Emails groups based on gender

[mdrabble]

I've been asked if I can create email groups based on gender, so certain emails can be sent to Year 12/13 boys or Year 12/13 girls.

 

 

I've voiced my concerns and said it should be referred to the DSL and SLT to make the decision but should the groups go ahead, email groups can be created based of gender within SIMS.net but I am a bit concerned about student who may identify as another gender such as Trans etc which may not be recorded on SIMS.net and there be some kind of complaint for email a student part of an email group such as Year 12 Females, and if you identifies as Male or Trans, etc

 

​Not sure they email groups can be created from the Pronouns - and if they can, what email name/group would we use for students who identify as They/Them

 

 

Has any other school done email groups based on gender and if so how have you navigated this minefield?

 

Cheers

[psydii]

A head/deputy should own this, and check the distribution groups before any email is sent.

 

On a technical level: Populate the groups using the data from your MIS. Tweak it by hand as advised by the Head/Deputy.

 

The lists can be hidden from the address book and emails sent to the lists should use the bcc field.

[elsiegee40]

Does your MIS identify biological gender or gender identity? If it does the latter then there’s no problem. You will meed to ask

[mdrabble]

SIMS.net does Identify gender, but it also has a pronoun section - so I am assuming, Salamander can pull information from either section.

 

I've asked questions such as what is the intended use of these groups but I've heard nothing back.

 

I'll hopefully update this thread once I know more

[bobsmith]

The government requirement for gender (which drives the capabilities of MIS) is biological only. (the luddites!)

 

Salamander can do anything that can be scripted - just ask the team there and they'll make it happen.

 

Whether this is a good idea I'd leave up to the DSL/DPO.....

[SamanthaD]

You could include a custom field - our staff system calls it "Gender Identity Status". It asks if your gender matches the one originally assigned to you, or not. (There's a "Prefer not to say" option too).

 

All sorts of GDPR issues with that though, as inclusion on a mailing list could identify a student as being trans and "out" them.

[psydii]

The government requirement for gender (which drives the capabilities of MIS) is biological only. (the luddites!)

 

Salamander can do anything that can be scripted - just ask the team there and they'll make it happen.

 

Whether this is a good idea I'd leave up to the DSL/DPO.....

 

SIMS has a pronouns field these days!

[mikes]

Bear in mind do your office staff update the gender and pronoun fields ?? Our office staff do not - the pronouns fields are totally unused, and our gender section is never changed - we have many transgender students who will have their preferred name changed e.g. from Ellen to Elliot, but their legal name stays their deadname - and although they may identify as male now, their gender remains female. This is never updated in SIMS, I am not sure why - an age thing or an exams thing I have been told.

 

So be wary and check your SIMS data if you are running reports based on gender using it - it may well pull up the wrong gender and if you use legal instead of preferred name you might end up deadnaming somebody. I have had a nightmare with our poor transgender students there will always be some system that is pulling up their old name from somewhere!!

[mdrabble]

Thankfully our Data Manager is on the ball and keeps all record up to date.

 

I’ve left everything in the hands and the person who asked if it is possible and pointed them to the DSL.

 

With being half term I doubt I will hear anything.

[SamanthaD]

I have had a nightmare with our poor transgender students there will always be some system that is pulling up their old name from somewhere!!

Unfortunately - this will be the case for most of their lives. Trying to get away from your dead name is near impossible. Even on here!