Non-discrimination policies
| Submitted | April 10, 2017 |
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Communications
From: Grace Raih
To Whom It May Concern:
Pursuant to Maryland's Public Information Act ("PIA"), I hereby request the following records:
Any and all written documents that include, but are not limited to, policies, procedures, training manuals, talking points and slideshows that include the topic of non-discrimination or anti-bullying policies regarding LGBT identified students. This includes, but is not limited to, policies on the use of restroom and locker room facilities. Please limit this request to documents that were generated over the past two years as well as documents, such as policies, that are in effect now.
Any and all communications or questions requested from education institutions regarding the Department of Justice’ 2016 Joint Guidance on Transgender Students (“Dear Colleague Letter”) or Trump’s 2017 “Dear Colleague Letter”. For reference, these letters are available at the following URLs respectively: https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/letters/colleague-201605-title-ix-transgender.pdf https://www.justice.gov/opa/press-release/file/941551/download
Any and all records, reports or documents sent to districts that regard student sexual health education.
Finally, I request any and all memos, letters, policies and guidelines sent to schools in the last five years that outline policies regarding transgender or gender non-conforming students. This includes, but is not limited to, the use of restroom and locker room facilities.
The requested documents will be made available to the general public, and this request is not being made for commercial purposes.
In the event that there are fees, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.
Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 10 business days, as the statute requires.
Sincerely,
Grace Raih
From: William Reinhard -MSDE-
I'll be out of the office through April 14, returning to the office on Monday, April 17. I will be not have access to email. For immediate assistance, contact Samantha Foley ( samantha.foley1@maryland.gov). (mailto:samantha.foley1@maryland.gov)
-Bill
--
Bill Reinhard Director of Communications Maryland State Dept. of Education 200 W. Baltimore Street Baltimore, Maryland 21201 william.reinhard@maryland.gov (mailto:william.reinhard@maryland.gov)
410-767-0486 (office 410-241-7108 (cell)
Follow MSDE on Twitter @MdPublicSchools and join us on Facebook at MdPublicSchools
Click here to complete a three question customerexperience survey.
From: Dunaway, Sally
Hello Ms. Raih:
Before we can process your FOIA request, we need to speak to you so that we can make sure that we fully understand your request and that we are then best able to provide you with exactly the records you require.
If I do not hear from you by May 15, 2017, I will administratively close your request and no further action will be taken on it.
If your FOIA request is administratively closed, you are, of course, always free to file another request.
Sincerely,
Sally
Sally Dunaway
Staff Attorney
Office for Civil Rights, Customer Service and Technology Team
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20202-1100
202-453-5982
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image001
From: Swafford, Christie
Dear Ms. Raih;
This email is to inform you that the Department is currently processing your request; however, we have not yet completed our consultations to make a determination regarding the release of any responsive material. Therefore, we will be unable to respond to your request within 20 working days of having received the request, nor within the 10 day extension for complex or voluminous material. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause you, and assure you that your request will be processed as soon as possible
You can check on the status of your request on the Department’s FOIA Web page at http://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/leg/foia/foiatoc.html and click on the Requests Status Log link under “More Resources.”
You have the right to seek further assistance from the Department’s FOIA Public Liaison, Robert Wehausen. The Department’s FOIA Public Liaison can be reached by e‑email at robert.wehausen@ed.gov<mailto:robert.wehausen@ed.gov>; by phone at 202-205-0733; by fax at 202-401-0920; or by mail at Office of the Chief Privacy Officer, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Ave., SW, LBJ 2E321,Washington, DC 20202-4536, Attn: FOIA Public Liaison.
If you have any questions, please contact me at (202) 205-3691 or via e-mail at Christie.Swafford@ed.gov<mailto:Christie.Swafford@ed.gov>.
Sincerely,
Christie D. Swafford
Government Information Specialist
OM/OCPO/FSC
U. S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, 2E325
Washington, DC 20202
(202) 205-3691
(202) 401-0920-Fax
“Go where you are celebrated not where you are tolerated”-Author Unknown
From: MuckRock.com
To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on April 10, 2017. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed.
Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.
From: William Reinhard -MSDE-
Good Morning-
We are in receipt of your PIA request. We are working with MSDE personnel
to gather documents. It may be next week before it is completed.
Bill Reinhard
--
Bill Reinhard
Director of Communications
Maryland State Dept. of Education
200 W. Baltimore Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21201
*william.reinhard@maryland.gov <william.reinhard@maryland.gov>*
<corbett.webb@maryland.gov>410-767-0486 (office)
410-241-7108 (cell)
Follow MSDE on Twitter @MdPublicSchools and join us on Facebook at
MdPublicSchools
Click here
<http://www.doit.state.md.us/selectsurvey/TakeSurvey.aspx?agencycode=MSDE&SurveyID=86M2956>
to complete a three question customer experience survey.
-
changingMD
From: William Reinhard -MSDE-
May 1, 2017
Grace Raih
Dear Ms. Raih:
You recently contacted the Maryland State Department of Education in search
of the following documents:
· Any and all written documents that include, but are not limited
to, policies, procedures, training manuals, talking points and slideshows
that include the topic of non-discrimination or anti-bullying policies
regarding LGBT identified students. This includes, but is not limited to,
policies on the use of restroom and locker room facilities. Please limit
this request to documents that were generated over the past two years as
well as documents, such as policies, that are in effect now.
· Any and all communications or questions requested from education
institutions regarding the Department of Justice’ 2016 Joint Guidance on
Transgender Students (“Dear Colleague Letter”) or Trump’s 2017 “Dear
Colleague Letter”. For reference, these letters are available at the
following URLs respectively:
https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/letters/colleague-201605-title-ix-transgender.pdf
https://www.justice.gov/opa/press-release/file/941551/download
· Any and all records, reports or documents sent to districts that
regard student sexual health education.
· Finally, I request any and all memos, letters, policies and
guidelines sent to schools in the last five years that outline policies
regarding transgender or gender non-conforming students. This includes, but
is not limited to, the use of restroom and locker room facilities.
It should be noted that MSDE’s overall guidance has always been that these
policies are -- and have always been -- local in nature. MSDE has provided
guidance designed to interpret federal guidance.
Attached you will find information responsive to your request. It includes
our most recent guidance on Title IX, sent in February, which replaced
earlier guidance sent in October 2015. That guidance, also attached, was
provided in response to plans by the Obama Administration to update its
guidance. Two PowerPoints on that guidance also are attached.
Sex education is part of Maryland’s content standards for health. Here is
a link to those standards:
http://mdk12.org/instruction/curriculum/health/index.html
Enclosed are records responsive to your request.
Sincerely,
William Reinhard
Public Information Officer
Attachments
--
Bill Reinhard
Director of Communications
Maryland State Dept. of Education
200 W. Baltimore Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21201
*william.reinhard@maryland.gov <william.reinhard@maryland.gov>*
<corbett.webb@maryland.gov>410-767-0486 (office)
410-241-7108 (cell)
Follow MSDE on Twitter @MdPublicSchools and join us on Facebook at
MdPublicSchools
Click here
<http://www.doit.state.md.us/selectsurvey/TakeSurvey.aspx?agencycode=MSDE&SurveyID=86M2956>
to complete a three question customer experience survey.
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