Columbus City Schools Superintendent Apologizes for Changes to Student Information in District Systems
Columbus City Schools Superintendent Angela Chapman issued a public apology on Tuesday for an administrative decision to revert transgender and gender-variant students’ names and genders to their birth names and biological sexes in the district’s systems. The change was made after the district rescinded its transgender policy to comply with a new state law, Senate Bill 104, which mandates students to use facilities matching their assigned sex at birth. Chapman expressed understanding of the hurt this decision caused, acknowledging the impact on transgender students and their families.
At a school board meeting, several parents, community members, and district employees voiced their frustration, arguing that the name and gender changes would harm transgender students. Many demanded the immediate restoration of the ability for students and families to change their names in the district’s systems, pointing out that no law required such a change. Some parents, like Stephen Hardwick, whose children are transgender, expressed anger over the lack of clear communication from the district regarding the changes, further fueling their concerns.
Chapman assured the community that the district is investigating how this situation occurred and working to ensure it does not happen again. The district’s board, led by President Michael Cole, expressed confidence in Chapman’s leadership and said they would address the issue collaboratively with the community. However, no action was taken at the meeting, and further steps are still unclear.
The changes to student records were made after the district rescinded its policy in February, prompted by the passage of Senate Bill 104. The new law mandates that students in Ohio use restrooms and locker rooms corresponding to their sex at birth, among other restrictions, such as preventing transgender students from sharing overnight accommodations with peers of different biological sex.
