Edison board rejects motion to abolish transgender-student guidance after hours of testimony

The Edison Township Board of Education on Oct. 29 declined to abolish Policy 5756, the district guidance on transgender students, after an extended public-comment session in which dozens of residents, students and clinicians urged the board to keep the policy in place.

The motion to abolish Policy 5756 was made by Vice President Joe Romano and seconded by Douglas Schneider. In a roll-call vote the board recorded three yes votes (Anjana Patel, Vishal Patel and Shannon Peng) and six no votes (Douglas Lugo, Brian Rivera, Douglas Schneider, Virginia White, Joe Romano and President Bridal Patel). The motion failed.

Supporters of the policy filled the meeting and took the microphone in turn during the dedicated public-comment period. Gayatri Mathur, a 17-year-old senior, described her experience as a lesbian and said the district should “ensure we set a positive example within the community,” explicitly urging the board to reinstate or retain the guidance. Therapist and clinical psychologist Radhika Seigel urged the board to “educate yourselves about the social and cultural pressures these transgender children are under” and warned that removing protections could put students at risk.

Multiple speakers cited mental-health data and research about harm to LGBTQ youth if their identities are disclosed without consent. Laura Hogue, a gender specialist and psychotherapist, told the board that “when trans youth experience supportive environments, they show significantly lower rates of anxiety, depression and suicidality.” Several speakers asked the board to consider the real-world consequences for students who lack supportive families.

Speakers who favored repeal framed the question around parental rights and safety. A number of commenters — including residents who said they had concerns about how the policy is implemented — argued that parents should be informed and that the district should not be the decision-maker for family matters. Those speakers told the board that rescinding the guidance would restore clarity and parental involvement in student welfare.

Board discussion before the vote focused on procedure and the policy committee’s role. Board members and the district attorney’s office had earlier recommended that, for contentious items tied to pending litigation, the policy committee review options and report back; proponents of immediate action pressed for a vote. President Bridal Patel urged careful stakeholder input and recommended policy-committee review before any final change.

Board members who voted to retain the policy cited the heavy public turnout in favor of keeping the guidance and concerns about student privacy and safety. Board members voting for repeal argued that existing state and federal laws protect students’ rights and that district policy should ensure parents are able to participate in decisions about their children.

The board did not adopt a replacement policy at the meeting. The legal and procedural questions raised during public comment — including ongoing litigation in New Jersey related to parental notification and implementation of transgender-guidance policies — remain unresolved and were raised repeatedly during testimony.

What happens next: With the motion to abolish defeated, the current Policy 5756 stays in effect. Board members and staff said they expect continued stakeholder engagement and discussion in the policy committee, and that any future proposal to alter the district’s guidance would return to the board for consideration.