I am proud of the policies and regulations we have implemented in Fairfax County Public Schools to protect and affirm our LGBTQIA+ students – especially those who are transgender and gender-expansive. Unfortunately, we have not always moved fast enough. Generations of LGBTQIA+ students and staff walked the halls of our buildings before they were treated with respect by our school division. We are not alone in that regard. Thankfully, we have made tremendous progress in recent years.
Of course, there will continue to be obstacles on the road to full equality.
Governor Youngkin's shameful, dehumanizing, and divisive model policy flies in the face of state law and legal precedent. It tramples the rights and simple human dignity of transgender and gender-expansive students and forces their parents and guardians to jump through legal hoops to have their children respected. It empowers bullies and disenfranchises those who need our support and affirmation.
It is hardly surprising that so many students are speaking out in protest. I salute them for standing tall and weathering the attacks we've seen over the past several weeks from online trolls, adult bullies who should know better, and political leaders like Governor Youngkin, who swore an oath to uphold our constitution but do not see LGBTQIA+ people as deserving of the rights and protections it affords.
Transgender and gender-expansive young people deserve equal access to quality and inclusive public schools where they are encouraged to show up as their authentic selves. They belong here, and we will not abandon them. Governor Youngkin and his Department of Education should withdraw this model policy and replace it with the previous iteration, which aligned with state law and legal precedent.
Included below is a statement issued earlier this month by the Fairfax County School Board:
The Fairfax County School Board understands that our LGBTQIA+ students, staff, and families are worried about the impact of Governor Youngkin's proposed model policies for transgender and gender-expansive students. Nearly one in five transgender and non-binary youth attempted suicide in the last year. LGBTQIA+ youth who found their school to be affirming reported lower rates of attempting suicide. It is necessary to ensure our school community is a place where all students can live without fear of prejudice, discrimination, harassment, or violence.
Our policies and regulations will continue supporting our transgender and gender-expansive students, staff, and families. Fairfax County School Board Policy 1450 protects students, educators, and other staff from discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Fairfax County Public Schools Regulation 2603 relies on robust parent/guardian engagement to help provide transgender and gender-expansive students with protections and supports. We will continue partnering with parents/guardians because their involvement is necessary to student success. Furthermore, our School Board is committed to following the Virginia Human Rights Act, Title IX's prohibition on gender identity discrimination, and the settled law of Grimm v. Gloucester County School Board, 972 F.3d 586 (4th. Cir. 2020), which requires respect for students’ gender identity.
Protecting, supporting, and affirming our transgender and gender-expansive students is critical to achieving a safe and respectful learning environment for all students, and providing them with equal access to educational programs, services, and activities. The work to do so in a holistically inclusive way continues, but we know that, from this commitment, we will not waiver.