Overview

• The Fort Bend ISD board approved the gender policy with a 5-2 vote, requiring teachers to notify parents if a student requests to use a different name or pronoun, unless prohibited by law or in cases of suspected abuse.
• The policy prohibits teaching or promoting gender fluidity in classrooms, restricts transgender students' participation in sports to align with state law, and mandates bathroom use based on birth certificates.
• Critics, including the ACLU of Texas, warn the policy could expose transgender and nonbinary students to bullying, harassment, and mental health risks by forcing disclosure of their identities.
• Supporters argue the policy reinforces parental rights, with board members emphasizing the importance of deferring to parents' authority over their children.
• Fort Bend ISD joins Katy and Cy-Fair ISDs in adopting such measures, reflecting a growing trend in Houston-area districts despite significant community opposition and ongoing federal investigations in other districts.