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To: Superintendents and Principals, Charter School Leaders, School Nurses,
Title IX Coordinators, Sexuality Education
From: Colt Gill, Director of the Oregon Department of Education
Date: October 27, 2021
RE: Resources to Create Welcoming and Inclusive Environments for Intersex Students
Dear School and District Leaders,
Thank you for continuing to serve our students and staff during this challenging and changing time. I’m proud to partner with you in building inclusive schools in Oregon that welcome students of all identities, including all sexual orientations, gender identities and/or sexes.
To help school districts meet our inclusivity mission, we are introducing new tools from the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights and reminding partners of already available state resources.
In recognition of Intersex Awareness Day, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights issued a fact sheet yesterday to help students, educators, staff, and school leaders in raising awareness of the issues faced by intersex students and supporting their safety and well-being in school.
The fact sheet lists key issues intersex students face in schools, including bullying, harassment, or other discrimination related to the lived experience of intersex students. The resource offers suggestions on ways schools can best support intersex students, such as using inclusive language in school mission statements and affirming students’ rights to be free from all forms of sex discrimination at school. The fact sheet also includes steps to take if students believe that they, or others, have been discriminated against at school based on sex.
Other federal resources for LGBTQ2SIA+ students are available on this webpage.
Oregon Tools
Oregon is a nationally recognized leader in supporting and protecting students, and these state resources are also available to help you meet student needs within your school communities.
If you have any questions, please contact Civil Rights and Title IX Specialist Kate Hildebrandt.
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