KATY, Texas — Nearly 100 people packed Katy ISD's board meeting Monday to address their concerns about a controversial gender identification policy.
The policy was introduced last week as a draft. It would ban transgender students from using a restroom of their choice. Teachers would also be required to report students using different pronouns or names to the student's parents, and teachers would only be allowed to use pronouns that match students' gender at birth unless the student's parents or guardians give written permission.
Public comment on the issue lasted more than four hours before, with people for and against the policy speaking up.
"I feel neither safe or protected by the policy," one speaker who was against the policy said. "I feel targeted and attacked."
"The best way to move past politics is to pass the policy," a speaker for the policy said.
After the public comments, the board went into closed session.
The board held a vote just before midnight to pass the policy.