photo by: Lawrence school district screenshot

Superintendent Anthony Lewis delivers a video message of support to the trans community on Friday, March 29, 2024.

Lawrence Superintendent Anthony Lewis delivered a message of support Friday for students, families and staff in the transgender community after the Kansas Legislature passed a bill prohibiting some forms of gender-affirming care.

The controversial bill, known as Senate Bill 233, was sent to the desk of Gov. Laura Kelly Wednesday. Kelly has vetoed similar measures in the past. Though the fate of the bill is uncertain, The Associated Press reported this week that the bill passed “apparently with the two-thirds majorities in both chambers needed to override an expected veto.”

The bill forbids gender transition surgery, puberty blockers and other gender-affirming care to people younger than 18.

“As your superintendent, I’ve been watching some of the recent bills being passed in Topeka,” Lewis said in the statement. “I will tell you that Lawrence Public Schools and our Lawrence Board of Education are extremely concerned about recent Kansas legislative actions that show harmful disregard for the human rights of the trans community.”

Lewis said that the school district prohibits discrimination based on gender, gender expression or gender identity.

“We will do all we can to continue to support and protect the rights of our students and staff of our trans community within Lawrence Public Schools,” he said, noting that school mental health teams were available to support students and “to do all they can to ensure the health, wellness, and academic success of all of our trans community.”

As The AP reported, Republicans in Kansas have been part of a multiyear and nationwide push by GOP lawmakers to roll back transgender rights. Last year, they overrode Kelly’s vetoes of measures ending the state’s legal recognition of transgender residents’ gender identities and banning transgender women and girls from female K-12 and college sports.

Six months ago, lawsuits by conservative GOP Attorney General Kris Kobach forced Kelly’s administration to stop changing the listing for “sex” on transgender people’s birth certificates and driver’s licenses.

Public officials in Lawrence have generally pledged support for the trans community, including statements from City Hall, the police chief and the District Attorney’s Office that they would not pursue punishments under the new laws, including which bathroom someone could use pursuant to Senate Bill 180.

Last summer Lawrence city leaders voted unanimously to codify protections against present and future anti-LGBTQ+ legislation through a new safe-haven ordinance. The ordinance states that the city will not gather or disseminate information regarding any person’s “biological sex, either male or female, at birth,” nor will it assist or cooperate in any investigations, arrest procedures, surveillance or information gathering conducted by any jurisdiction with the authority to enforce SB 180. The ordinance also bars the inclusion of any question regarding one’s “biological sex, either male or female, at birth” on any city application, questionnaire or interview form related to benefits, services or opportunities offered or provided by the city.

A video of Lewis’ statement is available on the district’s YouTube channel.