Iowa schools are seeking parent permission to use nicknames — regardless of gender identity

Mike instead of Michael. Sam instead of Samantha.

But only if their parents give permission first.

In the wake of a new Iowa law, the Urbandale Community School District is asking parents for approval before students can be called by anything other than their given name.

The district joins others in the Des Moines metro that say Senate File 496, which bars students from using names or pronouns that differ from their school registration without parental approval, also applies to nicknames.

The law was aimed at ensuring parents are notified if their child sought to change their name to affirm their gender identity, but some schools, to be safe, are applying it to all name changes.

Without official guidance from the Iowa Department of Education on how to implement SF 496, Republicans' sweeping education law, local school districts said they have been turning to private lawyers, the Iowa Association of School Boards and other districts to ensure they're in compliance.

That's resulted in phone calls to parents on the first day of school and forms to be filled out for permission to use a nickname, whether that's Carly instead of Caroline or Charlie instead of Charles, according to parents in the metro who described their experiences on social media.

In Urbandale, the use of Mike and Sam as nicknames were specifically included as examples in an email Superintendent Rosalie Daca sent to families the afternoon before the first day of school.

"We believe it would be in violation of the law to circumvent the parent/guardian in this process," Urbandale's spokesperson Dena Claire later told the Des Moines Register. "We also believe the process we are using treats all students the same regardless of why they are seeking to use a nickname."

Rep. Skyler Wheeler, R-Hull, chair of the House Education Committee, said in a statement, however, that "nicknames aren't and never were a part of this bill."

“This portion of the bill is intended to make sure that schools can’t hide a child’s gender transition from their parents," he said. "The requirement of approval over a student’s name change only applies when it is ‘intended to affirm the student’s gender identity.’"

"Schools should never be keeping secrets from parents about their children," he said.

What did Senate File 496 make law?

Senate File 496 did more than ban books in schools that depict sex acts or prohibit teaching students through sixth grade about sexual orientation and gender identity.

More: In 3 years, 60 books have been challenged in Iowa schools. A new law could ban far more.

The law also has a provision that requires teachers and other licensed school staff to report to an administrator if a student wants to use a name or pronoun different than what's on their school registration forms. Schools are required to report the request to parents.

That part of the law prevents students from having their gender identity affirmed without their family's knowledge, according to the bill's language. The same section of SF 496 also prohibits school districts from knowingly giving "false or misleading information" to parents or guardians about a student's gender identity or intention to transition to a gender different than listed on their birth or adoption certificate.

Gov. Kim Reynolds, who signed the law in May, said it enshrines the "constitutionally protected right" for parents to make decisions for their children.

Urbandale has interpreted the law as meaning the decision on the name a child is called at school rests with the parents.

"If there is no record of any alternate names/pronouns, then we must use only what is in our student information system," Claire said. "Any deviation from those names/pronouns is up to the parent/guardian to decide."

If the state's education department determines a district or licensed school employee has violated the law twice or more, disciplinary action may follow an Iowa Board of Educational Examiners hearing. A first warning would come in the form of a letter to the local school board or the employee.

Metro schools and districts have reached different interpretations in different ways

Not every school in the metro has come to the same conclusion — and even the ones that did didn't consult the same people for advice.

The Johnston Community School District Board of Education on Aug. 17 approved a policy that requires parents and guardians to give permission for their students to use different names, nicknames, pronouns or a gender identity different from what's on school registration forms. The district notified families the next day.

Spokesperson Lynn Meadows said the district turned to guidance from the Iowa Association of School Boards.

AJ Ellingson, spokesperson for the Dallas Center-Grimes Community School District, said it has not had any communication with the association about nicknames. Instead, Dallas Center-Grimes consulted with neighboring districts and its legal team at Ahlers & Cooney, which recommend that nicknames need approval from parents, Ellingson said.

The Ankeny Community School District also is requiring nicknames be formally approved by students' families.

The Register obtained a copy of a similar message and form reportedly sent to parents from the Ballard Community School District, but the district did not respond to requests for comment. The Waukee and West Des Moines school districts also did not respond to requests for comment on their processes.

In Des Moines Public Schools, spokesperson Phil Roeder confirmed at least one school — Lincoln High School — recently sent a message telling parents that requests such as Mike to be used instead of Michael do not need parental approval.

But students would need to seek approval for a name use change from Paul to Mary, for example, according to the school's message.

Roeder told the Register that district-wide guidance is expected sometime this week.

More: Why Iowa's ban on books with sex could sink libraries shared by schools and small towns

He said the district over the past few years has been asking families in the registration process whether they'd like to speak with someone about their student's gender identity to support their needs.

Under the new law, Roeder said if a student requests a name or pronoun different than what's in school records, "Our school counselors will then serve as the liaison with a family to confirm whether such a change is approved and, if so, update the records accordingly."

Separately, the Register has observed on social media a copy of a letter for parents to submit to schools to waive their rights under SF 496 and let their children decide what they want to be called.

"I respect my child's freedom and rights to privacy and autonomy in this area and do not want concerns around my child's gender expression to be a distraction to learning at school for either my child or educators," according to the letter posted in the Iowans for Public Education Facebook group.

It's unclear if any local school districts will accept that letter in lieu of their current processes.

When will the Iowa Department of Education issue guidance on nicknames?

The Register asked the Iowa Department of Education whether it had determined whether the provisions of SF 496 apply to students' nicknames and whether it has communicated any guidance to schools.

Department spokesperson Heather Doe said, "The State Board of Education is required to adopt rules to implement this particular provision. We will note this circumstance for consideration during the rulemaking process."

Doe said she was checking on a timeline. The next scheduled state board meeting is Sept. 14-15.

Meanwhile, Iowa State Education Association President Mike Beranek said in a statement teachers are frustrated with the lack of guidance from the state and the extra burden placed on schools.

"We are unbelievably frustrated with the lack of care and concern tossed at Iowa’s students and educators," he said. "Much like many of the laws recently passed, this is a so-called solution in search of a problem with far-reaching consequences."

Parents in Indiana also are required to give permission for nicknames.

Its law passed earlier this year requires teachers and school administrators to write to parents if their child requests a change of their name, title or pronoun. The notification must happen within five days of receiving the student request.

The law went through many changes in the legislature, including specifically targeting transgender students, but was eventually changed to affect any student who wishes to be addressed by a name other than the one given when their parent or guardian registered them for school.

Des Moines Register reporter Samantha Hernandez contributed to this story.

Phillip Sitter covers suburban growth and development for the Des Moines Register. Phillip can be reached via email at psitter@gannett.com. He is on Twitter @pslifeisabeauty.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Schools: Iowa law means parents must give permission to use nicknames