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  4:31 pm
Commenter: Natasha

Strongly supporting all youth
 

I'm a educator. I want my students to feel comfortable - how are they supposed to focus on a lesson if they're scared to express themselves? We used to shun interracial children, children with disabilities, children that had crushes on people of the same sex. We don't do that anymore because it's wrong. Just like it's wrong to ignore our trans youth when they need our support.

Trans people are real and we need to acknowledge that and support youth that question their genders. This bill makes all youth feel safer by creating formal protection from bullying and discrimination. It allows the creation of single stall restrooms for safety and comfort - a great compromise for schools that don't want inclusive bathrooms. Our trans students are more likely to struggle in school because of depression, anxiety, bullying, and discrimination. This will help. 

CommentID: 95851