St. Paul Charter School at Center of Transgender Debate

ST. PAUL - A public charter school in St. Paul is at the center of a debate over how to best meet the needs of transgender students.

The parents of a 5-year-old child who is gender nonconforming asked Nova Classical Academy to make sure their student was not being bullied.

Outside groups stepped in when other parents heard that faculty members were talking with children about such bullying. Now the Minnesota Family Council plans to hold a community meeting Tuesday at the school to discuss the issue.

Jill Gaulding, co-founder of the nonprofit Gender Justice says that since Nova did not have a policy to make transgender students feel protected, one family is feeling the backlash.

Autumn Leva of the Minnesota Family Council says parents were uncomfortable with faculty reading about transgender issues to their children.