Columbus City Schools has reverted to using students’ preferred names rather than what’s on their birth certificates, reversing an earlier course change.
And the school system’s superintendent is offering a mea culpa for making the change in the first place.
The move follows a Columbus City Schools announcement that it started using the names listed on students’ birth certificates rather than the ones they prefer.
School district officials said the initial change was meant to ensure the district complied with the provisions of Senate Bill 104, the Protect All Students Act. Republican Gov. Mike DeWine signed the measure, sometimes also called the “bathroom bill,” into law in November.
The measure, which took effect on Feb. 24, stipulates that Ohio’s primary and secondary schools and higher education institutions must designate restrooms for biological males’ or females’ use. The law made Ohio the 14th state nationwide to pass student bathroom privacy protections.
In a Friday letter, Columbus City Schools Superintendent/CEO Angela Chapman apologized “for how we fell short”. He said she spent the week “understanding the harm done to our students, families, and staff because of the name and gender change in the student information system.”
“I understand the hurt and frustration that this change has caused,” Chapman wrote. “I understand the need for every child to be seen, valued, and supported here at Columbus City Schools.
“...We cannot shy away from the undue stress and confusion this change created. We did not provide prior notice this was occurring, nor did we ensure support was in place to prioritize the emotional well-being of everyone impacted,” Chapman added. “Most importantly, we did not provide the reassurance that we care deeply about every student’s well-being and success.”
WBNS-TV reported that the course change followed a petition titled “Dignity over Discrimination: Protect Our CCS Trans Youth.” More than 500 signatures opposed last month’s initial policy change.
“This action caused immediate harm: a forced outing of CCS’s trans students, some of whom have been known to their teachers and classmates as their chosen name for years,” according to the petition.
Critics said the move could hurt transgender and “gender variant” students, WCMH-TV reported. They also point out that SB 104 does not mandate school districts to use the names on students’ birth certificates.
“While our team continues to investigate how this system failing was able to occur and works toward ensuring this will not happen in the future, we are also working with trusted community partners to put in place a plan for how we move forward,” Chapman said. “We cannot truly educate the Whole Child without first recognizing and honoring the identities and needs of each child.”
Chapman blamed lawmakers for continued “attacks on transgender and gender variant students.”
Izetta Thomas, the lead organizer with the Columbus Education Justice Coalition, told WCMH-TV that an apology isn’t enough.
“Those names that were in the system were actually there with parent consent and permission, because there was a form that parents had to fill out for that change to even be in the system at all,” WCMH-TV quoted Thomas.
“A lot of the information that we’ve been getting from folks at the district is that it was anticipatory,” Thomas added. “An apology is not enough. An apology is not accountability, and that’s what we’re looking for, is accountability.”
Separately, Republican lawmakers have introduced legislation requiring parents to give their permission before schools use pronouns or names for students that differ from their biological sex or birth name.
Under House Bill 190, the Given Name Act, schools could face repercussions if administrators, employees or contractors ask students for their preferred names and pronouns. It would also punish schools if adult employees or contractors request students to use a pronoun that is inconsistent with the adult’s birth sex.
