a teenager. It's a hundred times tougher being a trans kid. Life is hard when you are a trans kid. Those kids deserve protection and acceptance, and not all of them get it.
“I think we are all better when we have compassion for other people. My kids have benefited from being in a school where people value differences. Rights are not pie. Giving trans kids rights and protecting them doesn't take anything away from anyone else. It adds. My kids are better off living in a world where we appreciate each other and we defend the rights of minorities. Please don't change the trans policy no matter what out-of-town folks ask you to do. We people in Glocester appreciate protecting trans kids and Foster, I'm sure, too.”
Glocester resident Jennifer Winn explained that she graduated from Ponagansett High School 30 years ago. and has lived in the community for 40 years, not counting the time she spent serving in the Navy.
“You simply don't have the liberty to discriminate, harm people, and cause unsafe environments for trans kids or anybody," said Winn. "As far as the rhetoric about the safety of the boys and girls in bathrooms with these trans kids, you can watch the news and see how many stories there are of a trans kid attacking someone in a bathroom and how many stories you see of trans kids being brutalized and murdered. It's not equal, it's not the same. You are free to have your opinions. You're not free to be comfortable at all times. You are not free to harm other people. And as another of my friends back there said, I too will be here to fight on behalf of trans kids."
“A lot of this comes from people wanting to impose their views of Christianity on public institutions. I'm a strong believer in the separation of church and state and I don't like having someone impose on me their ideas that affect my freedoms - it's been happening a lot in our society, much more so recently," said Ellen Kellner, a resident of Glocester for 52 years. "I practiced as a clinical social worker in private practice at a time when it was difficult for youngsters to be gay in school. I know how many suffered from depression and some suicides because they weren't accepted and included. So I very much want to keep the RIDE policy in place and follow it.”
“I don't believe that the school board should be taking any position that promotes sexually deviant behavior of any kind. You should be neutral on this," said Glocester resident Brian Kouch, who by “neutral” meant “against.” Kouch also pledged $100k of his own money to support taking the school committee to court.
“If there are students here that feel not included, well they're going to have to get a backbone and they're going to have to do what the rest of us did and that is to grow up,” said Kouch. “This kind of thing has got to stop because it's not going to do well. And I'm going to put up the first a hundred thousand dollars to sue this school board if you're going to be practicing things that are inconsistent with Title IX.”
“In the second half of the last century, we had policies of separate but equal. 30 years later we had Don't Ask, Don't Tell,” said Foster resident Matt DelSesto. “We all recognize now that those policies were unfortunate and discriminatory, and left a lot of people sitting in second-class citizenship among their families and their friends. In hindsight, we know this was wrong.
“In the 1960s it was the African-American population that had to deal with this. In the 1990s it was the gay and lesbian community. Today it's our transgender families, friends, children, and siblings. I graduated from this school in 1994. I joined the Marine Corps and 27 years later I came back. I have four children, two graduated, and two are coming back here next month.
“This past year, my son, Rocko Luciano, a strong, Italian boy's name, graduated. Her peers know her as Avery. She was accepted by her peers, teachers, and the staff of the school. Without question, I found out that she was going by the name Avery when I came to pick something up that she had left here. I didn't know that she was using that name. My other two children did. I was not mad at her. I didn't feel like somehow I had control of that. That was who she was. What hurt me is that I didn't let her know with plenty of time that I'm the first person to accept who she is and who she's going to be in her life.
“Today we're having a conversation, not about bathrooms or locker rooms. The girl in the Olympics wasn't a boy... What we're having a conversation about is whether or not bullying is becoming mandated by the people around us because of their religions or their past discrimination. I don't have the discriminations that my father had and I don't want my children having the ones that I grew up with. I hope that everybody in this room can understand that 30 years from now, we will be embarrassed by this conversation. Nobody is going to walk out of this room and say, ‘In 1976, I used to call people by this thing’ or ‘In 1984 I said this.’
“We all pretend we didn't do that. Nobody's walking around saying ‘I was a big supporter of Richard Nixon.’ We don't do it. It's embarrassing.
“I don't have anything against people here who feel differently than me. I love all of you, but we are changing. We are becoming a more inclusive country and a more inclusive world and the sections that don't want to be part of that inclusion are getting smaller and angrier. We don't need that in our high schools.”
“I greatly agree with what this gentleman just said,” said Glocester resident Heather Kennedy. “It's about being on the wrong side or the right set of history. This school district and this state are on the right set of history. So congratulations to you. I'm sorry that you're experiencing bullying tactics and threatened lawsuits over trivial stuff. That's not a problem. And I'm pretty sure if that happens, our community would put a fund together to help fight back because we don't stand for bullying...”
That said, Kennedy did note that she has heard disturbing reports about bullying in local schools.
“I want to speak in support of the trans and LGBTQ+ community,” said Foster resident and schoolteacher Alex Haynes. “A couple of reactions to what people have been saying: It's not as simple as calling boys girls. It's not the same as being transgender. If you are transgender, a trans man is considered a man. A trans woman is considered a woman. I've heard talk about discriminating against 99% of the students and that is the reason why the RIDE policy exists... The RIDE policy serves the kids who are trans. It does not take anything away from anyone else in the community. There's a lot of fear-mongering going on here tonight. The bottom line is that this is a civil rights issue and there are enough rights for everyone to go around. No one is trying to erase anyone. What is happening is that there are marginalized groups in our society and trans is undoubtedly one of the most marginalized groups.
“There is literature out there to inform you about transgender identity, gender identity, and gender expression. I bring you a book, the Trans Allyship Workbook, that I highly recommend the school committee investigate. If you have any questions about this… you can have the author come and talk to you about trans allyship.
“As a teacher, I have seen more and more trans students - students and kids identifying as trans and identifying as part of the LGBTQ+ community. That is why, when I had the opportunity to go to a workshop, I went because I didn't know everything. This book, like the RIDE policy, is not a perfect document, but in a world where there is more information available to everyone, there is also the risk of misinformation and disinformation being spread by those who don't want to admit that trans people are people.
“I have taken it upon myself to educate myself. I have read three more books that are written by trans people about their experiences. Don't just take someone's word for it about what it means to be trans from somebody who's speaking out against their rights, read their books and hear their words about what it means to live in their world, which is also our world. I have learned by self-educating myself. I can acknowledge that I've made mistakes as an educator against trans people. I have made mistakes in conversations. It is okay to make mistakes, but repeatedly making mistakes is not okay.
“Does God make mistakes? How can there be an issue with trans people existing if God is infallible, if he's omniscient? Trans people have been on this planet since before Jesus of Nazareth walked the earth. Trans people have been around since we were people. It's as simple as that. Respecting people costs you nothing and having different opinions is what makes America a great country. Restricting rights and protections for marginalized people is not American and these beliefs don't belong in our community.”
“I just want to apologize first of all, to the gentleman from Westerly. I am very passionate about my community here and the LGBTQ+ community,” said Glocester resident Dana Browne. “My child went to school here, and didn't graduate high school because they felt bullied and didn't feel like they could continue, so they dropped out... It was a hard feeling as a parent. You want to fight for your child... I believe in inclusion. This school is all about inclusion. It's everywhere. I understand that you cannot always sway people to think a certain way. Those people who think differently, who think that trans children are not trans children or are affiliated with the sex they were born with are ill-advised but they're a minority. Their kids are learning something pretty powerful from you, the community, other people, and social media. It's okay to include people who are different. And I believe religion should stay out of our schools.”
Warwick resident Jessica Maria was there with her children in agreement with Bob Chiaradio. She had her daughter at the podium with her and asked the child, “Would you like a boy in the bathroom with you?” In answer, her daughter shook her head.
“I'm going to add my comments as a member of a parent group,” said Glocester resident Laurie Gaddis-Barrett, founder of the right-wing #ParentsUnitedRI, which she announced last night will be partnering with the right-wing extremist group Moms for Liberty on any future lawsuits. Amy Rodriguez, founder and Chapter Leader of the Washington County Chapter of Moms for Liberty, was in attendance at the meeting. Two years ago #ParentsUnited RI offered a slate of right-wing extremists in elections throughout Rhode Island, similar to a tactic Moms for Liberty is employing today.
“One of the things I found shocking was a resident of this town who said that they had no idea that their child was going by a different name and different pronouns. I want to make sure that you understand what that means. That means the school system is keeping secrets from parents and that is absolutely 100% unacceptable. This is an election year pay attention.
“I came here tonight to talk about Title IX. Title IX was passed in 1972. It consists of 37 words. It guarantees non-discrimination [against] women. It's 37 words, but what the Biden administration did recently was go through a regulation process that produced 1,577 pages that redefined sex and talked about gender identity and expression.
“That regulation has been challenged in over 26 states and it has survived injunctions in 26 states. One of them involves Moms for Liberty as a plaintiff and one of them said that if you are a parent and you have a child that goes to school and you are a member of Moms for Liberty, the school, not the school district, but the school does not have to comply with those Title IX change. I'm here to tell you tonight you have children in Ponagansett High School and Ponagansett Middle School with parents who are members of Mom for Liberty. You will not be complying with Title IX.
“And to Bobby [Chiaradio]'s point, if we have to fight about it, we will fight about it legally. I know that our school committee wants to be legally compliant. If you have not already received a copy of that ruling, I will make sure you get it. Thank you very much. At the end of the day, this is a Moms for Liberty lawsuit. It's pretty well known that I'm a co-founder of #ParentsUnitedRI. #ParentsUnitedRI will help [with this lawsuit.]”
Kindness vs meanness and threats. That's one thing that always stands out. Stand on the side of kindness.