Rafael McDonnell
Dallas County Community College District legal counsel Robert Young has notified Resource Center Dallas‘ Communications and Advocacy Manager Rafael McDonnell today in a letter that the DCCCD has board decided not to add gender identity to its nondiscrimination policy.
Young said the board made its decision based on its belief that transgender people are already protected. He used the anecdotal evidence that one person transitioned without problem while employed with DCCCD, adding that they employee felt positive about the support she received from the district.
Young said that current policy already protects transgender employees and students because it currently includes “any other category protected by law.” And he pointed out that a Dallas city ordinance prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation and that the city’s definition of sexual orientation includes gender identity.
However, five of the seven DCCCD schools are in suburban cities, not in Dallas, and are therefore not covered by city of Dallas ordinances.
McDonnell is encouraging people to respond to DCCCD’s legal department. More about the community college decision in Friday’s paper.
