<b>STAYING AT THE CAPITOL NOW,</b> <b>GOVERNOR KATHIE HOCHUL SIGNED A</b> <b>PACKAGE OF BILLS THIS WEEK TO</b> <b>CLOSE OUT PRIDE MONTH AND THE</b> <b>BIGGEST BILL IN THAT PACKAGE,</b> <b>NOW LAW, WOULD ADD NEW LEGAL</b> <b>PROTECTIONS FOR GENDER-AFFIRMING</b> <b>CARE FOR TRANSGENDER AND</b> <b>GENDER-EXPANSIVE PEOPLE.</b> <b>AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT</b> <b>GENDER-AFFIRMING CARE, THERE'S A</b> <b>LOT TO IT.</b> <b>PEOPLE THINK IT'S OFTEN JUST</b> <b>SURGERY, BUT GENDER-AFFIRMING</b> <b>CARE CAN INCLUDE EVERYTHING FROM</b> <b>A NEW HAIRSTYLE TO MATCH</b> <b>SOMEONE'S GENDER TO HORMONES TO</b> <b>HELP WITH THEIR TRANSITION AND A</b> <b>LOT MORE AND IN SOME STATES THAT</b> <b>KIND OF CARE COULD BE HARD TO</b> <b>FIND OR EVEN ILLEGAL.</b> <b>SO THE BILL HOCHUL SIGNED WOULD</b> <b>ALLOW PEOPLE TO COME TO NEW YORK</b> <b>TO RECEIVE THAT CARE WHILE</b> <b>AVOIDING ANY LEGAL TROUBLE.</b> <b>IF ANOTHER STATE TRIES TO</b> <b>INTERVENE OR INVESTIGATE THOSE</b> <b>PEOPLE, THE NEW LAW BLOCKS ANY</b> <b>COOPERATION FROM PEOPLE IN NEW</b> <b>YORK, INCLUDING MEDICAL</b> <b>PROFESSIONALS AND THE POLICE.</b> <b>THE LAW WILL ALSO PROTECT</b> <b>DOCTORS IN NEW YORK FROM</b> <b>EXTRADITION AND PROFESSIONAL</b> <b>SCRUTINY FOR PROVIDING THAT</b> <b>CARE.</b> <b>GOVERNOR KATHIE HOCHUL LAST</b> <b>SUNDAY.</b> <b>[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]</b> <b>>> AND THIS YEAR AS IF THESE</b> <b>OTHER STATE GOVERNMENTS HAVE</b> <b>NOTHING ELSE TO DO, THEY'VE</b> <b>INTRODUCED OVER 500 ANTI-LGBTQ</b> <b>PIECES OF LEGISLATION THIS YEAR.</b> <b>[ AUDIENCE BOOS ]</b> <b>THEY WANT TO SOLVE THE OTHER</b> <b>PROBLEMS OF SOCIETY TODAY.</b> <b>THIS IS WRONG!</b> <b>>> THAT LAW TAKES EFFECT</b> <b>IMMEDIATELY AND IN RELATED NEWS,</b> <b>THE STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT</b> <b>HAS ISSUED A NEW LEGAL UPDATE</b> <b>FOR SCHOOLS ON TRANSGENDER AND</b> <b>GENDER-EXPANSIVE STUDENTS.</b> <b>IT'S A DOCUMENT THAT ESSENTIALLY</b> <b>TELLS SCHOOLS WHAT THE LAW IS</b> <b>AND HOW TO BEST FOLLOW IT.</b> <b>THAT MEANS THAT FOR STUDENTS WHO</b> <b>COME OUT AT SCHOOL, TEACHERS AND</b> <b>STAFF HAVE TO RESPECT THAT.</b> <b>IF A STUDENT STARTS USING</b> <b>DIFFERENT PRONOUNS OR DIFFERENT</b> <b>NAME, THE SCHOOL IS LEGALLY</b> <b>REQUIRED TO FOLLOW THOSE</b> <b>CHANGES.</b> <b>BUT IT'S ALSO MORE THAN THAT.</b> <b>THE UPDATE EXPLAINS WHY THAT'S</b> <b>IMPORTANT TO KIDS AND WHAT WILL</b> <b>BE A REALLY VULNERABLE TIME IN</b> <b>THEIR LIVES.</b> <b>SO FOR MORE ON THAT, WE SPOKE</b> <b>THIS WEEK WITH KATHLEEN</b> <b>DECATALDO, ASSISTANT</b> <b>COMMISSIONER OF STUDENT SUPPORT</b> <b>SERVICES AT THE STATE EDUCATION</b> <b>DEPARTMENT.</b> <b>[ THEME MUSIC ]</b> <b>KATHLEEN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR</b> <b>BEING HERE.</b> <b>I APPRECIATE IT.</b> <b>>> HAPPY TO BE HERE WITH YOU,</b> <b>DAN.</b> <b>>> THANK YOU.</b> <b>SO THIS GUIDANCE, I WANT TO GO</b> <b>OVER WHAT IT IS AND WHAT IT</b> <b>MEANS AND WHAT'S REALLY IN IT.</b> <b>SO IF A STUDENT STARTS USING A</b> <b>DIFFERENT NAME AND DIFFERENT</b> <b>PRONOUNS AT SCHOOL DOES THE</b> <b>FRAMEWORK SAY THAT TEACHERS AND</b> <b>OTHER SCHOOL STAFF SHOULD DO FOR</b> <b>THAT STUDENT?</b> <b>>> SO I WANT TO START BY SAYING</b> <b>IT'S REALLY NOT GUIDANCE.</b> <b>IT'S A LEGAL UPDATE.</b> <b>>> OKAY.</b> <b>>> AND BEST PRACTICES FRAMEWORK</b> <b>AND WE'RE SAYING THAT BECAUSE</b> <b>THERE ARE NEW LAWS THAT DO</b> <b>PROVIDE ADDITIONAL PROTECTIONS</b> <b>FOR YOUNG PEOPLE.</b> <b>SO AS TO YOUR QUESTION ABOUT</b> <b>WHAT SHOULD A SCHOOL DO, SCHOOLS</b> <b>ARE REQUIRED TO HONOR A</b> <b>STUDENT'S REQUEST TO BE CALLED</b> <b>BY THEIR AFFIRMED NAME AND BY</b> <b>THEIR PRONOUNS OF CHOICE.</b> <b>>> AND SO THIS IS JUST FOR AT</b> <b>SCHOOL, RIGHT?</b> <b>I CAN SEE SOME PEOPLE BEING</b> <b>CONCERNED THAT MAYBE SCHOOL</b> <b>STAFF OR TEACHERS MIGHT TRY TO</b> <b>GIVE STUDENTS GUIDANCE OUTSIDE</b> <b>OF SCHOOL, BUT THAT'S NOT PART</b> <b>OF THIS LEGAL UPDATE, CORRECT?</b> <b>>> NO, ABSOLUTELY NOT.</b> <b>NO, THIS IS JUST ABOUT WHAT'S</b> <b>GOING ON IN THE SCHOOL AND WE</b> <b>TRY TO MAKE VERY CLEAR THAT THE</b> <b>REST OF THAT STUDENT'S</b> <b>TRANSITION IS BETWEEN THAT</b> <b>STUDENT, THEIR FAMILY, THAT'S</b> <b>NONE OF THE SCHOOL'S BUSINESS.</b> <b>>> SO TELL ME HOW THIS KIND OF</b> <b>HAPPENS AT A SCHOOL.</b> <b>IF A STUDENT GOES TO A TRUSTED</b> <b>TEACHER OR A STAFF MEMBER,</b> <b>GUIDANCE COUNSELOR, WHOEVER THEY</b> <b>REALLY FEEL SAFE WITH, THEY SIT</b> <b>DOWN AND SAY, I WANT TO GO BY</b> <b>THIS NAME NOW.</b> <b>I WANT TO USE THESE PRONOUNS</b> <b>WHAT KIND OF PROCESS SHOULD A</b> <b>SCHOOL TAKE IN THAT REGARD IN</b> <b>TERMS OF MAKING SURE THAT</b> <b>EVERYBODY ELSE USES THAT</b> <b>STUDENT'S NAME AND PRONOUNS?</b> <b>>> WELL, FIRST, THE SCHOOL NEEDS</b> <b>TO PROVIDE PROFESSIONAL</b> <b>DEVELOPMENT TO ALL SCHOOL STAFF</b> <b>SO THAT WHEN THAT STUDENT DOES</b> <b>REACH OUT, THEY KNOW WHAT TO SAY</b> <b>BECAUSE MAYBE THEY DON'T KNOW</b> <b>WHAT TO SAY.</b> <b>MAYBE THEY WOULD BE CAUGHT</b> <b>OFFGUARD NOT REALIZING THAT</b> <b>STUDENT TRUSTS THEM ENOUGH TO</b> <b>COME OUT TO THEM.</b> <b>SO THAT'S THE FIRST THING THAT</b> <b>IS REALLY CRUCIALLY IMPORTANT</b> <b>AND THEN THIS IS A PROCESS,</b> <b>RIGHT?</b> <b>STUDENTS-- AND IT HAS TO BE</b> <b>STUDENT-DRIVEN.</b> <b>SO STUDENTS MIGHT JUST WANT TO</b> <b>TRANSITION IN THAT TRUSTED</b> <b>TEACHER'S CLASS SO IN THAT</b> <b>CLASSROOM, THE STUDENT WOULD BE</b> <b>CALLED-- IS ASKING THE TEACHER</b> <b>TO CALL THEM BY THEIR NAME AND</b> <b>ENCOURAGE THE OTHER STUDENTS TO</b> <b>CALL THEM BY THEIR AFFIRMED NAME</b> <b>AND USE THEIR PRONOUNS OF</b> <b>CHOICE.</b> <b>WHAT WE RECOMMEND IS THAT</b> <b>TEACHER HAND OFF THAT STUDENT TO</b> <b>A SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKER, A SCHOOL</b> <b>COUNSELOR WHO'S PREPARED TO</b> <b>REALLY WALK THROUGH THE PROCESS</b> <b>OF WHAT IT MEANS TO TRANSITION</b> <b>AT SCHOOL WITH THAT YOUNG</b> <b>PERSON, SO THEY FULLY UNDERSTAND</b> <b>THE RAMIFICATIONS OF IT.</b> <b>ONE OF THE THINGS WE REALLY</b> <b>STRESS IS THAT IT IS BECAUSE</b> <b>IT'S STUDENT-DRIVEN THE STUDENT</b> <b>IS IN THE BEST PLACE TO</b> <b>DETERMINE THEIR OWN SAFETY AND</b> <b>WHO THEY WANT TO KNOW AND WHO</b> <b>THEY FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH</b> <b>KNOWING THAT THEY ARE</b> <b>TRANSITIONING.</b> <b>>> AND JUST FOR STUDENTS THAT</b> <b>ARE WATCHING OR PARENTS OF THESE</b> <b>CHILDREN THAT MIGHT BE WATCHING,</b> <b>DO THEY NEED TO HAVE ANY KIND OF</b> <b>DOCUMENTATION OR ANYTHING LIKE</b> <b>THAT TO BE TREATED WITH THE</b> <b>CORRECT PRONOUNS AND GENDER AT</b> <b>SCHOOL?</b> <b>DO THEY NEED SOME SORT OF</b> <b>DOCUMENTATION?</b> <b>OR, CAN THEY JUST COME OUT AT</b> <b>SCHOOL?</b> <b>>> THEY CAN JUST COME OUT AT</b> <b>SCHOOL.</b> <b>THEY DON'T NEED ANY</b> <b>DOCUMENTATION.</b> <b>>> AND FOR PARENTS, I THINK</b> <b>MAYBE THE MOST CONTROVERSIAL</b> <b>PART OF THIS FOR SOME PEOPLE IS</b> <b>THERE'S A PART OF THIS THAT SAYS</b> <b>IF THE STUDENT COMES OUT, USE</b> <b>DIFFERENT PRONOUNS AND A NAME AT</b> <b>SCHOOL, THE SCHOOL IS NOT TO</b> <b>TELL THE PARENTS.</b> <b>TELL ME WHY THAT IS.</b> <b>>> SO IT'S NOT EXACTLY WHAT IT</b> <b>SAYS, RIGHT?</b> <b>>> ALL RIGHT.</b> <b>>> WHAT IT SAYS IS, REMEMBER</b> <b>BEFORE I WAS TALKING ABOUT THE</b> <b>YOUNG PERSON GETS HANDED OFF TO</b> <b>A SCHOOL COUNSELOR OR SCHOOL</b> <b>SOCIAL WORKER AND THEY TALK</b> <b>ABOUT WHAT THE TRANSITION PLAN</b> <b>IS FOR THAT STUDENT AT SCHOOL,</b> <b>AND THE FIRST QUESTION IS, WHO</b> <b>DOES THAT STUDENT FEEL SAFE WITH</b> <b>SHARING THAT INFORMATION WITH.</b> <b>IN MOST INSTANCES, PARENTS ARE</b> <b>SUPPORTIVE OF THEIR STUDENTS AND</b> <b>IF THE STUDENT SAYS I'M</b> <b>COMFORTABLE WITH MY PARENTS</b> <b>BEING INVOLVED IN THIS</b> <b>CONVERSATION, THEN THE PARENT</b> <b>SHOULD ABSOLUTELY BE BROUGHT IN</b> <b>AND BE PART OF THAT</b> <b>CONVERSATION.</b> <b>ON THE OTHER HAND IN THE SMALL</b> <b>NUMBER OF CASES, WE KNOW THAT</b> <b>THERE ARE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO</b> <b>BECOME UNHOUSED AS A RESULT OF</b> <b>COMING OUT WITH THEIR FAMILY.</b> <b>THERE'S YOUNG PEOPLE WHO HAVE</b> <b>SOME OTHER ADVERSE CONSEQUENCES</b> <b>AS A RESULT OF COMING OUT TO</b> <b>THEIR FAMILY.</b> <b>AGAIN, ULTIMATELY THIS IS A</b> <b>CASE-BY-CASE DETERMINATION,</b> <b>STUDENT-BY-STUDENT DETERMINATION</b> <b>AND SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE</b> <b>REVISITED OFTEN AND ULTIMATELY,</b> <b>WE HOPE THAT THERE WILL BE A</b> <b>TRANSITION LAND CREATED WITH THE</b> <b>SCHOOL AND THAT YOUNG PERSON SO</b> <b>THAT YOUNG PERSON KNOWS WHAT THE</b> <b>SCHOOL'S GONNA DO AND THE SCHOOL</b> <b>UNDERSTANDS WHAT THE STUDENT IS</b> <b>ASKING FOR AND THEN THAT, AGAIN,</b> <b>THAT SHOULD BE UPDATED</b> <b>FREQUENTLY SO THAT AS THAT YOUNG</b> <b>PERSON GROWS MORE COMFORTABLE</b> <b>WITH THEIR TRANSITION,</b> <b>HOPEFULLY, THE FAMILY'S INVOLVED</b> <b>AND THEY CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH</b> <b>THEIR LIFE.</b> <b>>> ALL RIGHT.</b> <b>KATHLEEN DECALTDO, ASSISTANT</b> <b>COMMISSIONER OF STUDENT SUPPORT</b> <b>SERVICES, THANK YOU SO MUCH.</b> <b>>> WE'LL LINK TO THAT LEGAL</b> <b>UPDATE ON OUR WEBSITE.</b> <b>REPUBLICANS HAVE COME OUT</b> <b>AGAINST IT SAYING SCHOOLS SHOULD</b> <b>BE FOCUSED ON BRINGING GRADES</b> <b>UP.</b> <b>STATE REPUBLICAN CHAIR ED COX</b> <b>SAID IN A STATEMENT, QUOTE, THE</b> <b>FAILURE TO TEACH BASIC SKILLS</b> <b>WILL ONLY HASTEN THE DECLINE IN</b> <b>PUBLIC SCHOOL ENROLLMENT AND</b> <b>EXODUS OF FAMILIES TO</b> <b>JURISDICTIONS THAT PLACE</b> <b>EDUCATION OVER IDEOLOGY, END</b> <b>QUOTE.</b> <b>JUST FOR YOUR CONTEXT, THE LEGAL</b> <b>UPDATE DOES NOT REQUIRE ANY NEW</b> <b>CURRICULUM TO BE TAUGHT.</b> <b>BEFORE WE LET YOU GO THIS WEEK,</b> <b>[ THEME MUSIC ]</b>