HARTFORD, Vt. — District staff asked the Hartford Board of School Directors on Wednesday night to bring back the district's earlier gender inclusivity policy, which they said made clear that family consent is not required for a student's chosen name and pronouns to be used at school.

The request came in a presentation by the district's equity coordinator and a parent who works as a gender inclusivity consultant and helped write the earlier policy in fall 2023, according to the meeting agenda and presentation. The board did not vote; members agreed to compare the two policies and run any change past the district's legal counsel.

What presenters say was lost

The presenters said the earlier policy was replaced in September 2025 by policy C28, a model policy on transgender and gender nonconforming students drafted by the Vermont School Boards Association.

"We believe that the new policy is just not as robust as what we have for the gender inclusivity policy," the equity coordinator said.

The consultant said C28 "is great for protecting from discrimination, but it's not proactive," and that it covers only students. She said the new policy is "less clear" on names and pronouns, says nothing about repeated misgendering and does not address how gender-diverse people are included in the curriculum.

On families and privacy, she said the earlier policy was clear that students should not be outed and that "student safety comes first." Proposed procedures restore language "that family consent is not required for the person's identified name and pronouns to be used in the school," she said.

She said C28 "flags that if it's a parent of a minor, that the parent has to be involved in those name changes," while the earlier policy held that, absent a legal requirement, a student "is able to advocate for themselves regardless of their age."

On restrooms and locker rooms, she said, "the language in the current policy we have is quite weakened." She said the procedures would also restore provisions on clothing, activities and trips, and staff intervention in harmful behavior.

Board weighs next step

One board member questioned why the district had not blended the two policies when it adopted C28, saying it appeared the district had "lost a lot of uh of the power of that existing policy."

Another board member said the board had discussed and voted on the change at the time and that "a lot of that was directed because there were some legislative issues that were involved in it at the time," adding, "I'm not saying that we can't revote."

Asked whether they wanted a hybrid or a return to the old policy, the presenters said they would prefer to "start with the bones of the original gender policy." Board members said they would review both versions and check with counsel that a change would not alter the policy's intent.