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Board adopts policy on student name changes after hours of public comment; administration directed to clarify procedures
Summary
After hours of public comment both for and against, the District 11 board voted 6–1 to adopt Policy ACA (name changes). Board members directed the superintendent to issue operating procedures that ensure students are informed before parents when a request is made.
The Colorado Springs School District 11 Board of Education voted to adopt Policy ACA (name changes) at its March 1 meeting after extended public comment and internal debate.
Board member Director Jorgensen moved adoption of the policy; a second was offered and the motion passed on a roll call vote. The transcript shows votes in favor from Directors Banks, Carey, Haefeli, Jorgensen, Malhotra (Malpakam in the transcript) and Nelson; Director Ott cast the lone no vote. The board incorporated prior edits discussed at the Feb. 5 meeting, according to staff.
The action followed a lengthy public comment period in which more than a dozen speakers addressed the proposed policy from multiple perspectives. Students and representatives from youth services and Inside Out Youth Services urged the board to allow students to use chosen names and to require that students be told before parents are notified, citing suicide‑prevention research. Other speakers, including District 11 staff and residents, argued for parental consent or notification, calling parental involvement necessary to protect minors. Several speakers raised legal concerns and potential litigation.
During board discussion, some members said they had reviewed community input and research and balanced parent partnership policy AKB against state law (House Bill 1039 was repeatedly cited during public comment). Several board members said the policy as written implements the state law’s requirements and left operational specifics to the superintendent. Board members asked that district procedures require staff to inform students before parents are contacted; Superintendent (title given in meeting) agreed to develop standard operating procedures and return them to the board in a future work session.
The board adopted the policy despite continued public disagreement; staff will draft and publish operational procedures including a directive that students be informed prior to parental contact when a name‑change request is made, and will bring those procedures to the board for review.
Ending: The board vote makes Policy ACA the district’s formal approach to name changes required by state law; the superintendent was directed to develop and communicate implementing procedures and to present them at a work session.
