Mount St. Charles Academy rescinds policy against transgender students

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — Mount St. Charles Academy has removed its policy on transgender students from its 2016-2017 parent-student handbook.

Although school leaders have not returned calls for comment, the handbook no longer includes a statement that excludes transgender students from enrolling in the Catholic high school.

The original handbook included the following language: "Mount St. Charles Academy is unable to make accommodations for transgender students. Therefore, MCS does not accept transgender students nor is MSC able to continue to enroll students who identify as transgender."

That language is no longer in the section of the handbook called "the philosophy of admissions."

The school's original policy spurred a social media backlash last week and led to a Change.org petition, signed by hundreds of people, urging the school to reverse its policy.

The school on Friday posted a statement that apologized for offending anyone, then said that it was exploring ways in which it might provide reasonable accommodations for transgender students.

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