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  12:44 pm
Commenter: Nick

Vote Yes - Support Trans Rights
 

Trans rights are human rights, especially when pertaining to younger people in the school system. This should be a non-issue but some folks seemed to be trapped in the past and unable to move forward. 
When someone asks to “think of the family” when they are opposed to trans privacy policies, they are only thinking of their family. They are either not ready or not willing to accept and talk about Transgender folks to their children. This is an opportunity to help the future- to progress the work that has already been put into trying to help make the Trans community feel safer. Our children can grow up in a world where they are more understanding of Transgender issues, where these policies aren’t even debated. Where they can come home from school and are educated enough on the subject to talk with their parents and friends and family who may not understand or are even too afraid to understand- and they can help them understand. That work starts here. Vote yes and help build a school system that supports children who do not conform to traditional roles because the idea of those roles in general is simply the least important thing this world needs to concern itself with. 

CommentID: 95360