This paper explores the legal and moral responsibility of schools in creating inclusive learning environments that recognize, respect and support transgender students. The responsibility for creating an inclusive environment is the responsibility of the educational system, rather than the responsibility of individual transgender students seeking accommodation within that system. Research shows that transgender students experience a disproportionate level of harm within the school context resulting from being denied their gender identity and expression, including inaccessible bathroom and change room access, and failure to be addressed with affirming names and pronouns. These harms have negative health and mental health outcomes for transgender students, but they can be mitigated through environmental changes, including inclusive policies and best practice documents. GLSEN’s research (2021) showed that only 12.5% of schools had official policies or guidelines to specifically support transgender students. A comparative analysis of school policies and best practice documents across the province of Alberta shows 31% of districts in Alberta have specific policies to support transgender students, including 43% of public school districts in Alberta and 0.06% of separate school districts in Alberta, revealing inconsistencies in approaches to transgender students' rights. The paper concludes by offering recommendations for future policy development, emphasizing the need for unified and forward-thinking strategies to ensure the well-being and dignity of all students within Alberta schools.
