Virginia Regulatory Town Hall View Comments

Department of Education

State Board of Education

Guidance Document Change: Every day, throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia, educators and school leaders work to ensure that all students have an opportunity to receive a high-quality education. As a part of that work, educators strive to meet the individual needs of all students entrusted to their care, and teachers work to create educational environments where all students thrive. The Virginia Department of Education (the “Department”) recognizes that each child is a unique individual with distinctive abilities and characteristics that should be valued and respected. All students have the right to attend school in an environment free from discrimination, harassment, or bullying. The Department supports efforts to protect and encourage respect for all students. Thus, we have a collective responsibility to address topics such as the treatment of transgender students with necessary compassion and respect for all students. The Department also fully acknowledges the rights of parents to exercise their fundamental rights granted by the Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution to direct the care, upbringing, and education of their children. The Code of Virginia reaffirms the rights of parents to determine how their children will be raised and educated. Empowering parents is not only a fundamental right, but it is essential to improving outcomes for all children in Virginia. The Department is mindful of constitutional protections that prohibit governmental entities from requiring individuals to adhere to or adopt a particular ideological belief. The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution guarantees religious freedom and prohibits the government from compelling speech that is contrary to an individual’s personal or religious beliefs. The Department embarked on a thorough review of the Model Policies Guidance adopted on March 4, 2021 (the “2021 Model Policies”). The 2021 Model Policies promoted a specific viewpoint aimed at achieving cultural and social transformation in schools. The 2021 Model Policies also disregarded the rights of parents and ignored other legal and constitutional principles that significantly impact how schools educate students, including transgender students. With the publication of these 2022 Model Policies (the “2022 Model Policies”), the Department hereby withdraws the 2021 Model Policies, which shall have no further force and effect. The Department issues the 2022 Model Policies to provide clear, accurate, and useful guidance to Virginia school boards that align with statutory provisions governing the Model Policies. See Code of Virginia, § 22.1-23.3 (the “Act”). Significantly, the 2022 Model Policies also consider over 9,000 comments submitted to the Department during the public comment period for the 2021 Model Policies.

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10/26/22 10:05 pm

Commenter: Heather

Protect Trans Kids

The proposed changes violate the civil rights of all students. They have the right to learn and be safe while learning. These proposed changes will single out and effectively target trans and nonbinary kids, place undue and unnecessary stress on them, and effect their learning ability in schools. I believe the proposed changes will serve as a determent to children, especially to those who identify as trans or nonbinary.

As a parent with 2 children in the VA public school system, I fully support the LGBTQIA+ community. The purpose of the school board is to set education standards, not violate my Childrens' civil rights and their identity. What does a person's sexual orientation or gender have to do with their education???? If these changes pass you will be discriminating against many Virginians and Virginia students. Instead of discriminating against them, maybe try support and inclusion! Are all children in VA public schools supposed to not be supported? Also, these policies are incredibly discriminatory. These changes are detrimental to their psyche, their identity, and their formative years as humans. Instead of supporting them, if these changes pass, you will be limiting their abilities and destroying their self esteem and identity.

The current governor was elected because people actually thought he would place parental choice back in schools, however, these proposed changes are highly unfavorable by the majority of parents. His proposed changes also feed the culture war and cause transphobia.

This parent supports trans and nonbinary kids! I seriously hope you consider the comments of all of these parents here supporting trans and nonbinary kids. I do NOT support your transphobic proposals and implore you to be more inclusive of all of your students by supporting them rather than passing pro transphobic policies.

I cannot believe that in 2022 I have to make a public plea for the state DOE against their proposed discriminatory policies. Discrimination is illegal and therefore it should not pass.

CommentID: 202337