The Cordova School District Board of Education last week voted to add gender identity and sexual orientation protections into its nondiscrimination policy – capping a months-long discussion over the language that sparked disagreement among residents and elected officials.
The Board passed the update to the nondiscrimination language at its regular meeting on Feb. 12 by a vote of 4-1. The new language reads: “District programs and activities shall be free from discrimination with respect to sex, race, color, religion, national origin, ethnic group, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital or parental status, and physical or mental disability.” The only change between the new wording and the previous language is the addition of “sexual orientation” and “gender identity.”
The vote ended a two-month discussion over the matter, wherein some community members voiced their concerns over the language’s implications – including their fears about gender neutral bathroom or sports policies. Two of the most vocal opponents of the wording change included Cordova Mayor David Allison and City Council Member Ken Jones – who are both on the ballot for the March 4 General Election. Jones even indicated that he’d consider building his own “private and/or faith-based educational program” in town if the policy was enacted.
Board Member Dave Glasen was the sole “no” vote during last Wednesday’s meeting, citing the Board never received a complaint about the policy.
“Every human born is going to have a sexual orientation and it’s their private business, I strongly believe in that,” he said during the meeting. “I truly believe this defends our kids right now … I just have a hard time fixing something that’s not broken in my mind.”
Glasen did, however, address the posts that circulated on Facebook after the Board’s first read of the policy on Dec. 11 – encouraging people to work together even if they disagree. He also specifically shouted out Cordova High School Student Council President and School Board Representative Morgan Saiget for writing to the Board about her support for the language change.
“That doesn’t mean that I agree with her, but I am proud of her for writing that and sticking up for what she believes in,” Glasen said.
Board Members Barb Jewell, Pete Hoepfner, Henk Kruithof, and Terri Stavig were staunch in their approval of the amended language.
“The wording doesn’t frighten me in any way,” Stavig said before casting her vote.
Jewell, who is the Board chair, said during a routine policy review in 2020 she actually wasn’t interested in changing the official policy language. But the larger conversation it ignited around gender identity and sexual orientation, paired with the testimony the Board received, made her change her mind.
“The conversation that happened in the community convinced me that we absolutely need it. It convinced me that although this policy looks as if it would protect people, clearly there are people in the community that didn’t think people with a different sexual orientation or a different gender identity were included in this,” Jewell said during the meeting. “It made me realize that actually we have to be very explicit in our language.”
Three members of the public also testified in support of the language change during the Feb. 12 meeting.
Cordova School District Superintendent Alex Russin emphasized that even though some community members brought larger political talking points into the discussion around the policy change, it was “just part of our cyclical review process.”
And while the new policy language doesn’t automatically change any operational procedures at the District level, Russin said it does send a message to kids in Cordova public schools.
“I think the one piece to keep in mind in terms of change is that students who may have feelings or be experiencing discrimination, I think the change is going to be them seeing that language specifically in the policy and feeling supported,” he said.
Cody Carlson contributed to this story.
