Spring Hill parents raise concerns over school yearbook pronoun policy; district says changes are coming

SPRING HILL, Kan. — KSHB 41 reporter Ryan Gamboa covers Miami County in Kansas and Cass County in Missouri. He also covers agricultural topics. Share your story idea with Ryan.

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Spring Hill School District parents are calling on the school board to address a student-run yearbook editorial policy that directs student staff to use they/them pronouns regardless of individual preference.

The controversy centers on a column featuring Spring Hill High School junior Abigail Leonard, whose family says the article used they/them pronouns after Abigail specifically asked the yearbook staff not to use the pronouns.

Ryan Gamboa/KSHB

"It felt very disrespectful. That even though I asked, I specifically asked; they would not change that for me," Leonard told KSHB 41 News Reporter Ryan Gamboa.

The policy was part of a student-driven yearbook style manual, a copy of which was provided to KSHB 41 by a district administrator.

The manual states: "They/Them pronouns will be used to denote sources in any media."

Ryan Gamboa/KSHB

Abigail's mother, Christina Bilyeu, said the policy raises serious concerns.

"You have to wonder what kind of world we're living in when a 16-year-old makes a specific request that her pronouns be used in her high school yearbook and her request is denied," Bilyeu said.

The issue came before the Spring Hill School Board Monday night during public comment. The issue was not on the meeting's agenda. Two parents addressed the board in while a full school board meeting room was silent.

Ryan Gamboa/KSHB

State Rep. Chip VanHouden, 26th District Republican state lawmaker from Spring Hill and district parent, was among those who spoke. He raised concerns about gender-related lawsuits in neighboring districts and the potential financial impact on school budgets.

"We should not allow USD 230 to be subject to similar lawsuits," he said. "It would be awful for an otherwise exemplary school district."

During the meeting's public comment session, one attendee questioned the scope of student-led policies at the high school.

"What other student-led policies exist at our high school?" she asked.

Ryan Gamboa/KSHB

Board member Anna Baker advocated for placing the matter on a future agenda.

"I hope that discussion will provide clarity," Baker said.

The district acknowledged the concerns in a statement, saying the yearbook style manual has included the pronoun guidance for several years.

A review of the policy is underway.

"The Spring Hill School District recognizes the concerns surrounding the most recent edition of the Spring Hill High School yearbook," the statement read in part. "We agree that this should be re-examined, and that process is currently underway. We expect changes to be made for the new school year to ensure expectations are clear, remain aligned with the values of our district and community, and provide a clear process for addressing specific concerns raised by students and parents."

Ryan Gamboa/KSHB

The debate touches on broader questions about free speech in public schools.

According to the National Education Association, the First Amendment generally protects the right to free speech, including "your right to speak or not speak, your right to write, advertise or otherwise make your views known through words."

However, the NEA notes that public employers may sometimes limit educator's speech when it is considered too disruptive or disrespectful — even when educators are speaking as private citizens outside of work on matters of public interest. The NEA says speech may be considered too disruptive when it provokes protests, complaints from students and their families, and negative attention from the broader community.

Ryan Gamboa/KSHB

For Abigail, the resolution she is hoping for is straightforward.

"I honestly just hope that it won't happen again," she said.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

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