Seattle school-based health center offers students cross-sex hormones, ‘gender-affirming care’: report
May 28, 2024
A watchdog group called Parents Defending Education has obtained emails that show a healthcare organization is offering so-called “gender affirming services” to students in the Seattle Public School system.
The Christian Post reports that the emails show that Neighborcare Health, which operates clinics within Seattle public middle and elementary schools, is also dispensing cross-sex hormones to students.
In an email dated Jan 25, 2023, the manager of the health program operating in the largest school district in Washington state wrote, “beginning February 6th [2023], our program will begin offering comprehensive, evidence-based, gender-affirming care services to our students and families who need them.”
The email also boasted that, in addition to counseling services, the program also offers “important medical interventions, including hormonal treatments.”
According to The Christian Post, Parents Defending Education has shined light on a controversial Seattle Public School system policy that says staff should not disclose a child’s self-declared gender identity unless the student has given permission or they are required to by law.
A spokesperson for Neighborcare Health dismissed concerns over the partnership, stating: “Neighborcare Health offers care for transgender and non-binary students that align with best practices defined by regional and national pediatric care authorities and is aimed at meeting needs expressed by the students and families we serve. “
A report released last year by Parents Defending Education revealed that at least 1,040 school districts representing 10.7 million students have adopted policies telling employees that they can or should keep a student’s gender identity status hidden from parents.
Parents Defending Education is a national grassroots organization that raises awareness about potentially harmful policies and curricula in children’s education.
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