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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1/5/21  12:23 am
Commenter: A Concerned Christian Mother

No exceptions/accommodations for anyone who doesn't go along due to their religion=Discrimination
 

How DARE you discriminate against anyone who believes that God made man and woman because that's what you are doing with the approval of this policy.

Do not force teachers, parents and students to go along with your ideological agenda that we must all label everyone into a 'right' and 'wrong' group, further pushing society into decline and promoting division and hatred. If we do not agree with this ideology, that doesn't equal discrimination. In fact, you are the ultimate hypocrite! This policy is completely discriminatory against anyone who doesn't conform. At least try to save face and include a religious exemption. 

In fact, not only are you disseminating an anti-Christian mindset but remember, resulting suicides are a very real and increasing statistic in people who are transgender, and you are only fueling the fire towards it for those students who are in need of love and attention. Don't encourage the pain and suffering they are going through now. These negative outcomes occur many years later, so of course there would be no recourse on you for the damage you could potentially do with the approval of this policy.

In addition, you are also absolutely overstepping your boundaries when it comes to my child's upbringing. You have no right to teach my child that this immoral behavior is okay and should be celebrated and embraced, and face consequences if you disagree. Even if he requests another pronoun, concealing this from me??...this is dangerous, besides dishonest.

And by the way, isn't the education of our children supposed to concentrate on the truth about biology, not the influence on it via societal values or lack thereof? And why is it okay now to change definitions all in the name of inclusion? Diversity and inclusion means excluding those who object to ideological uniformity. There is a fundamental breakdown of our school system if you disagree with this statement.

And how does this policy teach our kids to be upstanding, truthful, and moral citizens? Why is it that you do not support a strong family unit? You have totally missed the mark if you are trying to insert yourself into our homes, challenging parents' rights. In fact, you would go behind parents' backs and actually call Child Protective Services crying 'child abuse' on me because I read the Bible to my child where St. Paul writes through the power of God, the Holy Spirit, saying that this conduct is a sin. Instead, I suggest you repent for your sins and not worry about my own or my child's. God created everything, sees everything, but still forgives everyone who asks.

Finally, here are TEN VALID reasons if you haven't read this already from the Virginia Family Foundation. Yeah, they are watching you too!

  1. Failure to use a student’s new “preferred pronouns” – which can change from day to day and even defy basic rules of grammar (“ze/hir/hirs”, “they/them/their”) – would be “harassment” and “discrimination”, for which both faculty and students would be subject to disciplinary action.

    “For transgender students, acts of verbal harassment may include the intentional and persistent use of names and pronouns not consistent with their identity.” (Recommended Standard, p.10)

    “A school administrator may need to direct school staff to abide by the wishes of a student on their asserted name and pronoun. A school employee’s intentional and persistent refusal to respect a student’s asserted name and pronoun is considered discriminatory.” (Recommended Standard, p.12)

    “Complaints alleging discrimination, harassment, or bullying based on a student’s actual or perceived transgender status shall be handled in the same manner as other discrimination or harassment complaints.” (Draft Policy, p.10)
     
  2. Schools will be permitted to help a student explore, facilitate and make decisions regarding their gender expression of sexual identity while at school, without a parent even knowing!

    “School divisions will need to consider the health and safety of the student in situations where students may not want their parents to know about their transgender status … There are no regulations requiring school staff to notify a parent or guardian of a student’s request to affirm their gender identity...” (Recommended Standard, p.12).
  3. The definition of “Gender identity” is completely subjective to each person claiming it, hence it cannot possibly be known by anyone except that person. Since it cannot be tested or ascertained by any objective method, nothing could prevent any student from constantly “changing” their “gender identity” to exploit many situations. 

    “Gender Identity: A person’s internal sense of their own identity as a boy/man, girl/woman, something in between, or outside the male/female binary. Gender identity is an innate part of a person’s identity and can be the same or different from the sex assigned at birth.” (Definitions, p.6)
     
  4. Parents who encourage their children to embrace their God-given sex would be at risk of being reported for child abuse or neglect by the school. 

    “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)
     
  5. Students will be allowed to claim to be either a biological male or female (or both, neither, or something else entirely) for any duration of time, without providing any evidence to a teacher or administrator, making it impossible for teachers to comply with these policies.

    “A student is considered transgender if, at school, the student consistently asserts a gender identity different from the sex assigned at birth… it does not necessarily require any substantiating evidence nor any required minimum duration of expressed gender identity ...” (Recommended Standard, p.12) 

    “Schools shall allow students to assert a name and gender pronouns that reflect their gender identity without any substantiating evidence.” (Draft Policy, p.13)
     
  6. Schools would be prohibited from notifying parents if a biological male is using the same changing facility as their daughter that was designated for girls.

    “In addition to adhering to all legal standards of confidentiality, school personnel shall treat information relating to a student’s transgender status as being particularly sensitive, shall not disclose it to other students and parents, and shall only disclose to other school personnel with a legitimate educational interest.” (Draft Policy, p.12)
     
  7. All students will be allowed to use any bathroom or locker room they choose, without being questioned by any school administrator or faculty, eliminating privacy and safety of students in states of undress.

    “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)
     
  8. The requirements for schools to maintain gender-neutral dress code standards will cause disruptions and distractions, permitting boys to wear skirts and girls to go topless in activities where boys can – such as swimming activities or teams.

    “Students have a right to dress in a manner consistent with their gender identity or gender expression. Schools shall administer and enforce dress and grooming codes consistently across the student body, regardless of actual or perceived gender identity or gender expression.  Requirements for attire for school-related programs, activities, and events shall be gender-neutral.” (Draft Policy, p.16)
     
  9. Parents will not be notified that their child is being interrogated by school officials for allegedly violating these policies, or have the opportunity to intervene on their child’s behalf, UNLESS the complaints are not resolved “at the school level.”

    “Any incident or complaint of discrimination, harassment, or bullying shall be given prompt attention, including investigating the incident and taking appropriate corrective action, by the school administrator. …The [School Division’s Designated Contact] shall be available to hear concerns from students or parents when complaints are not resolved at the school level.” (Draft Policy, p.10)
     
  10. The policies provide absolutely no exceptions or accommodations for a student or teacher whose religious faith, conscience, or understanding of biology and sociology prevents them from being able to go along with the “transgender” ideology and policies.

 

CommentID: 88067