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Questions & Answers
We may not agree on everything; nor would I want that. What is important to me is 1) for you to know that my philosophy and worldview does not change depending on who I'm talking to, 2) for you to be able to see clearly how I think through issues and that I am open to updating my stance with sufficient evidence, and 3) for you to feel that even if we disagree on an issue, you will be heard and taken seriously by me.
To that end, I am going to keep this page updated with questions that I receive from concerned parents and district residents. Newer questions will be at the top of the page.
You can send me a question via email (info@joshkoestler.com), via Facebook (Josh Koestler for School Board), or by filling out the contact form on this site.
If you prefer an extended face-to-face conversation, we can schedule a porch visit (I'll come to your front door or meeting place of your choice). Just send me a message.
While I will always try to find a common vocabulary with you, I will not tell you what you want to hear in order to win your vote. And even if I don't win your vote, I hope to win your trust that I will always be honest and transparent. Our kids and our neighbors' kids deserve honesty and transparency.
"As a school board member, would you support hiding a child's supposed transgenderism at school from the child's parents?"
First, I unequivocally support our transgender and gender-expansive students. This is not an -ism issue. Our kids are born with the fundamental right to discover who they are.
Parents have a right to information about their minor child, and RPS policy does not say otherwise. RPS procedure is that if a parent asks the school for information about their minor child, staff will give it to them. RPS policy also does not stop any teacher from picking up the phone and calling a parent when they think that's the right thing to do.
What RPS policy does not do is require staff to proactively go looking for things about a student's gender identity to report to parents. I will not vote for mandatory parental notification of a child using their chosen name or pronouns.
I want every kid in this district to be able to talk to their parents. I will always advocate for moving us toward a world where children do not have to be afraid to share who they are with their parents.
I wish it were not the case, but some kids have good reason to be afraid of what happens at home. The school shouldn't be the mechanism that exposes them to that danger. We have mandated reporting for abuse and neglect because we already accept that sometimes a school's first duty is to the child in front of us.
I've spent nine years in these buildings, and I would not vote for a mandate that would take professional judgment away from the adults who are actually in the room with the child.
Pillar 1 of my campaign, Violence Prevention, states that a child who is afraid cannot learn. I will always vote to keep our LGBTQ+ kids safe.