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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1/8/21  8:10 am
Commenter: Jennifer W.

Strongly Oppose Transgender Policies
 

I strongly disagree with schools adopting gender-neutral policies. There are innumerable risks to the safety of other students, and it ignores the natural state in which God has created people. The potential for abuse by teachers toward students who are vulnerable, and by other students, aside from the general affront to the decency of many people's beliefs, is great. This is a political, moral and religious issue that families need to handle in their own way. Children are not wards of the state, and school officials should not be in the position of handling a situation like this, particularly outside of the parent's knowledge. Schools will lose a number of very talented teachers if they are forced to adopt these policies. It puts teachers in too vulnerable of a position should a student change their 'identity' from day to day. Not to mention, this completely ignores a teacher's right to believe what they believe about this issue. We can be free until it destroys other people's beliefs, and the gender at birth is clear. The fact we're debating this as a society shows how far we've gone from logic and reality. How can teachers and other students be forced to adopt policies that will go against their conscience so that the minority are comfortable?  This is outrageous. God has entrusted children to their parents, not the school administrators and not the government. 

CommentID: 88798