State requires parent consent for students to use names, pronouns not assigned at birth
Students in Alachua County must now have their parents' consent before being allowed to use a name other than the one listed on their birth certificate.
The change is due to a mandate from the state's Board of Education, whose members are appointed by the governor.
The announcement also comes a week after dozens of concerned parents and advocates demanded the school district do more to protect the rights of LGBTQ students in light of recent legislation from Florida lawmakers.
Here's what to know:
More: Alachua County educators discuss how anti-LGBTQ bills will impact upcoming school year
More: Community members press school board to fight the state’s anti-LGBTQ education laws
Form required
Parents with students in Alachua County Public Schools received an email Monday detailing the changes and how to give consent prior to school starting Thursday. The policy change also applies to shortened versions of a student's legal name.
Parents and guardians have three ways to give approval.
Printed hard-copy forms are available at each school and must be filled out and returned.
Parents can also give consent through the Skyward Family Access account under the "annual updates" tab. The online option to update the name will be available from Aug. 8 through Sept. 30, but cut off after that.
Those without a Skyward account must visit their child's school and request a user ID and password. Families can also submit the required information to familyaccessrequest@gm.sbac.edu to gain access to the app.
Families can visit the district's website at www.sbac.edu/backtoschool and click the "student preferred name form." The form must be downloaded, completed and returned to the school or emailed to the school principal.
Newly enrolled students will also receive the form as part of their enrollment packet.
What if no form is completed?
Alternative names can't be added to the database until a form is completed.
If a student wishes to be called anything other than their legal name, a school administrator will contact the student's guardian to tell them how to give consent prior to giving district employees authorization.
Attack on LGBTQ students
Some view the policy change as an attack on LGBTQ students and is just one of several notable GOP-backed laws that take aim at young LGBTQ students. Some of those changes include bathroom rules, the banning of textbooks and what is taught in sex education courses.
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: GOP-backed policy requires parent consent for student name change
