Lhermansen@cherryroad.com

Parents and community members packed the Gardner Edgerton School District board room Monday night to protest for and against a proposed policy that would require students and staff to use pronouns and bathrooms that match their individual birth certificates.

Jeff Miller, board member, presented the proposed policy as a last minute board agenda item at the July 25 board meeting. The policy would define sex as the “physical condition of being male or female based on genetics and physiology as identified in the individual’s birth certificate.” It also would set rules on assigned bathrooms and create disciplinary action for noncompliance of students and staff.

Miller said the district was in need of consistent policies for every building.

A group of parents, students, trans allies and community members rallied at the Wheatridge Middle School parking lot and marched to the district office and into the board room chanting and shouting against the policy.

Parents and community members who agreed with the proposed policy gathered outside the front doors and staked signs in the lawn showing support for school board member Jeff Miller.

25 people spoke during the public comments to address the policy.

Tom Reddin, board president, said the crowd needed to refrain from cheering, booing, applauding, etc.

“Throughout the night you will hear opinions you agree with wholeheartedly and opinions you will not agree with,”he said.

A few times during the meeting Reddin asked both sides to maintain order or “you will be asked to leave”, he said.

A few parents and board member Nick Robinson said board member Katie Williams board seat needed to be recalled or she didn’t represent the Gardner Edgerton school community. Brenda Thompson said a motion needed to be made by the board to recall her seat and a petition had been signed by residents for her removal.

“I don’t believe she represents the community,”she said.

Thompson said Williams online persona was heavily influenced by a board member

that quit.