I Oppose the State Board of Education's Proposed Anti-Trans Regulation
Despite widespread opposition, the Alaska Board of Education is expected to adopt an anti-trans regulation during a meeting on Thursday.
Late last Friday afternoon, the Alaska Board of Education issued an announcement that they will be meeting on Thursday, August 31, to consider a proposed regulation to ban trans girls from most high-school sports in Alaska. Specifically, the proposed regulation would require the Alaska School Activities Association, Inc. (ASAA) to authorize a female-only division based on a student’s sex assigned at birth. Below is the language of the proposed regulation change.
"4 AAC 06.115(b)(5) is proposed to be changed as follows: to require nonprofit associations that administer and promote interscholastic activities in Alaska to ensure fairness, safety, and equal opportunity for female students in high school athletics by limiting participation in separate high school athletics teams for female students in competitive or contact sports to females who were assigned female at birth."
I think it is important to note that the Alaska Board of Education wants to speed through the process because they have only scheduled 30 minutes for Thursday’s 1:00 p.m. meeting. Additionally, despite widespread opposition to the anti-trans regulation, the Board of Education will not take any public comments at the meeting. Both of these details suggest that the “fix is in” and the regulation will be approved. This is unfortunate because the regulation discriminates against trans girls by codifying discrimination directly into the regulations of the State Board of Education. Let me be clear, I oppose this regulation and I made that fact known in my public comments to the board earlier this summer.
“The State Board of Education is far exceeding its mandate as no authorizing legislation has passed by the Alaska State Legislature and been signed into law by the Governor. The legislative record clearly shows no widespread support for anti-trans policies. Your responsibility is to stand up for Alaska’s children, not demonize a small and vulnerable group by passing harmful regulations.” - Excerpt from the public comments submitted by Sen. Tobin to the Alaska Board of Education and Early Development
While I fully anticipate the Board will adopt this hateful regulation change at Thursday’s meeting, I am holding out hope that we can change the result by encouraging Board members to put aside their partisan political beliefs in favor of inclusion, empathy, kindness, and compassion. If you believe this issue is important, please contact the members of the State Board of Education prior to Thursday’s meeting.
State Board Chair James Fields - Email: james.fields@alaska.gov
Board member Lorri Van Diest - Email: lorri.vandiest@alaska.gov
Board member Jeffrey Erickson - Email: jeffrey.erickson@alaska.gov
Board member Bob Griffin - Email: bob.griffin@alaska.gov
Board member Sally Stockhausen - Email: sally.stockhausen@alaska.gov
Board member Barbara Tyndall - Email: barbara.tyndall@alaska.gov
Board member Pamela Dupras - Email: pamela.dupras@alaska.gov
Military Advisor LTC James Fowley - Email: james.fowley@alaska.gov
Student Advisor Felix Myers - Email: felix.myers@alaska.gov
Thursday’s meeting of the State Board of Education will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Zoom, which includes a teleconference option. Below are the details to watch or listen to the meeting.
Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/99391482721
Meeting ID: 993 9148 2721
Join by Phone: 1-253-215-8782
My message to Alaska’s trans students and the parents and caregivers of trans students is to not give up and remember that you have allies in this fight against systemic discrimination. Below are some resources that might be helpful.
ACLU of Alaska - Request legal assistance
Identity Alaska - Resources and support groups for Alaska’s LGBTQ+ youth and parents
It Gets Better Project - Resources for trans and gender non-conforming youth
The Trevor Project - LGBTQ+ youth suicide prevention line (text 678678)
Guide to Being an Ally to Transgender and Nonbinary Young People
Take the Alaska Music Census
Do you play music? If so, please take a new online census sponsored by the Alaska Independent Musicians Initiative to count the number of professional and amateur musicians in Alaska. The deadline to fill out the Alaska Music Census is Saturday, September 2.
The goal behind the Alaska Music Census is to determine the size of Alaska’s diverse music scene and to gauge the impact live music has on our communities. The Alaska Music Census is open to anyone associated with Alaska’s music scene, including those who own or work in concert venues like bars, theaters, and coffeehouses.
