Hello there, I am a high school student at Frisco ISD. I saw an Instagram post for how to enable your pronouns on Canvas, and when I went to try it myself, I saw that this setting was disabled. Canvas is a website and app that students and staff in my school district use regularly. Since we interact with each other on a regular daily basis, whether in person or virtually, being aware of our peers’ pronouns is crucial. 

Frisco ISD’s mission statement is “Our mission is to know every student by name and need.” Our need is to be better allies to the LGBTQ+ community, and we can be better allies in school by using people’s pronouns. By enabling them on Canvas, it will significantly help LGBTQ+ people in FISD. Frisco ISD states that our beliefs are that “everyone has equal and inherent worth and deserves to be treated with respect and dignity.” Having the pronouns setting disabled on Canvas completely contradicts the district’s beliefs, and not making an effort to respect people’s pronouns also goes against that.

What will enabling pronouns on Canvas do? By adding pronouns to Canvas, teachers can use the correct pronouns for their trans and non-binary students. Students can also see the pronouns others have set on their profile. Using people’s pronouns can help them feel included and safe at school. Since students and staff interact regularly, like I stated before, learning the importance of pronouns is crucial in school.

(The rest of this states how students and staff can be more respectful and inclusive, this is not directly related to Canvas.)

Additionally, students and staff at Frisco ISD can be better allies by asking about pronouns and by including their own when introducing themselves. Teachers, even though school has already started, ask your students what pronouns they use. Ask them to put their pronouns in their display names on Zoom, in the Zoom chat, or ask them when they arrive at school in-person. Students, ask your peers about their pronouns, and use the correct ones for them. If another student uses the wrong pronouns for someone or yourself, correct them. Everyone, even if you don’t understand certain pronouns, that does not mean you can disrespect them. By making an effort and by putting an emphasis on the importance of pronouns, Frisco ISD schools can be a better place for everyone. If the emphasis on the importance of pronouns is not put in place, trans and non-binary individuals, like myself, can be faced with transphobia, discrimination and hate. 

A change of language can also help every member of Frisco ISD be more inclusive and respectful. These changes can be, for example, instead of saying his or her, say their. Example: as stated in the Frisco ISD beliefs, “each person is ultimately responsible for his/her own learning.” Instead, say “each person is ultimately responsible for their own learning.” Even though this is a seemingly minimal change, by replacing “his or her” with “their”, this will help everyone feel included. Here are some examples for how to use pronouns in a sentence: “He is in my math class. She has a blue backpack. They are in tutorials.” She/her, he/him, and they/them are not the only pronouns, so if you see or hear that someone uses pronouns other than those, you still need to respect them.