Columbia school board member resigns, announces relocation over Missouri trans legislation
By Nathan Vickers
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COLUMBIA, Missouri (KCTV) — A school board member and former teacher in Columbia has resigned, citing concerns about efforts in Missouri to restrict gender affirming care and participation in sports for youth who identify as transgender.
Katherine Sasser, who also taught in Columbia for nearly a decade, announced her resignation on Monday night. She told board members she and her family had decided to relocate, fearing what the future could hold for her 11-year-old daughter who identifies as trans.
“As a family, we’ve reached the decision that Missouri is no longer a safe place for us,” she said.
Sasser’s remarks drew a standing ovation from the public audience at the meeting. Suzzette Waters, the board president, said afterward that she was sorry to see Sasser and her family leave.
In an interview with KCTV5, Sasser said that the two bills passed by the state legislature this week — one banning gender-affirming care for minors and one aimed at transgender athletes in women’s sports — made families like hers feel attacked.
“These bills are intentionally targeting a group for a purpose that’s not related to an actual problem we have in Missouri,” she said.
Both bills passed the House on Wednesday morning and will likely be signed into law by Gov. Mike Parson. Parson had previously implied that he would extend the legislative session unless the bills passed.
On Wednesday, he tweeted, “We appreciate the General Assembly taking action today to pass protections for minors and women’s sports. We look forward to this legislation arriving to our Office soon.”
Rep. Brad Hudson is a Republican from Stone County. Before the bill’s passage, said the bill had been intended to protect minors.
“When you have kids being surgically or chemically altered, it’s time for the government to get involved and say, ‘We are going to stop it,’” Hudson said.
Sasser said remarks such Hudson’s, as well as claims that gender-affirming care is experimental, are misleading.
“I think there’s an intentional, targeted messaging to benefit a certain side, and there’s a lot of miseducation,” she said.
Sasser and her family have not decided where to relocate. She said they would miss their home in Columbia and the school district where they have been active.
“I’d encourage people who have questions or are on the fence to try to understand the experiences of someone who’s different than you, that you haven’t experienced,” she said.
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