GAMK, Use of Pronouns and Given Names

FILE: GAMK

USE OF PRONOUNS AND GIVEN NAMES

An employee of the Avoyelles Parish School Board shall not be required to address a student by a name other than the student's legal name, or a derivative thereof, and the employee shall not be required to use a pronoun that is inconsistent with the student's sex.

An employee shall not be subject to adverse employment action for declining or refusing to do any of the following:

Address a person using a name other than the person's legal name, or a derivative thereof, or by a pronoun that is inconsistent with the person's sex.
Identify his/her own pronouns, in violation of La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §17:2122.

A student shall not be subject to disciplinary action for declining or refusing to do any of the following:

Address a person using a name other than the person's legal name, or a derivative thereof, or by a pronoun that is inconsistent with the person's sex.
Identify his/her own pronouns, in violation of La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §17:2122.

If a school employee refers to a minor student by a pronoun that is inconsistent with the student's sex or refers to the student by a name other than the student's legal name, or a derivative thereof, the parent may seek corrective action by the school principal so that the student will be addressed according to the student's sex, as defined below.

If the school principal intentionally refuses to implement corrective action, or, if after the school principal implements corrective action, an employee intentionally refuses to honor the corrective action, then the parent shall have remedies as follow:

An employee, parent of a minor student, or a student who has reached the age of majority aggrieved by an intentional violation of La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §17:2122 by a public school shall have a private cause of action for injunctive relief, monetary damages, reasonable attorney fees and costs, and any other appropriate relief.
All civil actions brought pursuant to La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §17:2122 shall be initiated within two years of the violation occurring.

This policy shall not be construed to permit employees to disclose student information as prohibited under the Federal Education Records Privacy Act (FERPA), 20 USC 1232(g).

DEFINITIONS

As used herein, the following terms have the following meanings:

Employee means any individual working in any capacity at a public school including but not limited to teacher s and other school employees, school bus operators, extracurricular personnel, and independent contractors.

Legal name means a person’s name as may be evidenced on his/her original birth certificate issued at or near the time of birth.

Parent means a student's parent or legal guardian.

Sex means a person's immutable biological sex, either female or male, as may be evidenced on his original birth certificate issued at or near the time of birth.

Female means an individual whose biological reproductive system is developed to produce ova and who has, had, will have, or would have, but for a developmental or genetic anomaly or historical accident, the reproductive system that at some point produces, transports, and utilizes eggs for fertilization.

Male means an individual whose biological reproductive system is developed to fertilize the ova of a female who has had, will have, or would have, but for a developmental or genetic anomaly or historical accident, the reproductive system that at some point produces, transports, and utilizes sperm for fertilization.

Student means a person enrolled at a public school on a full-time or part-time basis.

New policy: November 19, 2024

Ref: La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §17:2122

Board minutes, 11-19-24

Avoyelles Parish School Board