Over 1600 people and counting have electronically signed a petition on the change.org website that’s titled “Help Protect Pierre Trans Youth.”
Petition information says the transgender students at T.F. Riggs High School in Pierre, SD, were told “the school would no longer address them by their chosen names” and their official school records “went back to being their deadnames with their AGAB (Assigned Gender At Birth) listed on their college transcripts.”
Pierre School District Superintendent Dr. Kelly Glodt told DRG Media Group official school records do include the transgender student’s legal name and gender.
Glodt says the school district hasn’t changed its process, but wanted to ensure the impacted students were aware of how official records are being kept.
Glodt says as long as the school has received permission from the student’s parent or legal guardian, the student will continue to be referred to by their preferred name and pronouns.
The online petition was started by Daniel Peterson and is directed toward the American Civil Liberties Union, T.F. Riggs High School, the Pierre School Board and the Pierre Area Center for Equality (PACE).
Peterson’s petition information also says, “Many students were triggered by this, and when they went to seek counseling, they were unable to as the counselors were absent. This was not a problem in previous years. Students could have their chosen name listed in Campus and elsewhere with parent/guardian permission. The change came very suddenly, with no warning, leaving many distraught.”
Screenshot image of “Help Protect Pierre Trans Youth” from change.org.
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