Virginia Regulatory Town Hall View Comments

Department of Education

State Board of Education

Guidance Document Change: The Model Policies for the Treatment of Transgender Students in Virginia’s Public Schools guidance document was developed in response to House Bill 145 and Senate Bill 161, enacted by the 2020 Virginia General Assembly, which directed the Virginia Department of Education to develop and make available to each school board model policies concerning the treatment of transgender students in public elementary and secondary schools. These guidelines address common issues regarding transgender students in accordance with evidence-based best practices and include information, guidance, procedures, and standards relating to: compliance with applicable nondiscrimination laws; maintenance of a safe and supportive learning environment free from discrimination and harassment for all students; prevention of and response to bullying and harassment; maintenance of student records; identification of students; protection of student privacy and the confidentiality of sensitive information; enforcement of sex-based dress codes; and student participation in sex-specific school activities, events, and use of school facilities.

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2/1/21 1:05 pm

Commenter: Thaddeus W

Support

I strongly support the VDOE model policies. The harm that transphobia does to the wellbeing and safety of trans children is obvious and well documented. These policies will help decrease this harm, making Virginia schools safer and healthier for our students. These simple policies seek to allow children to exist in public schools and be safe regardless of gender identity, a goal that we should all share. I hope that these policies will be adopted throughout Virginia to make our state a healthier and more supportive one for all children.

CommentID: 92702