North Kingstown rescinds its Title IX policy due to court decision, but continues to stand by trans students

The rights of transgender people will be vindicated, perhaps not in this current political climate but in the not-distant future. Their rights will stand as equal to cisgender people.

In response to a Federal Court decision that struck down Biden Administration policies that expanded Title IX protections for transgender students, the North Kingstown School Committee reluctantly rescinded a recently adopted policy. It was an emotional evening, but even as the Committee took steps to revoke the policy, they reiterated their support for protecting trans students under existing State law, Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) policies, and North Kingstown School District policies around discrimination and bullying.

School Committees across Rhode Island will be rescinding and revising their Title IX policies in reaction to the District Court decision. See: In an emotional evening, Barrington School District rolls back Title IX protections for trans kids

The public testimony presented to the School Committee was all (but one) in support of protecting the rights of trans students, even in the face of Trump Administration Executive Orders that seek to dehumanize and take away rights from trans people. Note that the North Kingstown School Committee was not rescinding the policy in response to the Trump Administration but in response to a Federal District Court decision that came down before Trump’s inauguration.

The lone, blustery, misinformed, and bullying voice in opposition to trans rights came from a Christian Nationalist Westerly resident who was described by a North Kingstown High School student (who didn’t give her name) as follows:

“…if you’re making an effort to make things harder for my trans friends, you should be ashamed of yourself. If you’re a grown adult who spends all of your time worrying about the sex and gender of minors, you should be ashamed of yourself. You are helping and protecting nobody.”

The transcript has been edited for clarity, and the Westerly resident has not been included. He is, however, in the video above.

Jesse Friedman: I’m a former adjunct professor at two universities in Rhode Island, a former Greene School Board member, and a parent of a North Kingston High School junior. This is in context to the recent Title IX rollbacks related to transgender protections, and I want to make a statement about that. I’m here to ask the school committee for a clear and unequivocal statement affirming that this district will continue to uphold Rhode Island State Law and protections for transgender students regardless of federal rollbacks.

Rhode Island law explicitly prohibits discrimination based on gender identity and education, and the Rhode Island Department of Education has clear policies protecting transgender students and their rights. These protections are not optional - they’re legal obligations under State law.

But beyond the legal requirement, this is a matter of student safety. Transgender youth already face bullying, isolation, and targeting simply for existing as who they are. Any wavering on this Committee’s behalf will reinforce malicious behaviors and message that these students are not fully protected. Transgender students must know that you have their backs.

Since Rhode Island laws require that this district protect transgender youth from discrimination, can this committee confirm without hesitation that it will follow State law and ensure these protections remain fully enforced? It is State law that you were required to do that.

Committee Chair Erin Earle: I’m sorry, but our policy is not to respond to comments, but thank you.

Alexis Adamonis: I’m a junior at North Kingston High School. I am transgender, and I’m here to represent my trans and school community. When I heard that Title IX was being rolled back, it instilled a sense of existential dread in me because I, and all of our students at NKHS, are told that Title IX protects you. It’s something that’s put up in the halls; it’s put up in school presentations at the beginning of the year. It’s the thing that protects you. All our students have understood that. I know students who are trans and have used it to get bullies off their backs. I know people who have used it to affirm their right to be in the right bathroom. People have come to me and are as afraid as I am.

There is nothing more scary than having a government attempt to take away your right to be who you are. And even if, God forbid, anyone were to ever feel unsafe with a trans person in the same bathroom or around them - which is not something that happens because trans people are just like any other group of people - it would still be terrible to rip away an entire group’s rights. It does not make sense.

There’s a fear in this that needs to be validated and upheld. Something needs to be done and maintained about this—if trans students can’t have Title IX, we need to have the same protections that any other group of students would have, even if we don’t call it Title IX, something that makes us feel and protects us.

There’s something so sad about the fact that I don’t know what I can do as a student other than just be here and take in all the pain of my fellow students. I’ve reiterated this word so many times. Still, fear is something that we’re all feeling right now, and my trans friends and the entire school community would love to get rid of that fear and create a strong connection with the school committee, the faculty, and anyone who can protect us and all groups. So thank you.

Eliza Adler: This is on the topic of the Title IX rollbacks. I’m really glad for my trans friends, who I love so dearly, that the school committee will continue protecting them. This victory here does not mean that we should overlook the crisis that we are meeting here today as a symptom of - because it’s a symptom of fascism. By trying to take away the Title IX protections of trans people, we will be pushing people in vulnerable groups closer to oppression in our country.

Donald Trump’s executive order to bar trans women from sports, which isn’t what we’re talking about but is in the same area, isn’t only posturing but completely useless. It will only affect five or 10 people in the whole country. Policies like this are doing more harm than good. Nobody is protected when another group is targeted.

As we know, in Nazi Germany, LGBT people were among the first targets of violence and censorship due to the perception that other groups would not stand up for them. If we don’t stand up for trans people, they won’t be here to stand up for us cis people when Donald Trump makes efforts to discriminate against and defame other groups like other LGB people, women, racial and ethnic minorities, and the poor.

If you’re not making an effort, you should be. And if you’re making an effort to make things harder for my trans friends, you should be ashamed of yourself. If you’re a grown adult who spends all of your time worrying about the sex and gender of minors, you should be ashamed of yourself. You are helping nobody and protecting nobody. I’m a fully cisgender girl, and gay and trans friends surround me. I’ve never once felt threatened by them for their sexual orientation or their gender. They’re some of my favorite people.

Some of my least favorite people are the ones who invade the personal liberties of others to scapegoat, fearmonger, and try to hurt the people I love because they have nothing better to do. If this committee would uphold the rights of trans people while protecting them under Title IX, I would appreciate it. Still, we need to consider the larger implications of this policy in general and think about how it will affect us as a country that this is even trying to happen. Thanks.

To the people out there who seek to marginalize, erase, or harm our LGBTQ students, or indeed any students, know that there are many of us adults who will stand in your way… You’ll have to come through us.

Alice Adler: I’m the mother of a North Kingstown High School student. While the withdrawal of Title IX protections for our trans and LGBTQ kids is indeed a step backward for our nation, I want to open by saying a sincere thank you to the North Kingstown Schools for their anticipated commitment to policies that show they stand by their trans and gay students and continue to support them, despite the rising tide of hate and negativity in the world today.

The kind, wonderful, and talented gay and trans students in our schools need to see that the community supports them and wants them to be safe. They need to know that they belong and that we adults want them to have the space to be their true selves and thrive, learn, grow, and be safe in our schools every day.

Celebrating these kids with love, happiness, and acceptance tells all kids - gay kids, trans kids, straight kids, all kids - that the community loves, supports, and values them. In my educational history, I have seen firsthand how fostering a supportive environment is fundamental to helping children succeed and thrive.

I also want to thank the North Kingstown schools for pushing forward with policies that foster inclusion and equity for all students and initiatives that celebrate the diversity in our world, which makes our schools, community, and nation stronger and ultimately better.

To the people out there who seek to marginalize, erase, or harm our LGBTQ students, or indeed any students, know that there are many of us adults who will stand in your way. We are committed to health, happiness, and safety. You’ll have to come through us. Thank you, North Kingstown, for embracing all children, letting them know that we adults love and support them, and giving them a space where they can learn and grow and become loving, kind adults who open their arms to everyone.

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Joshua Zahren: I’m a German teacher at North Kingstown High School and, as of this year, the advisor of the Sexuality and Gender Alliance (SAGA). I hope to speak briefly tonight to emphasize the importance of safe spaces and inclusive policies for the LGBTQ+ students in our district, especially at a time when federal recognition and protections for these individuals are at risk.

SAGA primarily strives to provide a safe space for LGBTQ+ youth and allies at the high school. Students have been particularly restless this year regarding the new administration and potential changes in LGBTQ+ rights and protections. As we know, the current federal interpretation of Title IX no longer explicitly protects sexual orientation and gender identity, leaving LGBTQ+ students vulnerable at the national level. Unfortunately, this is likely one of many new policies that aim to remove progress toward equal rights and protections for our community.

Luckily for our students, our district has a fairly robust and inclusive anti-harassment policy, which will continue to protect this vulnerable group to the same extent that Title IX can. Our school’s main goal is to educate the children in our community, and we should do so without discrimination. As educators, we know that our students cannot fully grow and self-actualize unless their needs for personal safety and belonging are sufficiently met.

This is especially relevant for students in the LGBTQ+ population. According to the Trevor Project, 42% of LGBTQ+ youth in Rhode Island seriously considered suicide in 2021, with 17% attempting their lives. Additionally, 68% experienced anxiety, and 52% reported depression symptoms. These numbers underscore the urgent need for continued protection and representation.

For students who come from more conservative backgrounds, school might be the only place where they can feel comfortable being out or expressing their true gender identity. I’m grateful for the progress made so far in our district to support and protect our LGBTQ+ youth. Specifically, SAGA has been able to work closely with the high school administration. We’ve been able to increase availability for gender-neutral, single-stall restrooms and help secure a grant for the English department to acquire new literature with LGBTQ+ representation.

Our district’s policies and practices must continue to help create a safe space for these students to be themselves without fear of discrimination and to allow them to see themselves represented in the curriculum. Maintaining these protections isn’t just about preventing harm; it improves student outcomes, engagement, and success. While I understand that our Title IX policy must reflect federal protections, I am disappointed that, as a nation, we are regressing to a society that vilifies and finds ways to discriminate against the LGBTQ+ community legally.

I implore the school committee to continue supporting and protecting our queer youth through the following initiatives.

1. By continuing to foster representation in our curriculum.

2. By continuing to prioritize training for faculty and staff to help create and maintain safe spaces within our schools and,

3. By continuing to support DEI initiatives that strive to strengthen our community by fostering diverse voices in our district.

Lastly, I would like to thank you all for your time and attention this evening. SAGA and I appreciate the school committee’s support and efforts to make North Kingstown a safe and welcoming district. I would also like to thank you for standing up against bullies and bigots in our district. I would also like to thank Jennifer Lima, Shivali Finkelstein, and Sally Davidson for their ongoing collaboration with SAGA. I’m proud to teach in a district that values inclusion and representation. Thank you for your continued support.

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Christina Lawrence: I have been an English teacher in NKHS for 14 years, and I was formerly the advisor of the Sexuality and Gender Alliance, SAGA, for 10 of those years before Josh. I want to echo support for the points that Josh just made. During my years as the SAGA advisor, I heard from club members regularly about how their experiences differed from many of their peers and how their school day involved additional stressors other students might not even notice.

One example that comes to mind is that during last year’s Club Fair, students noticed that some of their peers were taking photos of the SAGA signup roster for reasons we could only speculate and that others had mockingly signed their friends up as a joke. The following day, club members were on edge, wondering who was sincerely interested in the club and who might try to antagonize or harm them somehow.

We want to think things like this don’t happen in our schools, but that would be naive. Protections for LGBTQ+ and other marginalized groups are incredibly important and not to be eroded. In addition to protecting students from harassment, ensuring diverse representation in the curriculum is important.

I realize this is slightly to the side of the Title IX question, though I think it speaks to the broader question. NKHS has taken many steps forward in this area during my time here, and I want to thank you and our administrators for facilitating that.

Two years ago, SAGA procured a grant from the It Gets Better Project (https://itgetsbetter.org/) to increase the number of titles with LGBTQ+ characters in the English curriculum. It was a joy to watch kids be involved in selecting those titles and studying them in class the following year.

Though those students have since graduated, those texts continue to make an impact. The other day, I asked one of my advisees how she liked Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin, one of the titles purchased with that grant. She told me it might be her favorite book she has ever read and that she had already picked out which James Baldwin title she would read, this time for pleasure.

English teachers often talk about books as mirrors and windows. Some help us see ourselves better, and others give us a clearer view of others’ experiences. I hope you’ll continue to support DEI initiatives in North Kingstown schools so that students feel safe to be themselves in our classrooms and that their education contains mirrors and windows.

Kirsten Reveron: I am a resident of Jamestown and a current taxpayer, and I would just like to add my voice to the chorus of people who are here to support the students who are under attack by what’s currently happening in our country—the rollback of DEI. While unfortunate, I know that this was a court decision during the Biden Administration, and now an additional federal issue is coming down that is causing these kids to feel afraid. The fear is palpable.

There is a man who are not from here pointing his finger at you and trying to threaten you, and I’m encouraging you not to give in. Rhode Island has beautiful values. The school district has been supportive of kids as a whole, especially regarding DEI. And while the language is being removed - the ethic is not. I’m asking you to continue to shore up our values as Rhode Islanders and North Kingstown people, as well as me as a Jamestown person. Do not give in to people from outside, with hateful values pointing at you, calling things nonsense. Do not give in. That’s all I have to say.

Shayla: My pronouns are she/her. I’m the parent of an NKHS graduate and a current NKHS student. I come before this committee to speak as an advocate for trans children and as the proud parent of a trans child. First, I understand why legal counsel may advise the committee on what action should be taken tonight regarding the district’s Title IX policy. I also understand that Rhode Island State Law continues to protect transgender persons, and I value the efforts this committee and the schools have made to protect transgender students.

Though I object to the rescission of the transgender policy or any part thereof, I understand the underlying reason. I also know it is the wrong decision for our students and community. I also know that it will go the way of every other attempt to trample the rights of a minority group.

The rights of transgender people will be vindicated, perhaps not in this current political climate but in the not-distant future. Their rights will stand as equal to cisgender people. We are suffering through an unprecedented time of performative politics by a group of depraved, craven, and needy people who lack a fundamental understanding of biology and a basic level of empathy and human decency.

This misuse of federal power in the courts is unprecedented, not because we have not seen similar efforts against other minority groups, but because it is wielded for self-aggrandizement and to stroke the egos of a few and the fears of the masses. It is not being used to keep us safer. It is not being used because scientific data supports it. It is not being used because of danger to any other group, including women. It is being used not for good but for evil.

But evil cannot triumph unless good people do nothing. And we see good, strong, informed, and critical-thinking people do much. So, this decision will be temporarily necessary, but it will not be the end of this story. It will not be how we close this chapter, and one day, it will be a footnote about the hateful people who perpetuated it out of fear and ignorance. To quote a recent New York Times article. "As these campaigns continue, Americans would do well to remember the hard-won lessons of our history. We have overcome before, and we will overcome again." Thank you.

The Committee Discussion

Committee Member Jennifer Lima: I have done everything I can since I’ve been in this position to advocate for policies specifically as they relate to trans students. To bring this policy forward tonight for deletion is not something I ever wanted to do, nor would I be doing it if it wasn’t necessary. This policy is being recommended for deletion based on changes in federal law. This is not something that we, as a school committee, initiated. All districts with the post-August 2024 Title IX policy must eliminate them based on a United States District Court decision.

Many people here tonight have said that this only changes things at the federal level. Rhode Island still has State law, and we still have district policies that provide the same protections to the students that were in place before today.

There is no reason for students to think they have less protection today than yesterday. Any complaint based on gender identity is no longer covered under Title IX but is still covered based on our policies. We’re doing this based on legal advice, and that’s the only reason.

I also want to say that this has nothing to do with any Executive Order. It is based on a District court decision. As far as those Executive Orders that have been issued go, we’re monitoring them and any pending litigation, and we’ll make decisions as soon as we have legal clarity.

Based on our attorney’s recommendation, I will motion that we delete our current Title IX policy and revert to policy ACP.

Committee Chair Erin Earle: I just wanted to take a minute to speak directly to the LGBTQ students, especially those who spoke today, to assure you that you have my full support and that I’m committed to providing you with a safe, welcoming, and enriching environment to learn and grow here in North Kingstown. As Ms. Lima said, this was on the advice of our legal counsel, but you are truly the heart of our school community, and I will do everything in my power to make sure that you have the resources, care, protection, and encouragement that you need to thrive here. Just know that.

Committee Member Jennifer Lima: Thank you for saying that, Chair.

Committee Vice Chair Robert Case: I will add that you guys are my community. I’m an openly gay man, and I was where you guys were when I was in high school and middle school in this area. I understand what you’re going through, and I will always support you. If there is anything that I can do to be there for you, you can count on me one million percent. I hope you know that. I reluctantly have to agree to this. I don’t like it. I don’t think it’s right, but the law is the law. It went through the court system, and we must comply with the law.

The vote was unanimous.