# data[].attributes.body
After program completion of Angelo State University's M.Ed. in Guidance and Counseling with Counselor Certification, I will pursue professional growth by exiting the classroom setting and entering the guidance field as a K-12 school counselor. My goal is to become a middle school counselor at the campus I currently teach in South Texas.

# data[].attributes.body
The professional school counselor I interviewed was my practicum mentor, Ms. Amy Dominguez. Ms. Dominguez has been a school counselor for 26 years, working with school districts in San Antonio, Weslaco, and now South Texas. Listed below are the top five legal and ethical issues from the interview regarding the counseling profession.

1) Student confidentiality is not just a counseling standard, but reinforced through multiple district, state, and federal procedures and laws.

2) Student documents and cumulative folders are confidential and protected through the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).

3) Counselor notes can be subpoenaed, so legal and ethical best practices require proper documentation and storage.

4) In terms of ethical challenges, counselors need to be aware of dual relationships, risking the integrity of student and counselor rapport. Special populations, like minority students, are also afforded discriminatory protections under state and federal laws.

5) Different districts will ask counselors to take on additional duties. If counselors are assigned coordinator roles regarding Section 504 or Admission, Review, and Dismissal (ARD) programs, counselors need to be aware of the legal issues entailing each program. If issues arise, the Office of Civil Rights (OCR) will address student, parent, or district concerns.

# data[].attributes.body
In "Judge Rules in favor of Virginia transgender student in bathroom case", by Roger Riddell (2018), the article explains Federal Judge Wright Allen’s ruling in allowing student Gavin Grimm to access his identified gender restroom. “Allen's decision found that the school board discriminated against Grimm under the Constitution's equal protection clause and Title IX” (Riddell, 2018, para. 3).

The transgender student population has increased across the United States, probing communities, school districts, and states to ensure that quality education and services are provided to this minority class.

References

Riddell, R. (2018). Judge rules in favor of virginia transgender student in bathroom case. Education Drive. Retrieved from https://www.educationdive.com/news/judge-rules-in-favor-of-virginia-transgender-student-in-bathroom-case/524226/

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Dive Brief:

Federal Judge Wright Allen ruled in favor of now-graduated Virginia transgender student Gavin Grimm, who sued the Gloucester County School Board over a 2014 decision that he couldn't use the bathroom corresponding to his gender identity, USA Today reports.

The case was among the highest-profile to involve transgender bathroom rights in schools, at one point being sent to the Supreme Court before being dismissed back to the lower courts.

Allen's decision found that the school board discriminated against Grimm under the Constitution's equal protection clause and Title IX, and no further appeal by the school board has yet been filed.

Dive Insight:

Barring any further appeals, or any similar cases that the U.S. Supreme Court might decide to take on in the future, Grimm's case could now set a precedent on transgender bathroom rights in schools. Prior to this case, the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights under the Obama administration reached a resolution agreement in December 2015 with Illinois' Palatine High School District 211 regarding a transgender high school student's ability to use the girls' locker room. Further guidance on the issue released in May 2016 was later rescinded by the Trump administration.

Grimm's case, of course, isn't the only one to be appealed as far as the Supreme Court, as Wisconsin's Kenosha Unified School District in August filed an appeal requesting a decision on transgender students' bathroom rights under Title IX or the U.S. Constitution. So sooner or later, it seems likely a further decision is likely to come from a higher level.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Judge rules in favor of Virginia transgender student in bathroom case

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Federal Judge Wright Allen ruled in favor of now-graduated Virginia transgender student Gavin Grimm, who sued the Gloucester County School Board over a 2014 decision that he couldn't use the bathroom corresponding to his gender identity, USA Today reports.

# data[].attributes.body
In “With affirmative action under fire, what’s the future of racial diversity on campus?”, by Hallie Busta (2018), the article discusses the legal precedents set by Fisher v. University of Texas II 2016, allowing college campuses to use race, amongst other admission components, in deciding entrance into higher education. “The decision was considered a win by affirmative action advocates because it kept the policy on the books” (Busta, 2018, para. 10). High school guidance counselors assist students through the college enrollment process, and court rulings similar to this provide information and trends as to inform students of admission procedures and laws.

References

Busta, H. (2018). With affirmative action under fire, what’s the future of racial diversity on campus? Education Drive. Retrieved from https://www.educationdive.com/news/with-affirmative-action-under-fire-whats-the-future-of-racial-diversity-o/539560/

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
With affirmative action under fire, what's the future of racial diversity on campus?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
It's no secret that affirmative action in higher education is under threat. Since it was instituted in 1961, the policy has been challenged several times in the Supreme Court. Its constitutionality was upheld at each turn, though only narrowly. But the pressure is building.

# data[].attributes.body
The topic of transgender rights and legal issues involving state and federal courts is important as it relates to the special populations that counselors address.
School staff, including teachers and counselors, have an opportunity to support transgender students by ensuring that policies and procedures positively address issues or concerns faced by these minority students.

# data[].attributes.body
The academic link included in the APA citation refers to the legal and ethical issue regarding transgender student access.

Watkins, P. J., & Moreno, E. (2017). Bathrooms without borders: Transgender students argue separate is not equal. Clearing House, 90(5/6), 166. https://doi-org.easydb.angelo.edu/10.1080/00098655.2017.1361285

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Angelo State University - Library Online Resources

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Unauthorized use is prohibited; Usage may be subject to security testing and monitoring; Misuse is subject to criminal prosecution; No expectation of privacy except as otherwise provided by applicable privacy laws.

# data[].attributes.body
The internet link connects to Teaching Tolerance, a professional website that is dedicated to increasing knowledge, awareness, and teaching resources to increase student diversity. The article provides an analysis of the laws affecting transgender student populations and the possible steps teachers and counselors can take to best serve and support these students.

Collins, C., & Ehrenhalt, J. (2018). Federal agencies want to erase trans identities; Don’t erase them in your school. Teaching Tolerance. Retrieved from https://www.tolerance.org/magazine/federal-agencies-want-to-erase-trans-identities-dont-erase-them-in-your-school

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Federal Agencies Want to Erase Trans Identities; Don't Erase Them in Your School

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
An effort led by the Department of Health and Human Services seeks to narrowly define gender and deny Title IX rights to transgender and nonbinary students. This is a serious threat to student well-being. Here's how educators can counter it, starting now.

# data[].attributes.body
As a future school counselor, acknowledging individual student differences is crucial to their developmental growth which includes social, emotional, and academic components. Knowledge of transgender laws and policies is important to school counselors as they facilitate and outline protections guaranteed for these students. In “Bathrooms without borders: Transgender students argue that separate is not equal” by Paul Watkins and Edward Moreno (2017), the article illustrates the interpretations of state laws, court rulings, and their relation to protections under Title IX and Amendment XIV. “Schools are placed in the middle, balancing the rights of all children, with the political fallout from their decisions assuring those rights” (Watkins & Moreno, 2017, p. 169). As campuses face political challenges in providing equal access, school counselors can help by creating an atmosphere of acceptance and respect embedded through their guidance lessons. By not staying up to date with court rulings and laws, I can potentially face challenging future situations where proper services and supports are not provided to these minority students. These situations would create legal issues, as violations to protected classes of students are overseen by the Office of Civil Rights.

In “Federal Agencies want to erase Trans Identities; Don’t erase them in your school” by Cory Collins and Jey Ehrenhalt (2018), the article reflects upon the steps the federal government is taking in re-writing the legal definition of sex while highlighting the ethical measures teachers and counselors can use to combat these changes. “Unwillingness to engage in conversation about the lives of LGBTQ people validates the belief that such experiences should be whispered about” (Collins & Ehrenhalt, 2018, para. 9). It is imperative for school counselors to research, learn, and advocate for all students, whether they are minority populations, general students, or identified through special programs. As a future counselor, the commitment to a safe, respectful, and supportive school culture is not just supported through counseling standards, but through the legal and ethical framework found in state and federal laws. Schools must ensure that personnel, procedures, and best practices are current to facilitate the support systems and services afforded to transgender students. My future role as a middle school counselor may bring challenges when identifying, working with, and supporting transgender students at my campus. Knowledge of court rulings and laws would help determine which guidance resources, procedures, and best practices I could utilize to safeguard their protections.

References

Collins, C., & Ehrenhalt, J. (2018). Federal agencies want to erase trans identities; Don’t erase them in your school. Teaching Tolerance. Retrieved from https://www.tolerance.org/magazine/federal-agencies-want-to-erase-trans-identities-dont-erase-them-in-your-school

Watkins, P. J., & Moreno, E. (2017). Bathrooms without borders: Transgender students argue separate is not equal. Clearing House, 90(5/6), 166. https://doi-org.easydb.angelo.edu/10.1080/00098655.2017.1361285

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Angelo State University - Library Online Resources

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Unauthorized use is prohibited; Usage may be subject to security testing and monitoring; Misuse is subject to criminal prosecution; No expectation of privacy except as otherwise provided by applicable privacy laws.