Cy-Fair ISD Approves Controversial Gender Policy Despite Widespread Opposition

The new policy mandates staff to disclose students' gender identity changes to parents and restricts LGBTQ-related content in schools.

The Cy-Fair ISD Board of Trustees voted 5-1 to approve the first reading of a gender policy requiring staff to inform parents if students request to use different names or pronouns.
The policy prohibits instructional materials and activities from promoting gender fluidity and restricts transgender students to sports teams and locker rooms matching their sex at birth.
Parents can request accommodations for their children, but staff can also request exemptions if accommodations conflict with their beliefs.
Over 30 public speakers, including students, parents, and educators, opposed the policy, citing potential harm to students' mental health and safety, while only three supported it.
Similar policies in neighboring districts, such as Katy ISD, have faced federal civil rights investigations and criticism from advocacy groups and lawmakers.