On Tuesday, March 12, 2025, the Washington Teachers’ Union Representative Assembly adopted a resolution reaffirming our unwavering commitment to ensuring safe, affirming, and inclusive schools for all students, regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation.
At a time when DCPS and the Mayor have rushed to comply with harmful federal directives even before they are mandated, their silence on protecting LGBTQ+ students is deeply concerning.
The resolution affirms our support for DCPS’s existing guidance on the rights of transgender, gender-nonconforming, and LGBTQ+ students and makes clear our opposition to any efforts to weaken these protections.
As educators, we know that clear, consistent policies are essential to ensuring all students feel safe, respected, and supported in their learning environments.
Public education must serve all students equitably, and we will not allow politically motivated attacks to compromise their well-being.
(See full text of the resolution below.)
WTU Resolution in Support of DCPS Guidance on Transgender, Gender Nonconforming, and LGBTQ+ Students
WHEREAS, the Washington Teachers’ Union (WTU) recognizes that all students deserve a safe, affirming, and inclusive learning environment, free from discrimination and harassment, regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation; and
WHEREAS, DC Public Schools (DCPS) has established clear and comprehensive guidance to protect the rights and dignity of transgender and gender-nonconforming students (issued June 16, 2015), ensuring equitable treatment and access to resources in alignment with the DC Human Rights Act, Title IX, and other legal protections (available at: https://dcps.dc.gov/node/1078482)1; and
WHEREAS, the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment and Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972 protect transgender students’ rights to use a bathroom in accordance with their gender identity;
WHEREAS, research and lived experiences demonstrate that transgender, gender nonconforming and LGBTQ+ students face disproportionate risks of bullying, mental health challenges, and academic disengagement when they do not receive institutional support, while inclusive policies contribute to increased student well-being and academic success; and
WHEREAS, DCPS’s existing guidance provides necessary protections such as the right for students to be addressed by their affirmed name and pronouns, access to bathrooms and other facilities that align with their gender identity, and participation in school programs without fear of exclusion or retaliation; and
WHEREAS, any rollback or weakening of these policies, including access to bathrooms and other gender-affirming facilities, would endanger the safety and dignity of transgender, gender nonconfirming, and LGBTQ+ students, contradict DC’s longstanding commitment to equity, and create a climate of fear that disrupts learning for all students.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the WTU fully supports the continued enforcement of the DCPS Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Policy Guidance and opposes any attempt to weaken or undermine its protections; and be it further
RESOLVED, that the WTU will advocate for ongoing professional development and resources to ensure that all DCPS educators are equipped to implement the guidance effectively and create affirming classrooms; and be it further
RESOLVED, that the WTU urges DCPS leadership, the Mayor, and the DC Council to publicly reaffirm their commitment to the existing guidance and to resist any efforts to diminish protections for transgender, gender non-conforming, and LGBTQ+ students; and be it further
RESOLVED, that the WTU will continue to support educators in upholding this policy by providing informational resources, advocacy training, and assistance in addressing concerns related to the rights of transgender, gender nonconforming, and LGBTQ+ students in DCPS schools.
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