Gender Identity Policy
Version: September 2024
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 unique background and contributes to the School in her unique way. The School is committed to having a diverse student body while maintaining its character as a girl-centered school.
Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to clearly set out the School’s approach to Gender Identity and to provide guidance on admissions, enrolment, education, and accommodation of applicants and students who are not Cisgender Girls. While this policy aims to ensure a consistent approach, each applicant’s/student’s circumstances will always be considered individually.
Definitions
For the purposes of this Policy, the following definitions will apply:
Accommodated Student – a student who openly stops identifying as only female while at the School but who continues to be a student at the School through accommodation.
Gender Identity – the gender that the person subjectively identifies with, regardless of the physical sex assigned to them.
Transgender – a person whose gender identity differs from the physical sex assigned to them.
Cisgender – a person whose gender identity is the same as the physical sex assigned to them.
Non-Binary or Non-Binary Person – a person who identifies 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 and non-binary 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 or non-binary.
Admissions
As a girl-centred school, the School limits its admissions to applicants whose Gender Identity is female. This includes Cisgender Girls and Transgender Girls. Applications of those applicants whose Gender Identity is non-Binary and/or male will not be considered by the School. This includes 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 Cisgender Girl or Transgender Girl.
Accommodation Request During Admissions
When 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, the School will seek to accommodate the applicant in her application consistent with any legal obligations.
Requests to Confirm Gender Identity
As a girl-centred 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.
The School recognizes that a person’s gender may not be reflected by their outward appearance. When 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
No student will be subject to adverse treatment on the basis of their Gender Identity.
Self-Identifying
If a student, while at the School, openly and publicly stops identifying as only female, they are obligated to inform the School of this. When this occurs, the School will accommodate the student to the best of its ability while keeping in mind the School’s character as a girl-centred school. The accommodation that the School is able to provide will depend on each student’s unique needs and circumstances. In some cases, the School may require the student to transfer to another school, both for the student’s benefit and to maintain the character of the School as a girl-centred school.
Names & Pronouns
As the School is a girl-centred school, the feminine form of pronouns (she/her) will be used to refer to all students, including Cisgender Girls and Transgender Girls, and will be used in all School documentation and records except where otherwise required by law. Where an Accommodated Student requests an accommodation concerning pronouns, the School will meet with the student and, where appropriate, her family and consider the student’s request for accommodation.
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 a Transgender or Non-Binary Person to parents/guardians, students or staff unless the School has the student’s express consent to do so, the School believes that it is in the student’s best interests for the School to do so or the School is otherwise legally authorized or required to do so. 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 Accommodated Student 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.
Facility Use
The School recognizes that there are circumstances where a Transgender Girl or Accommodated Student attending the School may require accommodation. Such circumstances may include but are not limited to washroom and change room facilities or sleeping/changing arrangements on overnight trips. Where an accommodation is requested by a Transgender Girl or Accommodated Student, the School will meet with the student and, where appropriate, the family and consider the request for accommodation in good faith.
Transgender girls will have access to washrooms and change rooms that correspond with their gender identity. Accommodations may include providing a private washroom and/or changing area that keeps the student’s Transgender status confidential.
Access to Physical Education & Sports
All students at the School are entitled to participate in Physical and Health Education classes and Athletics 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 British Columbia School Sports 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 Code of Conduct and Prevention of Harassment & Bullying Policy, the School will strive to prevent and 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, harassment or violent behaviour on such basis.