Michigan school administrator tells staff not to refer to students as "boys" and "girls"

Directive aims to promote inclusivity and align with district's Transgender and Non-Binary Student Policy

According to Helping MI Kids, A top administrator at Saline, Michigan Area Schools has directed staff at the Weber-Blaess historical school building to stop referring to students as "boys" and "girls." Kara Davis, the executive director of teaching and learning at Saline Area Schools, sent the email on May 16.

I have reached out to the Saline School District for a statement, and as of this publication, I have not yet received a response.

Weber-Blaess, a one-room school built in 1867, serves as a living museum that elementary students visit during the school year. The building, previously owned by a longtime Saline family, was donated to the district and is now operated by the Saline Area Schools Historic Preservation Foundation. Staffed primarily by retired community leaders, the schoolhouse offers students a historical experience of what it was like to attend school from 1890 to 1950, provided by volunteer docents and schoolmasters.

"I am reaching out because I have received feedback that the docents and/or school masters are using binary/gendered language ('boy'/'girl') to orient students in Weber Blaess activities," Davis said in the email. "I am confident that all volunteers want to create the best experience possible and would never intentionally exclude students. I also recognize that there is historical accuracy to this practice, however, I want to ensure we aren't replicating harmful practices on today's students to model what happened historically."

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Davis advised staff to use terms like "students," "children," or "visitors" instead of specifying "boys" and "girls." She suggested dividing students into groups by birth months or assigning numbers. "Docents can explain that teachers historically may have organized their students by 'boy'/'girl' but should not actually employ it as a strategy," Davis stated in the email.

"Per the district's Transgender and Non-Binary Student Policy, if you had previously incorporated lines or activities designated by boy/girl, please discontinue that part of the experience," the email continued. "This is illustrated in the video a couple of times, however, it isn't an approach that should be replicated with our own students. SAS has been working diligently to reflect on embedded experiences through an equity lens and adjust where needed to be more inclusive of and responsive to diverse identities. This shift is a small but important one in order to continue working toward creating safe, inclusive spaces for all. If you have questions about this, please reach out to me."

Weber-Blaess continues to function as a historical learning environment, while the district works to ensure that its practices align with contemporary values of inclusivity and respect for diverse identities.