Board of Education Considering Guidelines to Help LGBT Students

The Michigan Board of Education (MDE) is considering some guidelines to better accommodate gay, lesbian and transgender school kids.

Recommendations drafted by the board would, among other things, allow students to include their preferred name and gender in the school district’s records and choose which bathrooms and locker rooms they would use in accordance with the gender they identify with.

House Speaker Kevin Cotter, R-Mt. Pleasant, isn’t on board with the guidelines.

He says there are concerns from parents about shared bathrooms and locker rooms.

Cotter also says while they are just recommended guidelines, it could open the door to more schools going down that path.

He says his hope is the board will ultimately change course and not issue the recommendations.

The public comment period on the guidelines runs through May 10th.