What’s in a name? For one district, a student going by a nickname other than what is on their birth certificate will need to be signed off by a parent.
Parents at the Urbandale Community School District were made aware at the beginning of the school year that students wishing to be called by a nickname will need parental consent. The Urbandale Community School District talked about this new policy on Monday night at a school board meeting.
“The whole thing is silly,” said Dan Gutmann, an Urbandale School District Board member. “My own son has a name, he goes by a name that’s a shortened version of his birth name. He suggested we just go ahead and change it to ‘Batman’. And we could, we could, you know and I say that only half in jest, but a ridiculous law requires a ridiculous response I suppose.”
