More than 80 members of the Elizabethtown community gathered together at the entrance to Elizabethtown High School this past Tuesday, waving their colorful flags of support. The group included parents, families, students, local school board members and Elizabethtown College students, all gathered because of two policies on the school board’s agenda. . ,
Swiftly following the inauguration of President Trump on Jan. 20, local school boards have begun to discuss policies regarding how transgender students and students in the LGBTQ+ community are treated in the public school system. On the Elizabethtown High School’s agenda, Policy 123.3 and Policy 216.2 followed these discussions. Policy 123.3, allows student participation in team sports only if the gender of the team aligns with their sex assigned at birth. Policy 216.2 requires parent permission for name or pronoun changes to students under the age of 18.
In the rapidly changing landscape of American values, school board members and supporters of like policies see them as a protective force for their students, especially female athletes.
“These policies put students first by ensuring safety, fairness and respect for all. They strengthen the partnership between schools and families through transparency and open communication,” Elizabethtown Borough School Board President Stephen Lindemuth said in an emailed statement to The Etownian. “This approach protects everyone’s rights while maintaining clear and consistent standards. These policies create balanced solutions that address real needs while respecting our entire school community. The policies reflect our commitment to safety and fairness in athletics while maximizing opportunities for all students.”
Rally-goers said the policies strip students of that same protection and freedom.
“When I was working, so many kids [of the LGBTQ+ community] were in such despair,” rally participant April Norman said. “I feel it will only get worse if we keep putting these kids in bubbles and inhibiting who they really are.”
Norman has spent years working across local high schools in the counseling field, and formerly worked as an administrative assistant at Warwick High School.
Etown College’s Our Bodies organization promoted the event and had several members present at the rally.
“What is happening here is a blatant infringement on student’s rights of expression,” member Ari Lefever said.“Part of Our Bodies’ mission is to help people gain autonomy over their bodies, help people know how to take care of themselves and how to live a full life that is not limited by their body.”
Despite coming from a private liberal arts college not subject to the decisions of a school board, Lefever was insistent upon the group’s solidarity with public high school students.
“There’s a lot of religious intent for the bigotry we are seeing right now,” Lefever said.
She called these reasons “ungrounded.”
Naomi Kraenbring, an Etown adjunct faculty member in religious studies, was also present. Kraenbring also serves on the pastoral team at the Elizabethtown Church of the Brethren. “ As a whole we are supporting the fact that diversity is important and that God loves everyone,” she said.
The contentions with these policies have roots that go beyond typical religious or party differences. According to LNP, alongside these policies, staff have been advised to use last names or neutral labels to address all students in the class so that no one student feels singled out.
Kiera Deeds, a ninth grader at Elizabethtown High School who is part of the LGBTQ+ community, adamantly voiced concerns at the student level. She cited the high school’s National Blue Ribbon award, given in 2023, as particularly relevant, suggesting that the school may lose some of the very students who helped build that reputation of excellence. The Blue Ribbon Award is an award given by the federal Department of Education honoring high-performing schools.
“Even last week, I was walking to the cafeteria and overheard a student behind me loudly refer to me as a slur,” Deed said. “I didn’t know him, and he didn’t know me, but I just kept walking.”
Deeds and her companions, when asked about the future, responded with concern, calling the policies socially “damaging” to LGBTQ+ individuals trying to build a life of their own in school.
Through the noise and commotion of the rally remained one voice above the rest, echoing from a megaphone — Parker Webb, executive director of the Lancaster County Chooses Love organization. The group helped organize the rally Tuesday night and provide a backbone for those present.
“Some groups focus on legal or financial support, but that’s not our job. If this policy passes, and there are no other groups stepping in, these kids still need support,” Webb said.
Despite the community outcry, it was declared the next day that after two 8-1 votes, the policies passed and will be enacted starting this year. Elizabethtown Area School District is the second school district in Lancaster County, behind Penn Manor School District, to implement name and pronoun requirements and the third for transgender participation on sports teams.
School board agendas, meeting minutes and meetings are open to the public. School boards are required by Pennsylvania law to advertise their meetings. Information on a specific school board meeting can typically be found on the school district website or by calling the district.
“I think the students largely ‘get it.’ It’s the adults that don’t get it,” Norman said. “They need to be receptive to the kids and actually talk to trans students and get to know them as human beings. I believe they aren’t trying to force any agenda on anyone, they just want to be happy with their own lives.”
Editor-in-Chief DaniRae Renno contributed reporting to this article.
