A teacher at Catalina Foothills High School distributed a “getting to know you” questionnaire to students, aiming to gather information about their pronouns and whether they were comfortable with those pronouns being used in front of their parents.
Letting Students Keep Their Info Private
Science teacher Megan Kimball introduced the form to students at the start of the academic year. The form inquired about students’ affirmed names and pronouns, along with their willingness to share those pronouns with peers, teachers, and when communicating with parents. There was also an option for students to indicate whether they wanted a private discussion with Kimball about their pronouns.
Parents Are Informed
Mary Kamerzell, the superintendent of Catalina Foothills Unified School District, acknowledged that Kimball was the sole teacher who used this form and described it as an attempt to be respectful of students’ identities. However, she advised against teachers seeking affirmed names and pronouns, saying: “The questions may give students the false impression that we withhold this type of information from parents. We don’t. As you know, if asked, we tell parents. We also advise students of the same and encourage them to inform their parents.”
Parental Consent Is Not Necessary
Kamerzell said that parental consent was not necessary before conducting such surveys. A district spokesperson added that while educators typically do not request this kind of information, the district trusts teachers to make appropriate decisions for their classes. They also emphasized the importance of respecting and supporting students’ authentic selves.
Some Parents Were Concerned
Bart Pemberton, a parent, said: “This is another terrible abuse of trust of the parents and children in the district. Every parent should be alarmed. What else are they hiding and what are they doing with these private and secret conversations the parents don’t know about?”
Keeping Trans Kids Safe
The school district has faced criticism from parents for not disclosing its policies regarding pronouns and the rights of transgender students to use facilities that align with their gender identity. Despite this, the district maintained its stance as it’s vital to ensure trans kids are kept safe. The controversy prompted parents to attend board meetings to seek a reconsideration of the policy.
Outing LGBTQ+ Kids to Their Parents
As the issue escalated, the district received threats and reported them to both local law enforcement and the FBI. However, parents said they were not informed about these reports. The situation has sparked debate about whether or not it’s okay to out LGBTQ+ children to their parents, even when it’s potentially unsafe.
Reactions Were Mixed
News of the teacher’s “getting to know you” questionnaire was shared across social media and reactions were mixed. Some people loved the idea and said it would make kids feel safe in her class. Others claimed it went against the rights of parents and said it should be scrapped.
A Very Refreshing Questionnaire
A fair few commenters found the teacher’s questionnaire commendable. One person wrote: “This is very refreshing. I keep reading stuff about teachers being forced to out trans kids to their parents and it’s so, so scary. When I was a kid, I’d probably have been physically hurt if I’d been outed to my parents. Badly. I don’t see them now I’m an adult, obviously.”
Others Felt the Questionnaire Encroached on Parental Rights
Quite a few parents weren’t happy. “Fire this teacher. She clearly has absolutely no respect for parents,” one person wrote. “This isn’t about the parents. This is about keeping vulnerable kids safe from abusive family situations. If a kid doesn’t use their pronouns with their parents, there’s a reason for that,” another hit back.
Controlling Parents Will Lose Respect
Others claimed controlling parents would lose the respect of their children. One wrote: “When parents try to control their high school children regarding issues like this, they are going to be rejected as overbearing. Students this age want to start to be respected and they want to start to make their own decisions.”
You Do Not Own Your Child
The controversial situation stirred debate. “Unethical behavior from a teacher. Parents need to know,” one person wrote. “No. I’ll tell you what’s unethical. Outing LGBTQ+ people against their will, especially to parents who will literally hurt them. You do not own your child. Your child is not an object. Your child is an entire person,” another hit back.
Teachers Should Teach
Some commenters claimed teachers didn’t need to know their students’ affirmed names and pronouns. “Teachers should be teaching, nothing else,” one person wrote. “You can’t teach without knowing how to address your students. Also, kids learn better if they feel safe and trans kids feel safer if they’re accepted. I went to school in the UK twenty years ago and our teachers asked us personal questions and said it was confidential. You are so very behind and it’s so very sad.”
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