Rhode Island district bucks state on transgender policies, urges others to do the same

One school district is leading the fight against the trans agenda, and others may follow suit.

After the Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) released a plan for pro-transgender policies in schools, the Westerly school district has set out to create its own plan. And thanks to the work of a committed parent, school districts across the state are considering doing the same.

Westerly voted unanimously against adopting the state’s guidelines, which are nonbinding, and is crafting its own policies. The state’s controversial guidance has been criticized for issues such as requiring that schools hide a student’s social gender transition from their parents, and allowing trans-identifying students to use the opposite sex’s restrooms and locker rooms.

As his local district paves a new path forward, one Westerly resident has set out on a mission to visit each of Rhode Island’s other 35 district school committees to advocate against RIDE’s pro-transgender policies. As a father of now-adult children and a board member for the Rhode Island Family Institute, Robert Chiaradio has chosen to tackle concerning school policies “from the bottom up.”

“With Rhode Island being a blue state, we have no shot attacking these issues at the state level, though RIDE trans guidance isn’t law at all,” Chiaradio told The Lion exclusively. He shared that his efforts have taken him across the state to speak to 30 school committees so far since May. 

“I am having success too, as I have established contacts with every committee after my presentation,” he continued. “It is a long process, however, as change comes slowly. I am educating everybody as to what is going on to the best of my ability, and though things are going a little more slowly than I would like, I feel very confident that there will be a sizable amount of districts who make significant changes to their policies.” 

Though he has experienced “tremendous hate” and received numerous threats since beginning his advocacy, Chiaradio told The Lion he is “never afraid.” 

“The Holy Spirit burns inside of me and lights my path. This is what I believe God has called me to do: stand up and fight for those who can’t fight for themselves – kids, parents too, who are afraid to fight for their kids,” he explained. 

“More and more parents are coming out to support me all the time, and I really appreciate it. They are getting up to speak at these meetings as well, which is great. We still need more to come out and fight for their own kids, however, but we are getting there.”