Students at Watauga recently learned more about Board Policy 4720. This policy states, “The school system must obtain prior written consent of a parent or eligible student before the student is required to participate in any Department of Education funded survey, analysis or evaluation that reveals information concerning the following protected topics…”. The policy then lists those topics which require school employees to obtain parent permission prior to releasing a survey. Sex behavior and attitudes are two of the protected topics.
While this might be wordy and difficult to understand, where this impacts students is that teachers cannot and should not be asking students for preferred names or pronouns in opening class surveys. BOE Policy 4720 is not a new policy.
Superintendent Dr. Scott Elliot provided clarification about the enforcement of the policy.
“We have been advised by the attorneys for the Board of Education to stop asking students about their pronoun preferences,” said Elliott. “They believe that doing so is a violation of a student's privacy, and that a student might not want to volunteer a preferred pronoun but might feel compelled to do so when asked.”
While students could find this policy frustrating, it’s in place to protect their privacy.
¨I realize that this can be a controversial topic for a lot of people, but it does not really need to be. People need to respect each other's privacy and each other's beliefs whether they agree with them or not,” said Elliott. “We all work and learn together in a public school system where different people come together.”
While teachers may not be able to ask for pronouns or preferred names, students can still volunteer the information. At Watauga we can grow to respect each other as people.
Dr. Elliott provides some advice about how to navigate this policy successfully.
“My advice to teachers is to be respectful of every student's personal choices about names, pronouns, and other things that help a student to feel welcomed in the classroom,¨ Elliott said.
This story was written in response to a request on this website from a member of the student body. We appreciate when students reach out and suggest stories to us, and we encourage you to continue.
Comments