There is a principle that should not be politically complicated: we have an obligation to protect the most vulnerable among us. That obligation doesn’t dissolve when the subject becomes uncomfortable or politically charged. It becomes more important.

Transgender students are among the most vulnerable young people in our schools. The data on this is not ambiguous — they experience disproportionate rates of bullying, harassment, anxiety, and depression. The environment we create for them in our public institutions is not a peripheral concern. It is a direct reflection of whether we take equal protection seriously or merely pay it lip service.

Connecticut’s Constitution is unambiguous on this point. Article First, Section 20 holds that no person shall be denied equal protection of the law or subjected to discrimination in the exercise of civil or political rights. That guarantee does not come with an asterisk for students whose gender identity makes others uncomfortable. Equal protection means equal protection.

What does this require in practice? Town governments, school systems, and community organizations should publicly affirm their commitment to a safe and inclusive environment for transgender students — and back that affirmation with actual policies. That means clear answers to straightforward questions: Do transgender students have access to facilities consistent with their gender identity? Are gender-neutral options available? Is there adequate adult supervision and accountability? Have staff received appropriate training?

These are not radical demands. They are the basic administrative questions any institution should be able to answer about any vulnerable population in its care. The failure to answer them — or worse, the active refusal to enforce existing legal protections — is not a policy position. It is a dereliction of duty, and it should be treated as one by the communities, and if necessary the courts, that these institutions serve.

Good citizenship means showing up — attending school board meetings, writing to local officials, demanding accountability from the institutions that serve our children.

We can still do this.