Cambridge Public Schools asks parents applying to its preschool programs if their 3-year-old children identify as nonbinary, according to a form reviewed by NewBostonPost.
The form asks parents to select whether the student identifies as "Male," "Female," or "Non-binary." The same section of the application says it is for children entering the district's 3-year-old and 4-year-old preschool programs.
Cambridge Public Schools serves about 7,000 students in Cambridge, a city of more than 117,000 people just outside Boston.
The district offers several preschool programs, including Fletcher-Maynard Academy Scholar College, Tobin Montessori Children's House, and Special Start Integrated Classrooms.
Fletcher-Maynard Academy Scholar College allows children to enter the school at age 3. Tobin Montessori Children's House serves children ages 3 and 4. Special Start offers preschool classrooms for students with and without disabilities and serves children ages 3 to 5.
The application never explains what "non-binary" means.
The term generally refers to someone who identifies as something other than male or female.
The question comes as Americans reject the idea of a gender other than male and female.
A 2023 Public Religion Research Institute survey found that 65% of Americans say two genders exist, while 34% say more than two genders exist.
People who support nonbinary options on school forms say schools should respect how students and families describe themselves.
Critics say children young enough to believe in Santa Claus do not fully understand gender identity and question why a public school district asks whether 3-year-olds identify as nonbinary.