Teacher made each kid state their pronouns

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’d have a teacher principal meeting set up already with my lawyer present. This is unconstitutional!

LOL, this is so dumb.

NP, It’s also correct.

What provision of the Constitution does it violate?

[Anonymous]

Have you asked to change teachers yet?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am totally for using whatever pronouns you want, for stating them, for people stating their own in solidarity in support. All of it.

My daughter, however, who is painfully shy, and has tons of social anxiety, really got thrown for a loop yesterday on the first day of class, when the teacher insisted she state her pronouns in class. (She has had some teachers last year who asked kids to write them if they wanted to, and that's great.)

But I do question a teacher's forcing kids to state their pronouns on introduction. I think this can make kids uncomfortable, and leading by example and "asking" would be a better way to do it.

For example, "Please state your preferred name, and pronouns if you wish, and name something you like to do for fun. I will start. I'm Ms. Jones, and I use she/her. I like to fish and do triathalons."

And then don't call out a kid who doesn't state pronouns.

It's a small difference, I know. But I think it makes a kinder, more inclusive impact.

I agree with you OP. But you will get very little sympathy on this board.

+2

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’d have a teacher principal meeting set up already with my lawyer present. This is unconstitutional!

LOL, this is so dumb.

NP, It’s also correct.

What provision of the Constitution does it violate?

What is Freedom of Speech and Right to Privacy for $100, Alex.

[Anonymous]

Did the OP ever say how old the child was?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’d have a teacher principal meeting set up already with my lawyer present. This is unconstitutional!

LOL, this is so dumb.

NP, It’s also correct.

What provision of the Constitution does it violate?

What is Freedom of Speech and Right to Privacy for $100, Alex.

Wait, so you think freedom of speech means your kid can’t be forced to answer any questions at school and a teacher couldn’t ding them on their participation grade if they refused to answer questions about the lesson.

As for right to privacy, SCOTUS pretty much gutted that.

[Anonymous]

I have no idea what to do with some of these comments, so I'm just going to drop a resource guide here from GLSEN, which is a well-regarded advocacy group for LGBTQ students:
https://www.glsen.org/activity/model-local-education-agency-policy-on-transgender-nonbinary-students

In particular, I'll drop this line: "Pronouns should never be assumed for any student. Educators and staff should ask all students what pronouns they use, and have a place to document that information in class rosters, databases, etc."

I'm not sure how to interpret the comments that asking for pronouns is bad for gender-questioning or gender non-conforming children. I just did a quick review through materials from the National Center for Transgender Equality, Human Rights Campaign, and GLSEN, and I'm not seeing that reflected in any of the policy or advocacy recommendations. I think it's reasonable for educators to follow the current recommendations from trusted sources in this field.

I also don't understand the comments about "too young". My kids are entering second grade and know about pronouns because we're a queer family with friends and family members that are all over the gender spectrum. This is a totally normal part of our lives. It's only weird if you make it weird.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have no idea what to do with some of these comments, so I'm just going to drop a resource guide here from GLSEN, which is a well-regarded advocacy group for LGBTQ students:
https://www.glsen.org/activity/model-local-education-agency-policy-on-transgender-nonbinary-students

In particular, I'll drop this line: "Pronouns should never be assumed for any student. Educators and staff should ask all students what pronouns they use, and have a place to document that information in class rosters, databases, etc."

I'm not sure how to interpret the comments that asking for pronouns is bad for gender-questioning or gender non-conforming children. I just did a quick review through materials from the National Center for Transgender Equality, Human Rights Campaign, and GLSEN, and I'm not seeing that reflected in any of the policy or advocacy recommendations. I think it's reasonable for educators to follow the current recommendations from trusted sources in this field.

I also don't understand the comments about "too young". My kids are entering second grade and know about pronouns because we're a queer family with friends and family members that are all over the gender spectrum. This is a totally normal part of our lives. It's only weird if you make it weird.

Asking and demanding that the student answer are two different things. And if you can't think of a reason why a kid might not want to announce pronouns in front of the whole class on the first day of school, then the problem is your lack of imagination.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have no idea what to do with some of these comments, so I'm just going to drop a resource guide here from GLSEN, which is a well-regarded advocacy group for LGBTQ students:
https://www.glsen.org/activity/model-local-education-agency-policy-on-transgender-nonbinary-students

In particular, I'll drop this line: "Pronouns should never be assumed for any student. Educators and staff should ask all students what pronouns they use, and have a place to document that information in class rosters, databases, etc."

I'm not sure how to interpret the comments that asking for pronouns is bad for gender-questioning or gender non-conforming children. I just did a quick review through materials from the National Center for Transgender Equality, Human Rights Campaign, and GLSEN, and I'm not seeing that reflected in any of the policy or advocacy recommendations. I think it's reasonable for educators to follow the current recommendations from trusted sources in this field.

I also don't understand the comments about "too young". My kids are entering second grade and know about pronouns because we're a queer family with friends and family members that are all over the gender spectrum. This is a totally normal part of our lives. It's only weird if you make it weird.

The only people who don’t want the question asked are parents who are ashamed of their kids and don’t want others knowing their kid is trans, gender nonconforming, etc.

[Anonymous]

I would ask for a new teacher.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have no idea what to do with some of these comments, so I'm just going to drop a resource guide here from GLSEN, which is a well-regarded advocacy group for LGBTQ students:
https://www.glsen.org/activity/model-local-education-agency-policy-on-transgender-nonbinary-students

In particular, I'll drop this line: "Pronouns should never be assumed for any student. Educators and staff should ask all students what pronouns they use, and have a place to document that information in class rosters, databases, etc."

I'm not sure how to interpret the comments that asking for pronouns is bad for gender-questioning or gender non-conforming children. I just did a quick review through materials from the National Center for Transgender Equality, Human Rights Campaign, and GLSEN, and I'm not seeing that reflected in any of the policy or advocacy recommendations. I think it's reasonable for educators to follow the current recommendations from trusted sources in this field.

I also don't understand the comments about "too young". My kids are entering second grade and know about pronouns because we're a queer family with friends and family members that are all over the gender spectrum. This is a totally normal part of our lives. It's only weird if you make it weird.

The only people who don’t want the question asked are parents who are ashamed of their kids and don’t want others knowing their kid is trans, gender nonconforming, etc.

I'm not sure that the bolded above means that you ask the students in front of the class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My child is gender Nonconforming and would feel uncomfortable answering this question in front of a group because they are unsure at this point.

its not just parents of cis gendered kids that would have a concern about this.

Yep. My child has anxiety and the whole pronoun thing causes him a lot of worry. (We’re working on it but he seems to think one can suddenly wake up with a changed gender against their will and he thinks it’s scary.) I agree that anxiety shouldn’t in general be accomodated but it’s a bit absurd to cause anxiety by this stuff that is supposedly inclusive. I chalk it up to age inappropriateness. Not sure where teachers got the idea to treat elementary school students like teenagers.

How old is your child? If your child is much older than about 6, I would be concerned about them because this isn’t rational.

Newsflash, children aren’t rational!! There’s a reason why they are dependent on their parents through adolescence. These gender discussions are age-inappropriate in elementary school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My child is gender Nonconforming and would feel uncomfortable answering this question in front of a group because they are unsure at this point.

its not just parents of cis gendered kids that would have a concern about this.

Yep. My child has anxiety and the whole pronoun thing causes him a lot of worry. (We’re working on it but he seems to think one can suddenly wake up with a changed gender against their will and he thinks it’s scary.) I agree that anxiety shouldn’t in general be accomodated but it’s a bit absurd to cause anxiety by this stuff that is supposedly inclusive. I chalk it up to age inappropriateness. Not sure where teachers got the idea to treat elementary school students like teenagers.

How old is your child? If your child is much older than about 6, I would be concerned about them because this isn’t rational.

I mean no, it’s not rational. But suddenly telling children that a boy can actually be a girl even though they have all the boy anatomy and were a boy since Kindergarten is not really rational either. I was surprised when my DS (10) said that too, but he is basically just really confused. Most *adults* are confused by it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have no idea what to do with some of these comments, so I'm just going to drop a resource guide here from GLSEN, which is a well-regarded advocacy group for LGBTQ students:
https://www.glsen.org/activity/model-local-education-agency-policy-on-transgender-nonbinary-students

In particular, I'll drop this line: "Pronouns should never be assumed for any student. Educators and staff should ask all students what pronouns they use, and have a place to document that information in class rosters, databases, etc."

I'm not sure how to interpret the comments that asking for pronouns is bad for gender-questioning or gender non-conforming children. I just did a quick review through materials from the National Center for Transgender Equality, Human Rights Campaign, and GLSEN, and I'm not seeing that reflected in any of the policy or advocacy recommendations. I think it's reasonable for educators to follow the current recommendations from trusted sources in this field.

I also don't understand the comments about "too young". My kids are entering second grade and know about pronouns because we're a queer family with friends and family members that are all over the gender spectrum. This is a totally normal part of our lives. It's only weird if you make it weird.

The only people who don’t want the question asked are parents who are ashamed of their kids and don’t want others knowing their kid is trans, gender nonconforming, etc.

Nobody wants their child to be forced to answer something that makes them uncomfortable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have no idea what to do with some of these comments, so I'm just going to drop a resource guide here from GLSEN, which is a well-regarded advocacy group for LGBTQ students:
https://www.glsen.org/activity/model-local-education-agency-policy-on-transgender-nonbinary-students

In particular, I'll drop this line: "Pronouns should never be assumed for any student. Educators and staff should ask all students what pronouns they use, and have a place to document that information in class rosters, databases, etc."

I'm not sure how to interpret the comments that asking for pronouns is bad for gender-questioning or gender non-conforming children. I just did a quick review through materials from the National Center for Transgender Equality, Human Rights Campaign, and GLSEN, and I'm not seeing that reflected in any of the policy or advocacy recommendations. I think it's reasonable for educators to follow the current recommendations from trusted sources in this field.

I also don't understand the comments about "too young". My kids are entering second grade and know about pronouns because we're a queer family with friends and family members that are all over the gender spectrum. This is a totally normal part of our lives. It's only weird if you make it weird.

Asking and demanding that the student answer are two different things. And if you can't think of a reason why a kid might not want to announce pronouns in front of the whole class on the first day of school, then the problem is your lack of imagination.

+1

There is a huge difference between offering a way for kids to share pronouns — which OP supports! — and forcing kids to disclose pronouns in front of the class on the first day of school. Your links do not support doing what this teacher did.