Collier County schools require permission slip to use kids’ nicknames

The Collier County School District is joining several other Florida districts in requiring a consent form to give permission for children to use nicknames at school.

This is in compliance with a change to the Florida administrative code for the Board of Education, signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis on July 19.

When hanging out with friends at school, nicknames might pop up.

Sometimes nicknames are what people prefer to go by, for instance using Nick, instead of Nicholas.

WINK News spoke to a few parents on Wednesday. Some were shocked to hear that permission for nicknames was even a thing.

Some don’t want to fill out any more paperwork, or they don’t see the point. Others don’t mind it.

“That’s, that’s silly. Yeah, I think that’s silly,” said Amber Pearson, a mother.

A spokesperson with Collier County schools said it applies to any variation to a child’s legal name.

Without parental consent, school staff are obligated to only use your child’s name as it appears on their birth certificate.

“I wouldn’t even waste my time filling that out,” Pearson said.

On the other hand, Chris Bender, a parent, doesn’t seem to mind. He thinks the permission slip might get rid of any unwanted nicknames.

“If he doesn’t want to be called Cam, then nobody can call him that, but if he wants to be called Cam, that’s fine,” Bender said.

He said he has no problem filling out a form if it means his son can go by what he prefers.

“I’m fine with if he wants to be called something. He would just put it on there. That way they know,” Bender said.

WINK reached out to Lee and Charlotte County to see if they will also have a similar form for parents to fill out this year, but there hasn’t been a response yet.