DENVER, Colo. (KRDO) – A local democrat representative is sponsoring a bill that would require schools to use the preferred name of a student, following controversy from a school district within her region over a similar issue.
State Democrat Representative Stephanie Vigil proposed a new law that would require all state public and institute charter schools to call a student by their preferred name rather than their legal name if they so choose.
According to the proposed bill, if a school failed to call a student by their preferred name it would be considered discrimination.
About a year ago, School District 11 proposed a pronoun policy that would prevent teachers from asking students their preferred pronouns. However, the board responded with mixed reactions. At the time D11 Vice President Jason Jorgenson stated he believed it’s not appropriate for staff to ask students what their gender, pronouns, or sexuality is regardless of age.
“If that student wants to identify with he, him pronouns, great that’s on them to do that,” Jorgenson said during a board meeting last year. “But for us to go, ‘Today I want to know your names and your pronouns.’ We should not be doing that.”