KELLER, Texas — After nearly two hours of public feedback, Keller ISD board members passed two controversial gender-based policies.
More than 50 people signed up to speak at the special board meeting on Wednesday night to voice their opinions on the proposed changes.
The two policies stated that students must use restrooms and locker rooms based on the biological sex on their birth certificate and that district employees are not required to use pronouns that are inconsistent with a person's biological sex on their birth certificate.
The board passed both policies.
Prior to the vote, the board heard from people for and against the policies.
Ashley Hine has four children in Keller ISD from middle school to high school. She and her husband have been active in their education process for years.
Hine strongly supports the board's adoption of the new policies. She didn't sign up to speak at the special board meeting, but she attended the meeting to support the others who did speak.
"Our children have been punished at school for not calling kids by other pronouns, which I think is crazy," said Hine. "We were taught English grammar. You don't get to just create your own adjectives or your own pronouns."
But other parents like Laney Hawes, who also has children attending school in Keller ISD, strongly believe the school board is going too far. She attended the meeting and carried a rainbow sign.
Hawes is not only angry about the new policy, but she also believes that the board's timing is purposeful as well.
"It was done to target specific students in June. We know they did it in June for a reason. It's Pride Month. There were already policies in place that protected students and teachers," Hawes said.
The controversial policies passed with just one Keller ISD board member abstaining from the vote.
The new policies will be effective immediately.