TRENTON, NJ – The issue of teaching about gender identity in New Jersey schools and notifying parents about students’ gender identity requests has ignited a debate among the state’s residents, according to a new Monmouth University Poll.
New Jersey’s attorney general recently went to court to stop schools from requiring notification of parents if a student requests to be identified by a different gender. However, a majority of New Jerseyans support such notification, the poll found.
The Monmouth University Poll shows that 60% of New Jerseyans, including parents, approve of teaching about gender identity in high school. Support decreases to 42% for teaching in grades 6 through 8, and drops to 22% for grades 1 through 5.
The poll also revealed that 45% of New Jersey adults believe public schools are doing too much when it comes to teaching about gender identity, compared to 23% who think schools are doing the right amount, and 16% who believe they are not doing enough.
Three in four New Jerseyans (77%) feel that middle and high schools should notify parents if their child wants to be identified by a different gender on their school registration. Among parents of minors, 81% think schools should require notification.
The survey additionally explored issues related to bathroom facilities, sex education classes, and participation in sports teams for transgender students. A majority expressed support for policies based on a student’s assigned sex at birth rather than their current gender identity.
These results highlight the complexities and differing opinions within the state concerning how to approach gender identity in the educational system.
Patrick Murray, director of the independent Monmouth University Polling Institute, summed up the findings: “Most New Jerseyans, like most Americans, do not recognize transgender identity in a broad sense. This is reflected in how they view these issues being dealt with in schools.”