Superintendent Peter Rosenkranz of the La Center School District testified last week in support of the district’s policy that parents be notified when a student asks to change a name or pronoun. The policy follows a multi‑step process that includes interviews with the student before any parent contact.
Legal backdrop
Last month the district won three of five issues in the case La Center Public Schools vs. the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), including a ruling that teachers may not be required to ask every student for pronouns. The judge affirmed the district’s right to control whether teachers inquire about pronouns.
Superintendent’s stance
Rosenkranz said the district does not ask for pronouns and that students who wish to use a different name or pronoun can simply tell a teacher. “I’m not going to blanket ask,” he explained.
He reiterated that parents should be informed, stating, “We’re going to assume parents love their children. They deserve that. It’s their children, not mine. Families are important.”
Parental notification policy pending
The remaining issue before the Administrative Law Judge is the district’s proactive parental notification policy. Closing statements are due in the coming weeks, and a final decision is not expected until February 2027.
Rosenkranz argued that if a student is already “out” to peers and staff, the school’s role is not to keep the information secret from parents. He added that the district only contacts parents immediately in cases of safety concerns, such as suspected abuse, and would involve law enforcement or Child Protective Services when necessary.
District’s approach to pronoun discussions
The board adopted a policy that would lead to parental notification unless extreme circumstances exist. Rosenkranz criticized the state for refusing to collaborate on improving the policy, saying, “But we can’t leave parents out of this.” He suggested a simpler approach: “Just ask their names at the start of the school year and call it good.”
He emphasized that teachers should focus on core academics—reading, writing, math, and science—rather than policing pronoun usage.
Next steps
The judge has months to rule on the parental notification issue. Until then, La Center schools will continue to follow the current multi‑step process while keeping families informed when safety concerns arise.
Original reporting: Clark County Today (Vancouver WA) — read the source article.
