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  8:54 pm
Commenter: ATS

Oppose
 

Although the draft document nominally speaks of respecting the rights of all students, the focus on affirming transgender students will lead to the harassment and bullying of religious students not only by other students but also by teachers and administrators.  It is easy to imagine a woke school official citing these guidelines as a justification for using school disciplinary procedures to force religious students to violate the teachings of their faith or to punish them for holding firm to those teachings (e.g., you will be suspended/expelled unless you show solidarity by using an open shower with everyone else).

The lack of required evidence of transgender status is also concerning.  What does "consistent" mean?  For example, how would a school deal with a student who has never been anything other than a cisgender boy, but who is cut from a boys' team, then claims to be a girl, and asks to join a girls' team of the same sport?

CommentID: 96486