KATY, Texas — Students, along with parents, gathered outside Katy ISD's central office Wednesday to protest the district's new policy on gender fluidity.
The protest was not as big as some had hoped, but those behind it believe it still sends a message.
"I’m just glad people were able to come out and support this and stand for what they believe in," said student organizer Jasey Mouton.
"I’m supporting these children because I have a transgender daughter myself, "said parent Barbara Kosciewicz. "Fortunately, she graduated before this new policy was voted on and approved.”
The board of trustees passed the new gender identity policy by a 4-3 vote following an hours-long debate Monday.
The policy requires students to use restrooms that align with their sex at birth, with some exceptions.
Some students said the fight against the policy is personal.
"I've actually always been speaking up for this, I was outed as gay in 7th grade and I've been fighting for it since then," one student said.
It's part of a wider movement called "Students Engaged in Advancing Texas." Their goal this time is to do away with the policy.
That's an issue board president Victor Perez admits isn’t necessarily problematic in Katy ISD.
"This is a policy that’s kind of like getting ahead of it if you will,” said Perez.
The new policy also requires district employees to inform parents if a student asks to be identified as transgender, to change their name, or to use different pronouns at school.
Perez said he thinks most Katy ISD families support the policy that's mostly meant to make sure staff don't initiate such conversations before students do.
"But, if someone does decide they’re taking that step to out themselves, so to speak, or go public and have asked to be identified as trans or asked to change their name or a pronoun, etcetera, then their parents should know," he said.
Some students say parents don’t always understand and school may be the safest place for needed guidance.
"Even if it doesn’t get reversed and they decide to stand in their opinion, they’ll know that we were fighting and that we tried,” said Mouton.
The vast majority of those who spoke Monday night were against the new policy, although some parents told us they agreed with it.
Many of the students said they're fighting just to have a seat at the table when it comes to policies that will govern their formative years.
It’s possible the issue could end up in court.