Good morning,

I am the mother of three Hanover County Public School students.  As a parent, I am outraged at the blatant disregard of parental input and exclusion of parental rights under this extremely controversial policy.  The changes proposed by this policy go against biological science and societal norms for all of history.

I am raising my children under Christian values and a faith belief system that have been good and true since the beginning of time.  Now this policy is telling parents like me that if I encourage my children to embrace their God-given sex, I would be at risk of being reported for child abuse or neglect by the school?  I am their mother!  I have provided for and mentored and disciplined and raised them, along with my husband, their father, every day of their lives.  How dare you remove us from such a conversation and aim to deceive?

“School staff should be prepared to support the safety and welfare of transgender students when their families are not affirming. … Whenever school personnel suspects or becomes aware that a student is being abused, neglected, or at risk of abuse or neglect by their parent due to their transgender identity, they should report those concerns to Child Protective Services immediately.” (Recommended Standard, p.13)

Yes, some young people have gender questions and go through uncertainties, but to rewrite common sense for the benefit of a very small few will undoubtedly bring forth untold emotional stress, grief, depression, and likely, abuse.  And at the hands of school administrators who have lost their way on RIGHT from WRONG! How can you really believe this is for the GOOD of young people?  You want to promote a student's choice to flip-flop from boy to girl to in-between as often as they feel like it?  They are young, easily influenced, lack life experience, their brains are not yet fully-developed, and we are going to serve these whims over our adult good sense?  What twilight zone are we living in?  This is NOT REALITY.  So much damage will be done. 

The language on page 18 pertains to restrooms and locker rooms:  

“Access to facilities such as restrooms and locker rooms that correspond to a student’s gender identity shall be available to all students.” (Draft Policy, p.18)

“School staff should not confront students about their gender identity upon entry into the restroom.” (Recommended Standard, p.18)

I cannot fathom what it will feel like for biological boys and girls to be in their normal private space but then subjected to the opposite sex coming in because they feel like it at the moment.  If this policy passes, 99% (Gender dysphoria in adolescence: current perspectives (nih.gov) of our children/teens will have no defense, no recourse to this treatment by Administrators, and their parents will have no idea it is going on.  JUST UNBELIEVABLE!

I represent THOUSANDS of like-minded parents in Hanover County and around the state that utterly REJECT this policy.  I urge you not to pass it.

Thank you.