A North Texas school district now lets teachers reject children’s pronouns — even if parents approve of them

(Credit: Allie Goulding/The Texas Tribune)

Teachers will not be forced to address students by the pronouns that match their gender identity even if a parent asks them to, and transgender students will be barred from playing sports after the Grapevine-Colleyville Independent School District board approved two new policies targeting gender identity on Monday night.

The new policy also stipulates that individuals in district schools can only use the bathroom that aligns with their sex assigned at birth. It’s the latest move by a school board to more formally exclude transgender youth in schools. The board voted ended 4-3 in favor of these policies and several others. Board members Casey Ford, Shannon Braun, Tammy Nakamura, and Kathy Florence Spradley voted for it. Members Jorge Rodríguez, Coley Canter and Becky St. John voted against.