Harpeth Hall officially adopted a gender philosophy on Friday, seven weeks after initially releasing, then retracting, a very similar statement amid backlash from donors and parents.
The philosophy responds to students who have come out as nonbinary or trans at the traditionally all-girls private school. Students called on the school to clarify its stance toward students who do not identify as female. The statement seeks to affirm the Harpeth Hall's role as an all-girls educational institution and its mission to foster a diverse, equitable and inclusive environment.
After the statement's initial release in August, petitions both in support of and critical of the school garnered more than a thousand signatures each. One open letter to the school from parents, donors and alums called for the resignation of the board and administrators.
In early August, the school released a nearly identical statement ahead of a Scene article about students’ calls for clarity from administrators about gender diversity. After being picked up by conservative media, the adoption of the statement was “paused.” According to the school, the administration and board had been working on a policy around gender diversity for several years.
The school did not immediately respond to requests for comment.Â
Update, Sept. 27: The Scene initially reported that the newly adopted policy is identical to the one circulated in August. This is inaccurate. The statements differ in the construction and phrasing of one sentence. A previous statement read, “Any student who identifies as a girl may apply to our school.” The newly adopted statement reads, “Any girl or young woman may apply to our school in accordance with past practices.” We apologize for the error. Read the policy in full below.
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