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By <a id="gmail-byline__authorLink" href="http://connect.masslive.com/staff/mserreze/posts.html" title="Visit Mary C. Serreze's Author Page">Mary C. Serreze</a></p>
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Special to The Republican
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<p>While news that Easthampton High School recently jettisoned
the word "freshman" from its student handbook prompted some backlash
this week, a quick survey of other Western Massachusetts schools and
colleges revealed that the use of gender-neutral or gender-inclusive
language is not at all uncommon.</p>
<p>The language change, prompted by students with the school's Gender
and Sexuality Alliance, was adopted to support inclusion, Easthampton
officials said, and was one small part of a general overhaul of policies
and protocols to improve the school district's climate and culture. </p>
<p><a href="http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2017/12/in_push_for_gender-neutral_lan.html" target="_blank" class="enhanced-link gmail-small-thumbnail"><span></span></a></p><p class="gmail-thumbnail"><a href="http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2017/12/in_push_for_gender-neutral_lan.html" target="_blank" class="enhanced-link gmail-small-thumbnail"><img src="http://media.masslive.com/politics_impact/photo/easthampton-high-school--2696956cb5d6d9cb.jpg" alt="In push for gender-neutral language, Easthampton 'freshmen' to be called 'first years'"></a></p><div class="gmail-story"><p class="gmail-headline"><a href="http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2017/12/in_push_for_gender-neutral_lan.html" target="_blank" class="enhanced-link gmail-small-thumbnail">In push for gender-neutral language, Easthampton 'freshmen' to be called 'first years' </a></p><p class="gmail-caption"><a href="http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2017/12/in_push_for_gender-neutral_lan.html" target="_blank" class="enhanced-link gmail-small-thumbnail">Student activists met with the yearbook committee to suggest changes. </a></p></div>
<p>At Northampton High School, teachers and administrators refer to
ninth 10th, 11th and 12 grade students, said Superintendent John
Provost.
</p><p>"There's no written policy; it's just easier that way," Provost
said. "Students don't always progress through the grades in a lock-step
fashion." For instance, a ninth grade student could be taking 10th grade
English.</p>
<p>Provost said the district is committed to inclusion and recently
adopted a written policy affirming the rights of gender non-conforming
students. Each school building has designated gender-neutral bathrooms.
He said no one is banned from using the term "freshman."</p>
<p>Holyoke High School uses "9th grade students" and "freshmen"
interchangeably, said Judy Taylor, communications director for the
district. "We refer to our ninth-grade academy," she said. The school
has an active Gay-Straight Alliance and supports the rights of
transgender students, she said.</p>
<p>Springfield Central High School Principal Thaddeus Tokarz sent a "special welcome to our 600 freshmen" in a <a href="http://springfieldcentral.com/handbook/index.html" target="_blank">2017 letter, </a>apparently affirming the traditional label. Tokarz created <a href="http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2016/04/springfield_central_high_schoo_16.html" target="_blank">gender-neutral bathrooms</a> last year in response to concerns raised by the Gender Equality Club.</p>
<p>Amherst-Pelham Regional School District Superintendent Michael Morris did not respond to an emailed inquiry by publication time.</p>
<p>Public school districts in Massachusetts are prohibited by law from
discriminating on the basis of gender or gender identity. A 2011 law
protects the civil rights of transgender or gender non-conforming
students, who are seen as more vulnerable to peer ostracism,
victimization and bullying.</p>
<p>The state's Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is clear about this issue, and has issued <a href="http://www.doe.mass.edu/sfs/lgbtq/GenderIdentity.html" target="_blank">guidance</a>
for public school districts. Among other things, teachers and
administrators are advised to respect a student's chosen name, gender
identity and pronoun. Student may access the restroom, locker room and
changing facility that corresponds to their gender identity.</p>
<p>While the state guidance does not cover the topic of grade level
descriptions, it does suggest that school staff find ways "to support
transgender students and to improve the school climate for gender
nonconforming students," which may include gender-neutral language
policies.</p>
<p>Colleges and universities have led the way in adopting gender-free language.</p>
<p>In the Pioneer Valley, two prominent women's colleges don't use the
term "freshmen." Smith College refers to "first year students," a
spokesman confirmed, and Mount Holyoke College has long celebrated its
"firsties."</p>
<p>In its written publications, Mount Holyoke College adheres to a style
guide that describes the proper use of inclusive language, said
spokeswoman Keely Savoie.</p>
<p>As for admissions, Mount Holyoke affirms its tradition as a women's
college, but recognizes that "what it means to be a woman is not static"
and that "traditional binaries around who counts as a man or woman are
being challenged by those whose gender identity does not conform to
their biology." The college welcomes applications from any qualified
student who is female or identifies as a woman.</p>
<p>The University of Massachusetts uses "first year" as a descriptor in
its institutional documents -- such as its research reports and news
releases -- said spokesman Ed Blaguszewski. However, a quick search of
the university's website reveals a <a href="http://www.umass.edu/admissions/apply/admissions-requirements/freshman-admissions-requirements" target="_blank">reference</a> to "freshman admissions requirements."</p>
<p>Hampshire College has never used the term "freshman," said spokesman
John Courtmanche. The college uses a completely different system, with
students progressing through three "divisions" on their way to earning a
diploma. </p>
<div class="gmail-revenueUnit" id="gmail-InContent_Center_2"><div id="gmail-google_ads_iframe_344101295/MA/www.masslive.com/news_6__container__" style="border-color:currentcolor;border-style:none;border-width:0pt;width:100%"><div class="gmail-teads-inread gmail-xs-screen" style="margin:10px auto;max-width:550px;height:317px"><div style="margin-left:0px;margin-right:0px"><div class="gmail-teads-ui-components-label" style="display:block">ADVERTISING</div><div class="gmail-teads-ui-components-credits" style="display:block"><a href="http://teads.tv/inread-outstream/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span class="gmail-teads-ui-components-credits-colored">inRead</span> invented by Teads</a></div></div></div></div></div><p>"In
the college's first yearbook in 1971, students were identified as
'first-year students, second-year students,' etc., terms we still use
today," Courtmanche wrote in an email, adding that the college has
adopted formal gender-inclusive policies and practices. </p>
<p>Within the Ivy League, Yale University nixed the "freshman" label
this year and also discontinued the term "upperclassman." Dartmouth,
Cornell and Columbia in the Ivy League and Amherst College have also
made the move.</p><br clear="all"><br>-- <br><div class="gmail_signature">=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+<br><br> Harold F. Schiffman<br><br>Professor Emeritus of <br> Dravidian Linguistics and Culture <br>Dept. of South Asia Studies <br>University of Pennsylvania<br>Philadelphia, PA 19104-6305<br><br>Phone: (215) 898-7475<br>Fax: (215) 573-2138 <br><br>Email: <a href="mailto:haroldfs@gmail.com" target="_blank">haroldfs@gmail.com</a><br><a href="http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~haroldfs/" target="_blank">http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~haroldfs/</a> <br><br>-------------------------------------------------</div>
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