School Policy on Gender Identity

Policy Statement

Crofton House School (the “School”) is committed to establishing a safe and inclusive learning environment for all girls to reach the full extent of their potential. Every student at the School has her own unique background and contributes to the School in her own unique way. The School is committed to having a diverse student body while maintaining its character as an all-girls school. 

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to clearly set out the School’s approach to and to provide guidance to the School’s faculty and staff for the purposes of admissions, enrolment, education, and accommodation of transgender applicants to and students of the School.  While this policy is aimed at ensuring a consistent approach, each transgender applicant’s/student’s circumstances must be considered individually.

Definitions 

For the purposes of this Policy, the following definitions will apply:

Gender Identity – the gender that the person subjectively identifies with, regardless of the physical sex assigned to them.

Transgender Person – a person whose gender identity differs from the physical sex assigned to them.

Cisgender Person – a person whose gender identify is the same as the physical sex assigned to them.

Non-Binary Person – may identify as having two or more genders, having no genders, moving between genders or having a fluctuating gender identity. 

Transgender Girl – a child whose assigned physical sex is male but who self-identifies as female.

Transgender Boy – a child whose assigned physical sex is female but who self-identifies as male.

Administrative Strategies

The School will ensure that staff utilizes language and educational resources and approaches that are inclusive, developmentally appropriate and respectful of diverse gender identities and gender expressions.

The School will provide professional development opportunities to staff to develop the awareness, knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to deliver a curriculum that is inclusive of transgender persons, identify and address transphobic discriminatory attitudes and behaviours, and support and advocate for the needs of students whose real or perceived identity is transgender.

Admissions

As an all-girls school, the School limits its admissions to applicants whose Gender Identity is female.  This includes Cisgender Girls and Transgender Girls.

As an all-girls school, applications of those applicants whose Gender Identity is male or non binary  will not be considered by the School.  This includes non binary individuals, Cisgender Boys and Transgender Boys.

An applicant’s assigned physical sex will not be a factor in the School’s consideration of their application.

The School will consider the substance of the applications of Cisgender Girls and Transgender Girls in the same manner without regard to whether the applicant is a Cisgender Girl or Transgender Girl.  Applicants will not suffer adverse treatment in the consideration of the substance of their application on the basis that they are a Cisgender Girl or Transgender Girl.  Similarly, no applicant – whether a Cisgender Girl or Transgender Girl – will be given better treatment than other applicants based on them being either a Cisgender Girl or Transgender Girl.

Accommodation

Where a Transgender Girl applicant requests accommodation in her application to the School, the School will meet with the applicant and her family to discuss the applicant’s request for accommodation of her application, as it would with any other applicant who seeks accommodation in her application.  Where the School determines that the applicant is entitled to accommodation in her application, the School will seek to accommodate the applicant in her application consistent with any legal obligations.

Requests to Confirm Gender Identity 

As an all-girls school, only girls – whether Cisgender or Transgender – are eligible to apply for acceptance to the School.  The School is entitled to reasonably satisfy itself that all applicants meet this eligibility requirement.

Where the School is uncertain about an applicant’s gender, the School may request documentation to confirm that the applicant’s Gender Identity is female.  Such a request for documentation shall be related to confirmation of the applicant’s Gender Identity, not their physical sex. 

Students

Transgender Girl students will not be subject to adverse treatment on the basis that they are Transgender Girls rather than Cisgender Girls.

Self-Identifying

As the School is an all-girls school, there is a positive obligation on students who, while at the School, realize that they self-identify as a boy or a Non-Binary Person, to seek accommodation from the School, but the student may be required to transition from the School to another school.

The School will work with students who realize that they self-identify as a boy or Non-Binary Person while at the School. Most often, it will be required that the student transition to another school, both for the student’s benefit and to maintain the character of the School as an all-girls school.  In that case, the School will accommodate students in such circumstances by allowing them to continue in the School for a reasonable amount of time in order that they can make arrangements to transfer to another school. Depending on the circumstances, it may be possible for the student to remain in the School until graduation. Each case will be determined on its own circumstances and merits.

Names & Pronouns

As the School is an all-girls school, the feminine form of pronouns will be used to refer to all students, including both Cisgender Girls, Transgender Girls, Non-Binary Persons or Transgender boys, and will be used in all School documentation and records except where otherwise required by law. Non-Binary Persons and Transgender boys may seek an accommodation to be addressed by the names and the pronouns they prefer to use while they remain enrolled in the school. 

Confidentiality and Privacy

At all times, the privacy rights of the student involved are paramount. The School respects the privacy of all students and complies with the Personal Information Protection Act.  The School will not disclose information that may reveal that a student is Transgender or Non-Binary Person to other parents/guardians, students or staff, unless legally authorized or required to do so, or unless the student or the student’s parent/guardian has expressly authorized such disclosure.  While the School will comply with its obligations under the Personal Information Protection Act, students have the right to discuss their Gender Identity openly should they choose to do so.

Dress Code

Students will be expected to dress in the School uniform. Where a Transgender Girl or Non-Binary Person requests an accommodation concerning the School uniform, the School will meet with the student, and where appropriate her family, and consider the student’s request for accommodation in good faith. 

Facility Use

The School recognizes that there are circumstances where a Transgender Girl, Non-Binary Person or Transgender Boy students attending the School may require accommodation.  Such circumstances may include but are not limited to in respect of washroom and change room facilities or on overnight trips. Transgender Girl students, Non-Binary students or Transgender Boy students will have access to washrooms and change rooms that correspond with their gender identity. 

Where a Transgender Girl or Non-Binary Person or Transgender Boy student attending the School requests accommodation, the School will meet with the student, and where appropriate her family, and consider the student’s request for accommodation in good faith.  Accommodations may include providing a private washroom and/or changing area in a manner that keeps the student’s Transgender or Non-Binary Person status confidential. 

Access to Physical Education & Sports

All students at the School are entitled to participate in physical education classes and team sports in a safe, inclusive, affirming and respectful environment. Participation in competitive athletic activities will be resolved on a case-by-case basis, in line with league policies, in a manner that involves the student and the student’s family, if applicable. 

Anti-Harassment & Anti-Bullying

All students of the School are entitled to a School environment free from bullying and harassment.  In accordance with the School’s Bullying Policy, the School will strive to prevent and to provide effective procedures to respond to any language or behaviour that degrades, denigrates, labels, or stereotypes students on the basis of their real or perceived gender identities, or that incites hatred, prejudice, discrimination, bullying or harassment on such basis.