Iowa Schools Now Ask for Parent’s Permission to Use Nicknames? YES

Some Iowa schools now seek parents’ permission to use a child’s nickname in class.

Parents and guardians say they’ve been sent permission slips authorizing the school to use nicknames – even simple ones like ‘Joe’ for Joseph or ‘Kim’ for Kimberly.

The reason?  Senate File 496, a recently-passed law, which bans teachers from using “a name or pronoun” which is different from the name listed in the school records, without parental permission.

Why?  Because of the ‘vague’ wording of the law, schools are taking extra precautions to be on the safe side – even though Republican lawmakers who sponsored the bill say it wasn’t meant for nicknames.

What was your nickname in school?