Virginia Regulatory Town Hall View Comments

Department of Education

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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2/4/21 12:38 am

Commenter: Appalled taxpayer

Strongly oppose!!!!

This is psychologically and physically dangerous for girls to have biological boys and young men in their bathrooms and changing rooms. This is an invasion of privacy. And what about girls who have been sexually abused? Even the thought of being invaded by boys in the bathroom would trigger flashbacks/ severe anxiety/ complete avoidance of the bathroom ALL DAY! What about the rights of 99.9% of the population to feel safe and comfortable?!!
Based on these guidelines, there’s no way to determine whether someone is genuinely experiencing gender dysphoria or just exploiting the situation “for fun” or to prey on young girls and young women..... or to get a teacher whom they don’t like fired (for not using their “preferred pronouns”). There’s nothing measurable/ verifiable in the guidelines. A biological male can simply say they feel like a girl. That’s all they need to say to compel others’ speech.... and invade girls’ changing rooms.... and play girls’ basketball?!!!
The whole idea that “gender identity” is different from biological sex (determined by chromosomes and anatomy) is a pseudoscientific bogus THEORY. This is absolutely NOT PROVEN.
The vast majority of children/ teens who struggle with gender confusion come to accept/ be comfortable with their bodies. This is something that can be worked through with parents, children, counselors, spiritual advisors. This is not something for the school to deal with with the student APART from the parent! Encouraging gender confusion at school and keeping this secret from the parents is absolutely WRONG and just invites lawsuits!
Enforcing these guidelines would result in CHAOS and CONFUSION. Stick to teaching MATH, READING, SCIENCE! Taxpayers do not give you permission to indoctrinate children with the latest fad ideologies and perform social experiments on their children!

CommentID: 97222