As the mother of a transgender youth, and a longtime Board Membe of PFLAG Blue Ridge, I know firsthand the need for such guidelines to protect our students. These policies are based on best practices which have been thoroughly researched. It is critical for our childrens' emotional and physical well-being to provide them with the support they need and deserve. My own child was in 5th grade (2010) when we realized that it was necessary to support his gender identity. We got ourselves educated, talked to medical experts in the field, and realized how important family support was to his well-being. We tried to help educate his teachers & counselors, who were sympathetic, but we were out of our depth. I am relieved that these policies are finally being introduced. Fortunately, my son is a happy, healthy 20-year old sophomore at Va Tech. It wasn't always easy, but we persevered and did the right thing. Please help make the school atmosphere easier for today's non-binary children. Thank you.