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SCHOOLS: 'Add words' timeline

| March 12, 2014 6:30 AM

At the January and February School Board meetings, Tim Scott and John Padula asked the Board "How much do you know about the transgender policies that are coming to the District?" Chair Hearn said, "There has not been any request made to the board regarding any transgender issues." This seemed very, very unlikely to me, so I did a public records request for all emails from Superintendent Matt Handelman, Tom Hearn and Christa Hazel, from September 2013 through February 2014.

This is a very small portion of what I uncovered. Susan Moss, LGBT attorney, contacted the District on September 2, 2013, about "add the words" to the District's non-discrimination policy based on the City of Coeur d’Alene ordinance.

The mass of emails continued from that time between Hearn, Hazel, and Handleman. On Dec. 2, Hearn said, "Hopefully this won't get too public before the January meeting, or I agree we may have difficulty staying ahead of the issue.”

On Dec. 2, Moss  sent an email to Hearn stating that she and Tony Stewart, “agreed that it is probably best if I can get the CEA and NEA on board with the proposal to ‘add the words’ before even mentioning it at a meeting. So for the next month I will keep working on this issue and will try to get some allies prepared for any potential battle.” Matt Handleman responded, “This is interesting as it will delay our timing and response, and possibly our ability to get ahead of it.”

At the March 3 board meeting, CEA President Derek Kohles stated the CEA, IEA, and the NEA fully supported non-discrimination. Funny thing is, he said this BEFORE Susan Moss even spoke.  Connect the dots ...

 MARY JO FINNEY

Coeur d’Alene