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  1:53 pm
Commenter: Amber G

Strongly Oppose
 

This is ridiculous! As a parent and educator I am devastated that this would even be considered. It's unacceptable to think that a teacher can correctly associate a students gender from one day to the next. Am I supposed to ask each student as they enter my room what gender they are identifying with for the day or take a poll at the beginning of every class? I am really starting to get confused as to what my role as a teacher is. Is it to teach the extensive content that has been laid out for me and that ultimately determines my worth as a teacher for those that teach SOLs or to forego that curriculum and spend my class time talking about feelings and sexual orientation?  Biologically speaking there are two genders, sexual identification is not something that the public school system should be able to actively "teach" to my or anyone else's child. Young children are very easily influenced by Hollywood "trends" which often has nothing to do with how they truly feel or identify, but rather what they can do to draw attention to themselves. Does no one see an issue with students of the opposite sex using the same restroom? Is a young man trying to sneak a peek at the opposite sex going to be excused for his actions simply because he decided to identify as female for the day.  Individuals that are actually in the school would know that this is a very real possibility. And we also know that nothing would happen to this child because taking responsibility for your actions are wrong.   That is not something that I as a parent is comfortable with. I don't want any member of the opposite sex using the same bathroom as my son or daughter. This is a very slippery slope indeed. 

CommentID: 95514