CHATHAM - Moms for Liberty has it all wrong - schools are hiding nothing.

"Let us be very clear. Chatham is not hiding information from parents, and our schools are not secretly making decisions about children behind their parents’ backs. That characterization does not reflect how our district operates or the values we share as a community.  The board and administration involve parents and legal guardians in decisions that affect their children and are committed to supporting the safety, well-being, and educational needs of every child."

The above is part of a recent statement from the Chatham Board of Education in response to a federal suit filed by Moms for Liberty challenging a district policy that guarantees equal treatment for all students regardless of "gender identity or gender expression."

That may seem benign, but the suit alleges the policy can exclude parents. Or in other words, parents may not be told if a male student wants to be known by a female name or vice versa. Ditto if a female student wants to use the male locker room.

Clearly, this suit is another battle in the co-called cultural wars surrounding how public schools handle gay and transgender students.

The Chatham Board - officially the School District of the Chathams - includes Chatham Borough and Chatham Township, two affluent towns in eastern Morris County. While school boards are officially non-political, both towns lean Democratic.

The statement was released last week and reiterated at Monday's board meeting. Here's another relevant point:

"Our schools work in partnership with parents, and that partnership is fundamental to how we educate and support our students. Parents play an essential role in their children’s education, and that partnership will not change."

In the same statement, the board also said the disputed policy in question is now defunct. It said a new set of regulations was adopted Monday night that does not include the policy that caused the lawsuit.

This prompted public discussion at the recent meeting.

One speaker, noting that schools are "not revenue producers," worried about the cost of defending a federal suit. Another expressed discomfort with ideological battles that "vilify our educators."

But there were also speakers who wondered just how school administrators would react if a student speaks of gender transition. Would parents be notified?

The board's statement acknowledged the emotional and, of course, political, divide here.

"We recognize that this is an emotional and deeply personal issue for many families. Reasonable people may disagree about policy and about how these issues should be addressed. But those disagreements should not be confused with an accusation that our schools are hiding things from parents. That is false."

Meanwhile, the suit continues.

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