PENDLETON, Ind. — An Indiana school guidance counselor is waiting to find out if she still has a job after talking about the district's plan to support students who are questioning their gender identity.
Kathy McCord has worked at Pendleton Heights High School for more than 20 years, but her future with the district is reportedly up in the air.
A spokesperson for McCord said she was put on administrative leave last month after she spoke to a publication that's part of The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank.
In December, McCord told the online publication the school district had a support plan for students questioning their gender identity.
Parents who attended recent school board meetings and spoke against McCord's suspension say they weren't aware such a plan existed.
A copy of minutes from the South Madison Community School Corporation's December board meeting shows the superintendent confirmed the district had a gender support plan for students, but it was not on the SMCSC website.
One parent said her understanding of the plan is that students have the option on whether they want their parents to know they'd like to use a different name or pronoun at school that's different from their gender assigned at birth.
A spokesperson for McCord said the counselor believes parents should be notified. So does parent Ana Blake.
"While I'd like to think I know everything about my kids, I also would hope a school would let me know if there's something I need to know," said Blake.
Issues surrounding students' gender identity and parents' right to know are currently front and center in the Indiana General Assembly.
House Bill 1608 just passed and is now headed to the Senate. If it becomes the law, teachers would be required to tell parents if their child has asked to go by a pronoun or name at school that is different from their legal name and gender assigned at birth.
Opponents of the proposed law say it would out transgender kids to parents who may not be supportive.
13News reached out to school district officials but and did not hear back.
A spokesperson for McCord said a private meeting with the school board is set for March 7. The board would have to vote at a public meeting on whether McCord should be fired.