The District is required to maintain an official record for each student that includes the student’s legal name and sex. The District may be required to use or report a student’s legal name or sex in some situations, such as law enforcement investigations or medical emergencies.
Definitions
“Eligible student” means a student or former student who is 18 years of age or older or a student under the age of 18 who is emancipated.
“Parent” means parent or legal guardian.
“Sex” means biological sex.
Official Record: Name
A student’s official record shall reflect that student’s legal name as recorded on their official record of birth. A parent or eligible student may change the student’s legal name in the student’s official record by filing a written request with the District and providing a legal document reflecting the name change, such as a birth certificate, state or federally issued identification, passport, or court order substantiating the student’s change of legal name.
Official Record: Sex
A student’s official record shall reflect the student’s sex as recorded on their official record of birth. If a student identifies with a gender identity different from their sex, the eligible student and/or parent may provide that additional information in writing and may request that the District keep a record of such identity and any accompanying accommodation requests as a separate record distinct from the record of the student’s sex.
Means of Address
Employees shall refer to a student using his or her legal first, middle, or last name as recorded in the student’s official student record or a shortened version or nickname commonly associated with the student’s legal name, unless an eligible student or a student’s parents have submitted a written request to the District to use an alternate name for the student.
Employees shall refer to each student using only the pronouns appropriate to the sex appearing in the student’s official record – that is, male pronouns for a student whose sex is male, and female pronouns for a student whose sex is female – unless an eligible student or a student’s parents have submitted a written request to the District to use alternate pronouns for the student.
No employee or student shall be required to address or refer to another employee or student in any manner that would violate his or her conscience.
LEGAL REF.: Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, 20 U.S.C. § 1232g
M.G.L. c. 71, §§ 34D, 34E
603 CMR 23.00
CROSS REF: JRA, JRA-R, Student Records
Download PDF