As a part of the new school year, one can expect many things: new classes and new friends, but a new law? Over the summer, Governor Bill Lee signed into legislation a requirement for schools to notify parents when their child requests to go by a different name or pronoun. The controversial law, “Senate Bill 1810,” was made in support of informing more parents about their students in the classroom, but does not take into consideration the reason a child might have to withhold information, such as their preferred gender, from their parents. Originally, this change went unnoticed by many people. However, after being discovered, students who were worried about what this meant for their education and safety within the school expressed their various concerns.
“[The new legislation] basically [states], if a school employee is affirming their gender identity, the employee must report the request to the school administrator and the student’s parents,” Orion Nguyen (10) said. “Honestly, I didn’t even know this law existed until I saw it in a story.”
With the implication of this law, many polarizing opinions have arisen. While some feel it is a school’s duty to report on issues, such as what this law declares, others feel that this law is out of criticism towards transgender youth.
“Considering what’s been going on in the United States over the past couple of years, it just feels like they’re trying to reduce maybe the support for it [transgender students],” Lillian Morton (10) said.
While these mixed feelings regarding the legislation are important, it is also crucial to hear specifically from members of the community it is targeting. Many young transgender students strongly oppose this new law due to the vulnerability and possible jeopardy of a child’s safety.
“If you were supportive of trans[gender] students, then you would be putting this law out because it’s just very endangering to the student,” Nguyen said. “They’re just forced to come out and maybe they aren’t ready yet.”
After seeing the possible consequences this law brings to students and teachers, many students at White Station High School (WSHS), commonly viewed as a highly inclusive environment, are concerned about the impact the law will have on their educational environment. If the school were to act on this legislation quickly, it could create doubt about the morals and judgment of the school.
“I’d say this school itself is pretty accepting, especially all the teachers and staff,” Nguyen said. “But [the trust students have with the school will] definitely go down a lot.”
With the stir from “Senate Bill 1810,” there is an overwhelming probability of the rise of similar laws that limit safety and security at school. Many students feel this would increase the invasion of a student’s privacy, as well as a way to scrutinize the youth.
“I feel like it’s just like a domino effect,” Morton said. “You get one law passed and then you just get permission to pass more.”
The addition of the new legislation brings an abrupt shift to many teachers and their relationships with students. Teachers are now forced to juggle the tasks of complying with this law, maintaining a secure environment for students and helping parents be aware of everything occurring at their child’s school. Some students feel that “Senate Bill 1810” will strain the trust between students and teachers and possibly shatter family relationships.
“Just because a student is fine at school, that doesn’t reflect the student’s home life,” Nguyen said. “Someone could have a great relationship with their parents, but maybe they’re hiding their identity for a reason. Maybe they know their parents wouldn’t accept it and they obviously don’t want to ruin that good relationship they already have.”
Some students sympathize with the struggles that this law puts on teachers as it is a difficult transition to get adjusted to. Many students are curious as to what steps the school and its administration should take to support transgender students during this change.
“It’s kind of tricky when you have to abide by the law,” Morton said. “There are better methods [to support transgender students], but I’m not sure as to what those [methods] could be.”
As educators of the younger generations, many teachers understand the importance of maintaining an educational environment. They also understand the importance of ensuring parents and guardians that efforts are made to maintain those environments.
”I feel that White Station teachers and staff should support as best as they can,” Kyle Tingley, a History, Humanities and Facing History and Ourselves teacher,said. “I can’t imagine how stressful or challenging a time that can be for someone. I just want the school to be as supportive as possible and as caring for the health of all our students. It’s important for schools to communicate with parents to work together to create the best education, opportunities and support for our students.”
As “Senate Bill 1810” is still fairly recent, the full effects on schools and the kind of environment it develops are still unknown. For now, many students and faculty members believe it is important to be as understanding and sensitive to this change as possible.
“Right now the law has just come into effect,” Tingley said. “It’s going to take a while to see how it rolls out and see what kind of impact it has. I think that underlining the concerns for the safety and well-being of all of our students is the key for this journey.”
