From The San Francisco Examiner: http://www.sfexaminer.com/opinion/op-eds/2013/04/transgender-rights-students-can-help-them-succeed
By: 04/16/13
I was pushed around for being skinny when I was a kid. Also for wearing an eye patch, for being the smart kid and for always acting like a performer. And did I mention I was called “Petunia”?
It doesn’t take much to make a child feel like an outsider. Most of us have felt that way at one time or another. What can be hard is helping children feel like they belong — like they are part of something bigger than themselves.
That’s what I always worked for as a teacher.
That is why I introduced Assembly Bill 1266, the School Success and Opportunity Act — to ensure that transgender students are not made to feel like outsiders in California’s public schools. We want all students to succeed. We want every student to have great opportunities.
I should mention that the San Francisco Unified School District — the district I was a trustee for — is a model in allowing transgender students to be themselves, and it has been a positive thing for the district’s students.
Unfortunately, in too many districts across the state, transgender students don’t get that chance to succeed because they aren’t allowed to be themselves in physical education classes, team sports and other important school activities.
Part of success is involving all students in the school activities they enjoy and want to pursue. We know girls who play sports develop leadership skills and have fewer self-destructive behaviors. We know boys can learn cooperation and gain self-esteem from their extracurricular groups.
Everyone benefits when children learn to play and work together in group activities. We want transgender children to have those benefits as well. When they don’t get that chance, it can result in missed credits, stigma, harassment and dropping out of school. This bill, which will be heard today by the Assembly Education Committee, will ensure that these students have the same opportunities to participate and succeed — and stay in school — as others.
