Lee County School District staff to discuss controversial poster

A poster outlining transgender policies in schools will be a topic of discussion during a Lee County School District staff meeting Friday.

The controversial poster, which lists best practices for LGBTQ students and where transgender students can use the restroom, has caused emotions to boil over recently, and the school district is trying to figure out what to do about it.

At issue is the district’s code of conduct, and Superintendent Greg Adkins said staff will review this year’s policy and the poster at Friday’s meeting.

Staff recommended Monday night that the board eliminate the poster from next school year’s code of conduct and make sure the transgender policy is in compliance with new laws. Parents and taxpayers want to know the specifics: Can a boy and a girl suddenly share the same restroom?

The answer is no, but it’s clear that confusion over the transgender policy is an issue the board must solve.

LGBTQ students told board members this week the poster is significant in its own right.

“I can’t imagine what it would’ve meant to see a poster at a valued place in my school. To know my school district cared about me and those values were reflected in the code of conduct,” said Quinton Jeske, a graduate of North Fort Myers high school.

“I couldn’t imagine coming out in high school. I didn’t have my parents’ help to sign paperwork to jump through any hoops you wanted to jump through. They were not there for me and I didn’t know I could reach out to people who were there for me at my school. Thank you. Trans people matter and trans students will not be erased,” said Frances Elmore, a Dunbar High School graduate.

Friday’s meeting is part of a regularly scheduled staff meeting to follow up on and incorporate staff suggestions, board direction, and public comment into the next draft of the code of conduct and is not open to the public.

The school board isn’t expected to vote on a new code of conduct until June.