Virginia Regulatory Town Hall
 
Agency
Department of Education
 
Board
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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2/3/21  10:11 pm
Commenter: Anna Viquez

Oppose
 

This model is flawed for various reasons, one of which being its far overreach into the parent-child relationship. The model assumes that in every case, children experiencing gender dysphoria should affirm their feelings about themselves, even to the point of placing the school system as a greater authority in the student's life than the parents. That is dangerous and alarming. 

All students should be respected, all students should be protected from bullying, all students should be closely monitored if giving warning signs of self-harm or suicide. This model, however, oversteps multiple boundaries. It should not be imposed. I strongly oppose it as a mother, taxpayer, public health practitioner, and pediatric nurse. 

CommentID: 96809