Opponents of FWISD's transgender guidelines dominate board meeting

Parents who oppose Fort Worth ISD's transgender guidelines that were passed in April showed up to Tuesday’s school board meeting in full force.

The concerned parents dominated the public comment portion of the meeting and demanding the guidelines be wiped out.

Parents held signs asking the Fort Worth ISD school board to repeal its transgender guidelines and protect their kids.

"We feel that you are imposing on us a very narrow worldview about sexuality and imposing that on our children,” one parent told the school board.

The guidelines allow transgender students to use the restroom of the gender they identify with. They also allow other students, if they feel uncomfortable, to access private restrooms. The guidelines also say students can choose whether to tell their parents they're transitioning.

Several people did speak in support of the guidelines.

"A southwest trans girl told me today that due to safety, the last time she used a campus restroom was two months ago,” one parent said. “We have to better at empowering these kids."

Others are against the debate altogether.

"I think so much division is created in this issue in our society right now,” another parent argued. “And I think the kids are the losers."

Some, like Stand for Fort Worth spokesperson Zeb Pent, are mostly mad at how the guidelines were passed.

"It was done in secret. It wasn't on the agenda,” said Pent. “They passed these as guidelines so that they wouldn't have to vote, and we believe that to be a bypassing of the public."

Superintendent Kent Scribner says he is hosting town hall meetings as soon as school is out to talk about the guidelines. The town hall meetings will span from May 31 to June 9 at schools across the district.

The district did not directly respond to the public comment on Tuesday.