Vermont health officials caution against using the words ‘son’ and ‘daughter’

Vermont public health officials are encouraging teachers and parents to ditch the phrases “son” and “daughter” this back-to-school season in the name of classroom equity .

“Use ‘child’ or ‘kid’ instead of ‘daughter’ or ‘son,’” reads an Inclusive Language for Families document published Wednesday on Facebook by the Vermont Department of Health. “This is gender-neutral and can describe a child who may not be someone’s legal son or daughter.”

Other recommendations on the inclusive language guide include replacing the term “household members” with “family members” to reflect that not all families live within one home. “Think divorced or incarcerated parents, stepsiblings, etc,” the guide reads.

The inclusive language guide is part of the department’s initiative for health equity, the central pillar of the state’s five-year strategic plan for health improvement.

“Vermonters who identify as white and heterosexual, who are non-disabled, live in urban or suburban areas, or are middle or upper class generally have better health compared to other Vermonters,” reads the state’s description of health equity on its website. “These are health inequities and together with our partners we are committed to addressing them.”

The Green Mountain State’s public health agency defines health equity as all people having “a fair and just opportunity to be healthy."

“Equity in the classroom is an essential piece of a productive and healthy learning environment,” Wednesday’s announcement reads. “When talking about family, it’s important to use terms that cover the many versions of what family can look like.”

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

In the department’s August health equity newsletter, the agency encouraged teachers and other school employees to “reflect on [their] own beliefs” about “race, gender, and ability” to “become more conscious of issues related to racial equity and gender equity.”

“Challenging our instinct or bias to prioritize the needs of white, straight, cisgender, and non-disabled and neurotypical students is the first step,” the August newsletter reads. “This will reduce barriers for [black, Indigenous, and people of color] and LGBTQIA+ students as well as those with physical and neurological disabilities.”