School Should be a Place Where All Students Have Access to Thrive
“When does school start again?”
A phrase we’ve all heard (and maybe some have spoken) countless times each year as the clock turns from July to August, and the stresses of summer-parenting are starting to come to a head; pressures of navigating child care, keeping the kids busy, and meeting the external and internal pressures of cramming in forever memories with those we love most.
But now we’ve made it. School is starting again. The shopping lists have been pored over. Class schedules have been checked. Credit cards have been swiped. Tears, I’m certain, have been shed (by parents and children alike). After a summer of fun, stress, and perhaps chaos, we have arrived here: to consistency. To knowing where your child will be and what they'll be doing every day. A recalibration and a return to normal.
For trans young people and their families, normal—which is far from perfect to begin with—likely feels different than the world they left behind in June. Because beyond the endless checklists of school supplies, orientations, and preparations for the busy year ahead, trans kids and their families are also contending with the entire weight of the federal government. They are dealing with a president and his administration that, among many things, wish to make it a reality that trans kids don’t get to play sports with their friends, use the bathrooms where they’ll be and feel (and are) the safest, or even get to be called by their correct name and pronouns.
Rather than waste my breath on the administration, their cruel politics, and propaganda campaigns, I think a better use of our time is reiterating what rights students and their families have here in Michigan, and what you can do if you feel or fear they’ve been violated.
Civil rights protections
For starters, Michigan has statewide civil rights protections on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity and expression. That’s right. The mitten state has explicit laws on the books that codify protections from discrimination across a range of forums. One such forum is academic institutions.
That means you could have pathways to legal recourse if a child is denied access to a bathroom or facility that aligns with the gender they live as. You could also have pathways to legal recourse if kids are denied access to sports teams or recreational activities (there are even some attempts to ban trans people from playing chess) that align with the gender they live as. Whether legal action is pursued or not, families should not be shy to assert their understanding of civil rights laws in Michigan to make sure their kids are as protected as anyone else’s kids.
No negative laws on the books
While often overlooked, this one can’t be stated enough. Michigan, unlike some neighboring states, doesn’t have any laws on the books that adversely impact trans young people’s equal opportunity to thrive in school environments. No bathroom bans. No sports bans. No forced-outing legislation. None of it — so don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.
State superintendent actions
Our outgoing state superintendent has previously (earlier this year) stated that he views it as an imperative to protect LGBTQ+ young people in our public schools, and Michigan won’t back down from that commitment. I’m paraphrasing, but believe me when I say he was very explicit about his support for these young people and their families.
Federal court precedent
Federal courts stated that transgender students are protected against discrimination under Title IX of the federal Civil Rights Act, which prohibits sex-based discrimination in education. Numerous federal courts (both the District Court and Court of Appeals) ruled that denying a transgender student the right to use restrooms that align with their gender identity violates both Title IX and the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution.
What to do if your rights have been violated?
Here lies a fundamental element of having civil rights protections—exercising them. If you believe your civil rights have been violated (or if you aren’t sure), it’s best to reach out to institutions, both private and governmental, that might be able to help or provide guidance. A few of those organizations in Michigan include:
Equality Michigan – Michigan’s statewide LGBTQ+ advocacy and education organization
ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) of Michigan
Michigan Department of Civil Rights (MDCR) – a governmental department tasked with investigating potential civil rights violations
If extremists are causing chaos in your district, targeting your family, or frequently disrupting school board meetings with hostile political rhetoric, you should reach out to Equality Michigan, which may be able to help organize a massive response to those attacks. You should also check to see if you have a local PFLAG chapter that’d be interested in getting involved.
A history of courage
Last but not least, I want to leave trans kids and their families with this. The LGBTQ+ community has a history of navigating and fighting through political violence, federally funded hostility and hysteria, and much more. While it’s important to acknowledge our and our loved ones' sorrows, griefs, setbacks, and pains, it’s every bit as important to remember that these children possess a cultural lineage of resistance, defiance, and transcendence.
As the amazing Audre Lorde said, “I am not only a casualty. I am also a warrior.”
The same goes for your kiddos. A critical piece of helping them through this violent and uncertain era is by showing them this—by introducing them to their inner-warrior—and not letting them forget how truly beautiful and loved they are.
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Emme Zanotti (she/her), Sr. Dir. of Movement Building & Political Affairs — Equality Michigan
