As the parent of a graduate and a current student of Virginia public schools, I strongly oppose SB656. Acknowledging the personhood and identities of LGBTQIA students and/or their families in materials made available to students is equitable and necessary to student mental health and well-being. Representing only one type of family or student is detrimental and ignorant. Parents also have always had the option in our site-based schools to opt their students out of courses or parts of curriculum and provide educators and administrators lists of books their students aren't allowed to access, if they want to keep their children in the dark about themselves and their peers. The only purpose of bills like SB656 is to silence voices of some students and families, and that has no place in public education, which is a public good.