What's going on in the Foster-Glocester Regional School District around transgender student policies and Title IX?
"I’m a Foster resident and a parent. I’m here to ask you to maintain the current language of the Rhode Island Department of Education for Title IX..."
Forty-five people attended the Foster-Glocester Regional School Committee meeting on Tuesday evening, and 15 spoke during public comment. At issue was a line in the agenda that said simply, “Title IX & District Policies.”
The Foster School District and the Glocester School District are independently responsible for their grammar schools, one in Foster and two in Glocester. The combined Foster-Glocester Regional School District is responsible for the Ponagansett Middle and High Schools. The Foster-Glocester Regional School Committee is comprised of nine members. Three members are from the Town of Foster; they serve two-year terms. Six members are from the Town of Glocester; they serve staggered four-year terms.
It’s a confusing arrangement, even for residents of the two towns, and this led to some confusion when the Foster School District added a page (since removed), that read, “Consistent with federal guidance as of January 2025, the district recognizes ‘sex’ as a binary biological attribute (male or female) determined at birth.” [italics mine] Though no one has taken responsibility, and the exact motivation for website change is unknown, the “federal guidance” is consistent with President Donald Trump’s recent and presently unenforcible executive orders denying the existence of transgender, gender-diverse, and transitioning people.
The agenda item is curious. An executive session can only be convened under carefully enumerated circumstances outlined in Rhode Island General Laws. The Rhode Island Attorney General’s office, the public body designated to enforce the Open Meetings Act, emphasize that “public bodies should only resort to executive session when necessary and are encouraged to consider whether business may be conducted in open session, even when the OMA may permit the matter to be discussed in closed session.” Policy discussions must be discussed in open session.
When asked about the agenda item by an attendee, Committee Chair Cindy Joyce offered only that the school committee “reviews our policies.” Here’s the relevant dialog:
Attendee: What are your Title IX discussions about?
Chair Joyce: We review our policies, as you already addressed…
At the end of the meeting, Committee Chair Joyce described the executive session:
Chair Joyce: We had pending legal advice [on] Title IX and district policies.
What kind of “legal advice” needs to take place out of view of the public? As far as I know, the Foster-Glocester School District is not facing a Title IX lawsuit or complaint. The Title IX complaint that has been made public is against Barrington, Chariho, Cumberland, East Greenwich, North Kingstown, and Providence, and it is being brought by the right-wing Rhode Island Center for Freedom and Prosperity. The attorney pursuing that complaint is Gregory Piccirilli, who is also the lawyer advising and representing the Foster-Glocester School Committee. It seems a conflict that Attorney Piccirilli might write a complaint against a school committee he represents.
Of course, this is all speculation. Despite Attorney Piccirilli jokingly suggesting that “we have nothing to hide” as he exited executive session, when I asked him if he was able to talk about what happened in executive session, he averred, saying it would be up to the school committee to do that.
Here’s the video:
The transcription has been edited for clarity. At times, the reading of people’s names was lost in the applause, so I did my best.
The testimonies in defense of transgender, gender-diverse, and transitioning students were, at times, very emotional. The first person to speak, Tiffany Medrano, was raw and honest and conveyed so much, even when words failed her. It was an amazing start:
Tiffany Medrano: I am a parent in the school system, and I know during executive session later, you’re going to be talking about - I don’t know, we don’t know because you’ll be in private - but it will be about Title IX, and I want to -
Attendee: You got this. It’s okay. Take your time.
Tiffany Medrano: I want to make sure that whatever policy we have in our school district includes every single person.
Syed Menebhi: I’m here to talk about sex and the definition of sex. I’m an educator in Rhode Island. I’m getting my PhD in education at the University of Rhode Island. I stand up here and say that the proposed definition of sex that Foster wants to go with isn’t within Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) guidance, but RIDE already told you all that, so I don’t need to stand up here and say that.
I am going to stand up here, though, and give a small little health lesson for you all because the definition proposed as a -
Chair Joyce: I want you to be clear. This isn’t the Foster School Committee, so understand. I want you to speak, but I don’t want you to think you’re speaking to a policy in Foster because that is separate from policies in the region.
Syed Menebhi: Okay, but it’s still relevant.
Chair Joyce: It is absolutely relevant; I don’t want you to think we have a policy because you’re -
Syed Menebhi: Okay, thank you. So the definition of sex as a binary biological attribute, male or female determined at birth, folks might say, "Hey, this is accurate science," but what’s interesting is you can pick up any piece of research in the past decade, in any peer reviewed journal, medical, psychological, or otherwise. The research and science say two things: one, sex is not binary, and two, gender and sex are two different things.
Let’s break it down the way I teach students. Sex is made up of a variety of things: biological, biological-assigned birth chromosomes, internal sex characteristics, external sex characteristics, hormone production, hormone response, and secondary sex characteristics. There’s a large amount of variation within any of those categories. As a society, you may hold the belief that sex is binary, but that’s not true from a medical standpoint.
For instance, folks who are intersex - one in every 1500 to 2000 people - are not determined to be either male or female, and gender is just how somebody identifies. One’s gender may align with one’s sex. That’s called cisgender. Otherwise, if someone’s gender doesn’t align with their sex, it’s transgender. Pretty simple.
There is research that points to the fact that we are born with both a biological sex and a gender identity. I think this is where most disagreement comes in because, for whatever reason, some people refuse to believe that transgender individuals exist even though there are, again, years and years of peer-reviewed research and science that defend their existence.
So, if it’s as simple as picking up a piece of research and reading it to understand what the science actually says, why are they adopting this definition all over the country and in executive orders? Because they are not interested in research and science. They’re interested in bigotry and making sure that any student who doesn’t fall precisely within this binary - in this, quite frankly, outdated sex categories - is not accepted or protected. I believe that students should not be penalized for not conforming to society’s gender roles. All kids deserve a place to grow, play, socialize, and learn - one that accepts them for who they are, protects them, and allows them to flourish.
Joanne Rich: I’m a retired educator. I’m concerned and drove from Providence because I want to tell you that when I was 13, I knew that I was queer. I didn’t have anywhere to look and see what that meant. I wasn’t confused about what it meant. I knew what I was, and I didn’t see anywhere.
When I got into my career as an educator, I was the advisor for the GSA. I was the safe person the kids knew they could come to. I taught in elite schools in New York City. I taught at the International School of Amsterdam. I was in the Caribbean for a while. I was at Community Prep, which is a school for low-income kids, and I can tell you that LGBTQ+ kids are in every school. They’re in your schools, they’re in Foster, they’re in Glocester, and if they don’t see people - if they’re not validated - they suffer. Sometimes they suffer so bad that they’d rather be dead, and sometimes they succeed, and the kid that you might save might be your own.
It’s important that the kids are protected and safe. You have the power to make the right choices. I just hope that you all can do the right thing.
Christina: I’m a Foster resident and a parent. I’m here to ask you to maintain the current language of the Rhode Island Department of Education for Title IX, which protects students’ rights to be free from discrimination based on sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.
I have very close personal relationships with many people who are transgender, gender nonconforming, and gender non-binary. It just happens to be part of my life. I have relatives and dear close friends who have those identities, so I feel like I’m here on their behalf and behalf of students like them. These people are brilliant, kind, productive members of society, have fantastic jobs, have supportive romantic relationships, and have deep and close personal friendships in communities that support them. These are people who are productive members of society.
The challenge they face today is the deep anxiety and fear that they have due to political persecution, policy persecution, and vilification. I want to remind this body, whether it’s now or in the future, whether it’s in executive session or in all the other work that you do, your job is to protect and respect the rights of all students, including trans and nonbinary students, who at this moment are some of the most vulnerable, and under attack in our system.
John Dooley: I’m from Glocester. I’ve been here for 20-something years and raised my kids here. They went from K through 12 in the system, in Ponagansett. One of the things I was proud of out here is that there was a lot of talk, and a lot of things having to do with bullying, which I think a lot of us who are older remember what things were like back in the seventies. At that time, you had to have broken bones and blood before the authority figures in the school, or anywhere, would do anything. I was proud of the way we talked about that in this place. This is a group, whether it’s by their ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, or anything else. I worry that with all this talk and a lot of things that are going on, it’s going to encourage people who don’t understand that it’s okay to give a hard time, bully, and be hard on kids who are different.
I’ve known a lot of my kids’ friends since they were babies - running around in diapers - and they are who they are. Nobody coached them or made them - this is what they are. What I have seen in my experience with these kids is around puberty, a lot of them start shutting down - when they start realizing, wait a minute, I’m not what I’m supposed to be. Then, luckily, I’ve seen a lot of them be able, as they’ve gotten older in high school or when they get out of high school, to be much more comfortable in their own skin. I watched these kids blossom, and the difference is unbelievable.
We need to take care of all the kids and make sure everybody is safe in the schools...
Amy Dooley: I’m John’s daughter. I am a Ponagansett alumni, Class of 2019. When I was 14, I realized I was bisexual and - sorry, I don’t need to get choked up - my parents started the GSA in the school. Every message I got about this school is what we “Choose to Include” - which means everybody.
I felt the need to come out to this meeting tonight because I want to make sure that all my trans friends who I grew up with in this school district, and all the kids who will come after us, will have the same opportunities that we did. I want them to be able to use the bathroom and play sports. I want them to be able to focus on school and learning and being a young person. This is who they are and I think it’s important to maintain the anti-discrimination policies for transgender and queer youth.
Jennifer Wood: I’m from the Rhode Island Center for Justice. I’m here to address the Title IX item that you have in your executive session. I’ve been practicing law in Rhode Island for over 40 years. Throughout that time, I have focused a lot of my work on public education and education law, including 10 years as chief legal counsel at the Department of Education. So this has been my life’s work, and this evening, I wanted to briefly focus on the duties of school committees and the obligations around how school committees do their work.
The Rhode Island General Laws enumerate the duties of school committees: “School committees must provide for and ensure the implementation of federal and state law, the regulations of the council on elementary and secondary education, and local school policies, programs, and directives.”
You are the entity that enforces state and federal law in this context. In terms of how that is done, it’s in the Code of Management Principles and Ethical School Standards for School Committees. I want to focus on some exhortations about how you do your work.
Promoting communication and understanding between the school system and the community, acting on legislative and policymaking matters only after examining pertinent facts, and always focusing on the greatest concern - students’ educational welfare. I know you all know this. School committee work is hard work. You’re here night after night, with long, grueling meetings and subcommittees, and you all have the pleasure of doing it twice in one night, given the unique structure of your system.
I carefully reviewed your policies because I saw Title IX on your executive session agenda. The regional school district, which is your body, has in place a currently valid Title IX policy and a currently valid policy for transgender students prohibiting discrimination, as is required by the Department of Ed. The only reason I was confused was that on the Foster website - not in the policy arena but on the Foster School Committee website - there was an announcement of a Title IX and civil rights policy - which has been changed in the last 24 hours. So I take this to mean that it should not be a policy promulgation of any of your three school committees.
Committee Member (to Brendan Mara): When’s your next Foster Committee meeting?
Committee Member Brendan Mara: Our Foster School Committee meets on the last Tuesday of each month, and I can speak to that as a committee member.
I don’t think that that should have been posted.
Jennifer Wood: I agree.
Committee Member Mara: I think it has since been rescinded. It will be posted on the agenda if it wants to come up.
Jennifer Wood: I checked all your agendas, and I was very confident that that was the case, but when something shows up on the official website of a school committee...
Committee Member Mara: I agree with you, and as a one person, I apologize for any distress that caused anyone. I was not aware.
Attorney Gregory Piccirilli: I don’t think we should be having a conversation...
Jennifer Wood: I’m not trying to engage in a colloquy. I just wanted to close by saying -
Attorney Piccirilli: You know the rules, Jen.
Jennifer Wood: Absolutely. I want to close by saying that the Foster Glocester Regional School Committee should stay the course with your duly enacted policies. You’ll hear a lot of information that presidential executive orders or other things may change existing statutes, regulations, and policies, but they really may not. Only Congress and the General Assembly, and in Rhode Island, the Commissioner of Education, can do that. You all know your charge to uphold those laws and regulations, and I’m confident you’ll do so.
Paul Pasaba: I’m a Rhode Island educator teaching math and serving as co-coordinator of my school’s Gender and Sexuality Alliance or GSA. I’m here today because I want to stand up for the rights of transgender and gender-diverse youth. I’m not from your district as I teach in Pawtucket. However, the recent decision to change the definition of sex, let’s start on the Foster District website has effects that will be felt beyond your borders. Your decisions around Title IX will have effects that will be felt beyond your borders. The message that the website change sends to transgender and gender-diverse people in Rhode Island, particularly young people, is that their experiences and identities don’t matter. Moreover, this change sends the message that their lives don’t matter. A peer-reviewed study published in the journal Nature last September found that states that passed anti-transgender laws aimed at minors saw suicide attempts by trans and gender-diverse teenagers increase by as much as 72% in the following years.
Queer and trans youth are already at a higher risk of suicide than their cisgender peers. You are putting your young people in even more danger. As anyone from the LGBTQ+ community can tell you, the increased risk of suicide our community experiences comes not from the inside but from the outside. It comes from the isolation and marginalization that the world forces upon us. We are simply trying to live our lives.
As a gay educator, I help lead my GSA, first and foremost, as an effort in suicide prevention and harm reduction. My primary objective is for my students to make it through the difficulties of adolescence to a happy and fulfilled adult life. Radical white liars portray me and my fellow educators as peddling an agenda when in reality my primary concern is listening to young people and accepting them as they are.
As a committee, you are in a great position today. You get to do the right thing and the smart thing all at the same time. On February 28th of this year, Rhode Island Commissioner of Education Angélica Infante-Green and Attorney General Peter Neronha communicated with perfect clarity how you’re supposed to proceed under the new presidential administration. Commissioner Infante-Green and AG Neronha instructed, and I quote, “recent executive actions have prompted questions about the way schools support LGBTQ+ students as well as how schools continue with diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility programs. Until the legal effect of the aforementioned executive actions is settled. Rhode Island schools should not change current practices and procedures involving the rights of LGBTQ+ students and diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility programs.”
Our state’s top attorney and chief public education officer have instructed you not to make any changes to your inclusion policies under Rhode Island law. Since 2001, discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity has been illegal. Adopting a policy that denies the existence of trans and gender-diverse students goes against what we stand for as a state and what we have enshrined into law. Yesterday was Transgender Day of Visibility. Stop trying to make trans kids invisible. Do the right thing, do the smart thing, and protect trans lives.
Former Student: I went to school here and graduated in ‘22. I started my transition in 2019 quite young - slow and steady. The way my plan was formulated, at least with my mother, we took things step by step. Therapy, and the bare minimum amount of medication possible.
I know there’s a lot of talk - at the least right now going around - my apologies - the uneducated. We have done so much work in psychology and sociology. Although the overall environment right now is a bit shaky, I would hate to see those things take a step back because there is so much we don’t know. Beyond seeing the rights of the children being accepted and not discriminated against - the teachers here, based on my experience, which was lovely by the way - I had no issues whatsoever in this school, and I look forward to sending my kids here, which would be amazing.
That being said, if we allow ourselves to move in the opposite direction, this will have a cascading effect. As stated before, changing these policies will change people’s mindsets deeper than many realize.
The language we use in these documents should probably be a bit clearer and more up to date with the scientific research that’s out right now. Currently, I am in college working on my associate degree in psychology and child development. When I look at kids, I’m so happy, even if they’re not what they’re supposed to be. You know what I mean?
The point that I was going to make about the difference between sex and gender has already been made, which was amazing, by the way.
I just wanted to make sure I was here to make an appearance. You guys know that everything we have done through the school so far has helped children understand each other and communicate with their educators and their parents a lot better on more topics than whether they want their hair cut or wear shorts instead of skirts. It’s far past that. It goes into what friends we make and what peers we grow up with.
Chris Kona: I’m a parent of two high school kids, and it’s been exciting to watch them grow into people. The most interesting has been watching my younger non-binary kid and seeing their story evolve. They’d been reclusive through elementary school and middle school. They’d been quiet, doing their own thing, and not that excited about what was going on in school, and they didn’t spend a lot of time with their friends outside of school. As someone already said, they hit a certain age and shut down.
They didn’t get engaged until they came out as non-binary last summer. And once they did, it’s been fascinating to see them come out of their shells. They started getting involved with all kinds of new school programs.
They joined a Career in Tech program and got fully engaged with the drama club. They’re trying all kinds of new things, and as they gain more confidence in themselves, what they can do is growing. It’s because people around them started to believe in them. For years, they felt like everyone had said to them, "You don’t belong here."
Last year, we sat down with their school. When my kids came out, we talked about their identity with the school. We changed their names in the databases. We worked with the district to come up with a plan for dealing with the logistics—like bathrooms and locker rooms—that made everyone comfortable—administrators, teachers, the other students, and my kid.
That’s such a powerful message from the school: “You do belong here.” And the policies are easy. Your Foster Glocester policies provide all students with all the structure needed to help students like my kid grow out of their shells in a way that doesn’t infringe on other students. All we need to do is tell our kids, “You do belong here.”
Foster Resident: This isn’t something I do. This is my first school committee meeting. Forgive me; I’m not entirely familiar with the rules. I never thought I’d see myself doing this, nor did I ever think I would feel the need, the desire, and the urge to come up here and protect children who go to school with my child. Yes, we’re from Foster, and I’m not clear on why this is posted as a Foster-Glocester School Committee meeting, but I’m hearing that this doesn’t affect Foster; it most certainly does. And even if you say that it only affects Glocester students, they graduate, go out into the world, and affect everyone else.
Committee Member: I’ll clarify quickly. So there’s no misunderstanding; we’re not saying Foster is its own entity. The three [Foster] members on this committee sit on the [regional] committee and are part of the region.
Foster Resident: Thank you for clearing that up. My child is an eighth grader in middle school and is going to high school. I am very fortunate. My kid talks to me but doesn’t tell me everything. I don’t want them to tell me everything. I don’t want to know everything. But they might be telling me whether their kids aren’t telling you. There are a lot of parents who don’t like the idea of queer kids. Guess what? Your kids are queer too. They go by a different name at school and with their friends’ moms but not at home.
I’m here because I’m seeing that you’re considering changing some language on the school district website in response to an executive order, which is not law. It is merely guidance. The guidance from the WhiteHouse.gov webpage as of 5:53 this evening states that female means a person belonging at conception to the sex that produces the large reproductive cell. Male means a person belonging at conception to the sex that produces the small reproductive cell. I was a pre-med major. I have just enough information still in my brain to be dangerous. Sir, what sex do we all start as at conception?
Attendee: Female.
Foster Resident: [Correct!] That goes for everyone here, for every human on this planet. If you have a different argument for this, tell someone else.
I would like you to reflect upon yourselves - when we were going through pandemic restrictions and mask mandates, how pissed were you that people told you and the children to wear masks? How pissed were you when you were told that your kids had to have covid vaccinations - and prove it? How dare they police your children’s bodies! Keep your minds and hands off of my kids and their friends!
You’re here to protect children. Look at these children coming up to tell you how they feel. If you are looking at them with anything other than compassion, take a good look inside. These are children. What are you afraid of? I think you’re afraid. I think you’re afraid they will see you for who you are. Think twice.
Chair Joyce: I need to reiterate this because I think a lot of the hurt and anger comes from what you saw on the Foster School website. Foster’s Elementary School put out something - I don’t know, I’m a Foster resident - but it was something - retracted it. And I think that’s what is sparking this. You’re coming here. Foster has another meeting. When is the Foster meeting, Brendan? That’s my only question.
Committee Member Mara: The Foster meeting is on the last Tuesday of the month.
Attendee: Respectfully, because I know it won’t stop there.
Chair Joyce: Right, I know, but I’m just saying I think that’s where the hurt and the anger are from - what transpired on that website. And again, as a Foster-Glocester School Committee, sitting before you, I can’t change, alter...
Attendee: What are your Title IX discussions about?
Chair Joyce: We review our policies as you already addressed... [crosstalk] I just wanted to clarify that this is not the Foster School Committee meeting.
Attendee: We know...
It’s on your agenda. This isn’t about Foster.
Chair Joyce: Except that you keep bringing up what was posted on our website...
Attorney Piccirilli: Cindy, really - stop the interactions, please -
Attendee: Which affects all of us...
Middle School Student: I’m an eighth grader going into middle school. That was my mother. And she’s correct. I am so happy that I can talk to her about stuff. I’m about to be in high school next year, and if you pass this rule about how sex is what you would determine at birth, then there will be several people who will not be happy, including me. I’m not affected by this, but I know others will: my friends, people I don’t know, and people I have yet to meet will be affected by what you decide.
So far, there have been several anti-trans slurs written on the bathroom walls at my school. This has happened more times than I could count, and I have been in school for three years. The message of Ponagansett is to “Choose to Include.” This is not inclusion. This disrespects people who have done nothing wrong but be themselves. If you choose to pass this, you are discriminating your entire mission statement. I do not feel comfortable going to this school if I know they will choose to make someone’s decision about how they present an issue.
Meredyth Whitty: I’m a parent in Glocester. My kids go to Fogarty. They’re little, of course. My daughter was at the last school committee meeting to talk about inclusion. Fogarty does a great job of inclusion and acceptance; I’m very happy about that. I’m here because your agenda says you’re discussing something related to Title IX in the executive session. I’m pretty sure policy discussions can’t happen in the executive session, so I’m hoping it won’t be a policy discussion. Those discussions belong in the open.
If you’re going to have any discussion that has to do with transgender kids or discrimination in general, I would caution you to please not take the culture wars to our little or big kids. The kids themselves aren’t doing that. I know adults get all heated about transgender issues and issues like that, but you guys have already adopted a really good Department of Education policy protecting transgender kids. I like those policies. Protecting all kids is your job. I hope you won’t change that.
My kids have friends other than what was defined on Captain Isaac Paine’s website until today. I’m not sticking a label on them because they’re good, and they don’t stick labels on themselves, and my kids and their friends don’t have any problems with that. They don’t need labels. They accept those kids for who they are, and they’ll grow up that way if we let them. If you are considering any changes that affect kids like that, please don’t. It’s good the way it is.
Lauren Niedel: I wasn’t going to speak, but somebody mentioned bullying. This goes to the larger picture. My kids graduated and went through Pongansett and the Glocester system from elementary school through high school. Both of them were impacted by antisemitism.
Bullying is bullying. When you have a policy that becomes less inclusive, it empowers those who feel more privileged to have the attitude that bullying is accepted - that it is not only accepted for these LGBTQ+ groups but for other minorities in this school. Being a Jewish child in this school is a major minority. Being a Black child in this school is a major minority. Being of any ethnic background is a minority. A lack of inclusion can impact students and parents and create negative feelings.
Trickle-down can occur, and it’s something that can have a negative impact on learning, wanting to be part of sports, and being involved in other afterschool activities. If children feel impacted by a situation where inclusiveness is denied for one, it can be denied to others.
Sophie, a Middle School Student: I’m an eighth-grader at the middle school. As far as I’m aware, Ponagansett’s message has always been to “Choose to Include,” which means everyone—or at least, I hope it does. It’s part of the pledge we say. It’s printed on the Ponagansett t-shirts we’re given. There’s a mural out there in the hallway.
Discrimination against trans students is not choosing to include. It is quite the opposite. This won’t directly affect me, but it’ll affect my friends and many other people I haven’t met yet. This matters to me and so many other people.
Committee member Aaron Dupuis then announced the executive session, during which something about Title IX would be discussed. One hour later, the executive committee ended, and Attorney Gregory Piccirilli joked a little with the people who had waited to see the conclusion of the meeting.
Attorney Piccirilli: Could you guys hear us? Good. We have nothing to hide.
Chair Joyce: In the executive session, we discussed homeschooling. We discussed a grievance. We had pending legal advice [on] Title IX and district policies.
One vote was taken in the affirmative for homeschooling requests. No other votes were taken.
The meeting adjourned.
Thank you, Steve, for your fearless journalism in actually covering these events when no other local journalists are covering this. It is both simultaneously painful (especially in hearing the students' deep concern and heartache for the LGBTQIA+ community) and uplifting to hear so many brave people share their lived experiences, educational expertise, and advocacy in service of challenging these harmful, behind-the-scenes policy change stunts. I have watched the video many times when I need to feel uplifted because not one person testified in favor of moving Foster-Glocester backwards towards a binary way of thinking.