RALEIGH — Public schools in North Carolina will switch from showing the legal name of students on most state records to the chosen name of the student.
The Raleigh News & Observer reported Monday that the change is drawing praise from supporters of transgender students.
North Carolina’s Department of Public Instruction told school districts on Friday that its student information system will display a “preferred name” that will now be used on most records.
LGBTQ groups pushed for the change. They said that using the legal name harmed transgender students emotionally and put them at risk of being outed.
“It really protects the privacy of transgender students and respects their identity,” said Craig White, supportive schools coordinator at the Asheville-based Campaign for Southern Equality. “It respects who they are rather than misgendering or misidentifying them.”
A student’s chosen name will be used on most records. They include state reports, student report cards and teacher grade books. The only report that will display the legal name is official state student transcripts.