Hanover school officials walk back policy regarding contacting parents about LGBTQ+ students
Hanover Township school officials voted on Tuesday to repeal and replace Board Policy 8463 with a new policy.
More Stories
In a move some are calling a win for LGBTQ+ rights, the Hanover Township School District is walking back a policy that some said could potentially out gay or transgender students to their parents without their consent.
Hanover Township school officials voted on Tuesday to repeal and replace Board Policy 8463 with a new policy.
The state initially blocked Board Policy 8463, which required, “school staff members to notify appropriate school administrators and a student’s parents whenever the staff member is made aware of any facts or circumstances that may have a material impact on a student’s physical and/or mental health.” This included if school staff found out a student was gay or questioning their gender identity.
RELATED: AG pushes back against Hanover school policy regarding students’ sexual orientation, gender identity
Critics of the policy, including Attorney General Matt Platkin, said that the policy could lead to safety and mental health concerns for the students.
The new policy is similar to the old one, but states that parental notifications cannot be made “based solely on a student’s actual and/or perceived protected characteristics under the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination, N.J.S.A. 10:5-12(f).”
The new policy still requires teachers and staff to inform on other aspects they think would have a negative impact on a student’s physical or mental health.
