This transgender student was deadnamed in class, and his mom wants school boards to do more

Caspian Richard had only a moment to react when he was faced with a worst-case scenario during his first class back in school.

The 13-year-old student who transitioned earlier this yearwas taking part in virtual schooling atHamilton-Wentworth District School Board (HWDSB) when he heard a familiar name. But it wasn't Caspian. It was his legal name.His"dead name."

His heart raced and butterflies filled his stomach.

"It was a nervous feeling," Caspian said in a phone interview on Wednesday. "I was really worried about it."

It's unclear if theother student meant to use the wrong name.The school's new technology was showing some students his legalname and other students his actual name.

In that moment, he looked to his mom,HannahPynckel. She was at his side in their Upper Stoney Creek home.

"I said, 'Ignore it, laugh at it, pretend it doesn't exist ... if you [don't] want to be outed, just play it off,'" she told him.

Caspian improvised. So did his teacher. Together, they smoothed it over.

Still, Caspian has been thinking about it since.

"There'salways kids coming in and out of the class and I'm worried it'll happen again."

With HWDSB's massive reorganization underway, there's a good chance his class and teachercould switch.

Family struggled to get HWDSB's attention

Pynckel saw the deadnaming issuecoming.

She spent all summer trying to avert the situation, but struggled to get the board's attention. She left calls andsent emails but said she didn'tget a response from the board or the virtual school principal.

Every time Pynckelused the school's online systems, Caspian'slegal name appeared.

"I knew the board was failing on this,"Pynckel said. "This is a matter of safety and a matter of having a child go in with the correct identity. This isn't something to just brush off."

The pandemic delayed her son's class for weeks. In that time, she was luckily able to reach someone in the board and Caspian'steacher (who has been especially helpful, saysPynckel).

Caspian missed days of school just to make sure his first class would be routine.

After doing some test runs and having a game plan,theythought Caspian would be safe.

Technology betrayed him.

Multiple students were called the wrong name

Caspian alsoisn't the only student who had this problemin September.

HWDSB confirmed multiple students raised concernsthat their names were incorrect onboard-supported platforms like Microsoft Teams or The Hub.

The issue was first revealed during a board of trustees meeting on Monday, about a month after Caspian was deadnamed.

Pynckelacknowledges it is a challenging time for the school board with reorganization during the pandemic, but thinks they failed her son.

"The board has been basically silent throughout this process ... these kids are falling through the cracks," she said.

"It's been a nightmare."

HWDSB apologizes and develops new procedure

HWDSB was unable to accommodatean interview for this story, but Sharon Stephanian, superintendent of equity andwell-being, apologized in a writtenstatement to CBC News.

"All students must feel safe and accepted while physically at school and working online. An act of deadnaming is taken seriously, whether it is done in an online class or in person. We apologize for any harm that was caused," read her message.

"Unfortunately this situation occurred as a result of new technology being introduced."

The board formed a team to fix the issue and has notified principals. It is alsodeveloping a Gender Identity and Gender Expression Procedure, "which is being developed from an anti-oppressive lens and is being informed by those with lived experience."

"We are committed to removing barriers to ensure that staff accommodate a student's needs, as well as affirm and celebrate each student's identity," read Stephanian's message. "We continue to work with families and community partners in support of HWDSB Two-Spirit and LGBTQIA+ students."

Caspian accepts the apology and says it is good to see the board working toward a fix.

Pynckel, meanwhile, saysshe isn't satisfied yet.

Shehopes the board will do more to reach out to LGBTQ families and ensure it doesn't happen again.