In 1993, I received my bachelor’s degree from the University of Utah in early childhood education. My husband accepted a job with NASA and we moved to Slidell, La. I found a job working as a Head Start teacher.
I was surprised to learn that teachers were required to call students by the name on their birth certificate. I couldn’t call Benjamin “Ben” or Lillian “Lily,” even if it was the only name they had ever known. It was not allowed.
It wasn’t allowed because the Catholic Church ran the Head Start program in that region. It was the mandate of the church that people should only be called by their proper name. They didn’t care what the child or parent wanted. I had to conform to what the church wanted in order to keep my job. It was confusing to the children and frustrating to me, their teacher.
The Utah representative from District 68 should not presume to tell people who they are. Rep. Merrill Nelson and his House Bill 153 should mind their own business.
Katrina Hahn, Salt Lake City
