JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — If a student wants to go by a different name or gendered pronoun, parents will be notified under the new state law, "Parental Rights in Education".
LGBTQ+ advocates believe the decision can be harmful to some students. However, school board chairman Darryl Willie, reassures protecting students is a priority.
"I was part of a conversation where we're working with the folks at JASMYN to make sure - yes we're following the law, we're making sure that students who are in the LGBTQ community feel like we're making sure we're looking out for them," Willie said.
Dan Merkan, a member of JASMYN, said the LGBTQ+ support-organization has a long standing relationship with Duval County schools. Merkan mentioned how DCPS plans on introducing a training program that is in line with a new support guide and its services.
"And then additionally they're going to have to train people about this notification policy that was just passed this week," Merkan said.
Click here to read the letter DCPS would send to parents if their child's support services are changed.
"Parents that have LGBT kids, they have rights too," Merkan said. "And they should be using this law to make sure that if their young person wants to be called by a particular name."
Chairman Willie told First Coast News it is "all about making sure that we do this as a community. Parents, students, teachers and staff."