Ohio school district reverts to birth names, catching students, teachers off guard
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/ohio-school-district-reverts-to-birth-names-catching-students-teachers-off-guard/ar-AA1C5Fh2?ocid=hpmsn&cvid=9eb0a4164e9f4840dbb290cae93b9ff2&ei=20
Story by Delaney Ruth (1 April 2025)
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – Students at Columbus City Schools with preferred names in the district's system had their names reverted back to match their birth certificates.
This mainly affected transgender and nonbinary students, who were not notified that this was happening.
Students and teachers were caught off guard on March 19 when attendance was called and they realized preferred names were changed in the district's system, called Infinite Campus.
Izetta Thomas, the lead organizer with the Columbus Education Justice Coalition, said she has been talking to parents and students since the day of the change.
Thomas added, "Those names that were in the system were actually there with parent consent and permission because there was a form that parents had to fill out for that change to even be in the system at all."
Columbus Schools Superintendent Dr. Angela Chapman sent out a letter to students, parents and staff on Friday acknowledging that no warning was given. In the letter, Chapman said in part, "We did not provide prior notice this was occurring, nor did we ensure support was in place to prioritize the emotional well-being of everyone impacted."
The letter cited recent Ohio laws such as the bathroom bill and the Parents' Bill of Rights as reasons why the names were changed, but Thomas said that none of these laws require school districts to revert trans students' names.