Board amends and approves two MOUs, adding ban on gender‑affirming counseling on JCS property

The Jefferson County School Board approved amended memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with two outside partners, replacing language that had limited restrictions "to students within JCS buildings" with broader language barring contractors from providing "gender affirming counseling or gender affirming activities of any kind to students on JCS property."

The process began with motions to approve each MOU. During discussion a board member moved to amend page five, line L of the MOU language to strike "to students within JCS buildings" and substitute the broader phrase. Board members debated whether an amendment could be applied immediately or whether it needed to be to a motion previously adopted; the board consulted Robert's Rules and input from the district attorney about procedural options.

After procedural clarification the board voted to amend the previously adopted MOU for Helen Ross McNab; the amendment passed 4–2 and the board subsequently adopted the amended MOU 4–2. The board then applied the same amendment wording to the MOU with Allied Behavioral Health Services; the amended Allied MOU was adopted 5–1.

During debate one board member referenced Tennessee legislation (SB1/HB1) and noted passages that they said exempt certain counseling practices from the state restriction, arguing that the district has discretion to define local policy regarding counseling on school property. That point was raised as context for why the board might explicitly exclude counseling from contractor services on district property; the transcript records the citation to SB1/HB1 but no legal determination by counsel recorded at the meeting.

The specific contractual language the board inserted reads in substance that contractors "will not provide gender affirming care support, gender affirming counseling or gender affirming activities of any kind to students on JCS property." The board directed staff to implement the amended MOUs as approved.

Votes recorded in the transcript: the Helen Ross amendment and adoption each passed 4–2; the final Allied MOU approval passed 5–1. The transcript records procedural confusion during debate but shows the board ultimately carried both amended agreements.