Framingham Schools Adopts Sports Policy For Transgender Athletes

FRAMINGHAM, MA—As of March 13, 2018, Framingham Public Schools says it is celebrating diversity on and off the field. That's the date the Framingham School Committee unanimously passed an updated policy to ensure that all students have the opportunity to participate in Framingham Public Schools athletics and/or co-curricular activities "in a manner that is consistent with their gender identity, irrespective of the gender listed on a student’s records and without prior medical or mental health care."

The philosophy within the Framingham Inclusive Sports Participation Policy says, “Interscholastic athletic and co-curricular participation are valuable to students’ physical, intellectual, social, and/or character development and accordingly, we value inclusion. Guided by this value and in compliance with all applicable laws, our policy ensures that students can participate in athletics and co-curricular activities in a manner consistent with their gender identity.”

According to the announcement from the city, this policy provides a common vocabulary to encourage respectful communication amongst administrators, school staff, volunteers, students and others who interact with students, and also includes definition to ensure inclusion in areas such as changing areas, hotel rooms, language (affirmed names and pronouns), dress codes and team uniforms, competitions at another school, and training and education for students and staff.

The policy was a collaboration between The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), GLAD Legal Advocates and Defenders, OUT Metrowest, Julie Williams (Department Head, Health and Physical Education at Framingham High School), Carolyn Banach (Principal at Framingham High School), the School Health Advisory Committee, and the Athletics Department at Framingham High School. This policy is the first for Massachusetts and one of the first of its kind in the country, said the announcement.

Julie Williams, Health and Physical Education Department Chair at Framingham High School was particularly close to this effort. “Creating safe and supportive environments is something I am passionate about,” she said in a statement, “especially when those environments involve physical activity. When the idea of this policy was proposed, I looked into the model policy “All 50” from the LGBT Sports Foundation. We started with that policy and customized it to fit for Framingham Public Schools. Chris Mosier from “You Can Play” directed us to the model policy. We had input and support for a variety of sources which included parents and students. We are fortunate in Framingham to have Administration and a School Committee that understands and supports this work. What is great about this policy is that it follows the student-athletes off campus. The challenge will be to have other schools across the state adopt similar policies so that it becomes commonplace and a part of the culture of sports everywhere.”

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