The City Schools of Decatur (CSD) School Board has indicated it will have a discussion (and a possible vote) on a very dangerous transgender student policy on Tuesday, October 10. If passed, this policy will have serious implications for our students’ privacy, safety, dignity, fairness in competitive sports, and our parental rights. This attempt at indoctrination and harm to our children must be stopped in its tracks. It is a battle in which we must all be engaged through prayer and/or attending the school board meeting. If passed in Decatur, I can assure you it will be passed in your school district one day.
What Has Happened
In February 2017, it was discovered (via Facebook) that Superintendent David Dude had begun quietly implementing radical new guidelines concerning the handling of transgender students in Decatur City Schools. In his own words, here is what Superintendent Dude said to his staff in a July 26, 2016, memo that was not previously released to the public:
To be clear, here are some examples of situations related to gender identity and how I expect them to be handled in compliance with this policy. For the purpose of these examples, assume this student was assigned the sex of male at birth and now identifies as female.
- This student should be treated the same as any other female student.
- She should not be identified as anything other than female.
- She should be allowed to use the female restroom.
- She should be allowed to use the female locker room.
- She should be allowed to try out for “female” sports.
- She should be allowed to room with other females on field trips.
This policy was never submitted to parents or to the school board for a public vote. In short, these guidelines – upending student privacy, equal opportunities in sports, and parental decision-making – were done in the dark without input from, or accountability to, us as parents.
What’s At Stake
- Every student has the right to expect that his or her bodily privacy, safety, dignity, and equal opportunity will be protected at school.
- Allowing biological boys to play on biological girls’ sports teams is unfair, poses physical risks to girls, and violates Title IX by forcing girls to compete against boys.
- This policy poses serious risks to parental rights and First Amendment rights, and it would allow schools to indoctrinate our children on sensitive issues against the will of the parents.
Click here to read more on what is at stake.
Critical Action Alert
Your voice is critical if we are to stop this radical transgender policy. Please do the following five action items TODAY!
- Attend the CSD Board of Education meeting on October 10 at 6:30 p.m. if you live in or near Decatur. The board has indicated it will discuss this issue, so expressing concern for how these guidelines will impact all students is very important. Meeting location: 125 Electric Avenue Decatur, GA 30030.
- Participate in an online prayer gathering on Thursday, October 5, from 7:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. and/or Tuesday, October 10, from 6:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Due to the sensitive nature of the call, we ask that you reply back to this email for the conference call number.
- Sign the petition to indicate that you seek transparency in this process and that the CSD School Board should uphold its duty to protect the privacy, safety, and dignity of all students.
- Call or send an email to the CSD Board of Education urging them to oppose the transgender policy. A link to the CSD Board can be found here.Forward this e-alert to those in the Decatur area who you believe would be interested. Include family, friends, and pastors.
Please be in prayer for this board meeting.
“Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.” Matt. 18:18-19
Tanya Ditty
State Director
[email protected]