Pennsylvania School System Rescinds Policy on Student Gender Identity Disclosure

The Chester County Intermediate Unit (CCIU) in Pennsylvania has agreed to revoke a policy that previously directed staff to withhold information from parents regarding a student’s gender identity or use of preferred pronouns. The decision follows legal pressure from the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) and the Independence Law Center, who argued that the policy infringed upon parental rights to oversee their children's upbringing and healthcare.

Under the former Policy 103.2, staff were instructed not to disclose a student’s transgender or gender-nonconforming status to parents without the student's authorization. The policy also mandated the use of preferred names and pronouns to respect a student's asserted identity. Legal advocates for the change cited concerns regarding the long-term impact of gender-affirming practices in schools. Additionally, the ADF alleged that the district maintained a database tracking whether parents were aware of their child's gender transition, a practice that critics claimed violated constitutional rights.