Gender, name changes could be required on California high school diplomas after graduation
California school districts could soon be required to update records if graduates have changed their name or gender since leaving high school.
Introduced by Assemblyman David Chiu, D-San Francisco, AB 711 would ensure that transgender and nonbinary individuals who are no longer in school can have their legal name reflected on school documents such as high school diplomas and transcripts. Nonbinary individuals are those whose gender identity is not strictly male or female.
The bill passed the state Legislature on Thursday and now heads to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk, who has until Oct. 13 to sign or veto it. Newsom has so far not indicated what his views on the bill are.
Existing California law requires a school district to recognize a student’s name and gender change and update their records. But these protections largely apply to students who are currently enrolled in school. State law does not explicitly provide guidance on updating records for former students who have changed their name or gender after graduating.
Advocates for the bill say it is important that graduates can choose to update their records, which may be used for a range of reasons, including applying for jobs, college or even housing.
“We don’t want to put someone in a position where they are unnecessarily being outed CONTINUE READING: Gender, name changes could be required on California high school diplomas after graduation | EdSource
