The Iowa State Legislature passed a bill removing gender identity from protected classes, forcing local school districts to change several policies to remain compliant with state law.

Protected classes are groups such as race, sex, sexual orientation, disability and religion which cannot be considered in employment, housing, public accommodations, education, and credit considerations, as established by the Iowa Civil Rights Act of 1965. Gender identity, which is currently on the list, will be removed on July 1 due to the legislation, SF428, which was signed into law on Feb. 28.

Highland and WACO shared superintendent Ken Crawford said that the gender identity removal was the biggest change, requiring Highland to change 17 of its policies in order to comply with the new state law, “You don’t realize how gender identity is one of the protected classes, so every time you have an equal opportunity, an annual notice of non-discrimination… anti-bullying complaint forms, all of those policies have those protected classes listed, so when they take one out, that affects all of them.”

Changes to state bullying laws, procedures for chronic absenteeism, and cell phone regulations were also among the changes imposed by new state laws.

Crawford went on to say that he expects both districts to be in compliance by July, when most laws passed in the 2025 session will go into effect.