The Conroe ISD board has made a decisive move to prohibit the social transitioning of students, even when parents give their consent. This decision aligns with Texas SB 12, which requires schools to restrict staff participation in any changes related to gender identity.
The Conroe Independent School District (ISD) board of trustees made a significant decision on July 15, adopting a policy that restricts school staff from aiding students in gender social transitioning, regardless of parental consent.
The board's decision is based on Senate Bill 12, which was signed into law by Texas Governor Greg Abbott on June 20. The law requires all Texas school districts to prohibit employees from participating in gender social transitioning activities. The legislation clearly outlines social transitioning as the process by which a student adopts new names, pronouns, or other forms of expression that differ from the sex they were assigned at birth.
Initially, Conroe ISD’s proposed policy included a provision allowing social transitioning with written consent from a parent. Trustee Melissa Semmler proposed to remove that exception, contending that the district should adhere strictly to the law.
“Prohibited means prohibited,” Semmler stated, pointing to the wording of SB 12. “The legislation does not include any exceptions for parental consent.” The motion was approved with a decisive 6–1 vote, as Trustee Nicole May stood alone in opposition with her “no” vote. May subsequently cast her ballot in support of the revised policy.
Trustee Lindsay Dawson supported the policy change, noting that several parents had expressed concerns about schools adopting different names or pronouns for their children without informing them. “This situation is completely unacceptable,” she stated. “This behavior will no longer be accepted.”
Various districts in Texas have taken alternative approaches to the law. Fort Bend, Katy, Keller, and Cypress-Fairbanks ISDs permit students to undergo social transitions with parental approval and offer teachers the option to refrain from using preferred pronouns if it conflicts with their convictions.
In May, Midland ISD enacted a policy requiring that pronouns align with a student’s legal sex as recorded on their birth certificate.
Conroe ISD’s more stringent approach to SB 12 highlights the escalating political and legal friction regarding gender identity policies in Texas educational institutions.
