Oppose Proposed Virginia Public School Model Policies for Treatment of Transgender Students

I oppose the proposed Virginia public school model policies for treatment of transgender students for the following reasons: a disregard of science, lack of common sense, overreach, and a lack of ability to stop students from taking undue advantage of such policies. First, all persons, including students, deserve to be respected and treated civilly.  Opposition to these proposed policies does not mean opposition to respect and civil treatment of human beings.  Schools should foster environments in which students, teachers, faculty, and staff are all respected and treated civilly. These proposed policies disregard basic recognition of science.  Persons are not "assigned" a sex at birth, as is written throughout this document.  Persons are innately male or female, and are coded as such in their very own, unique DNA.  No ideas or ideology can counter this basic fact.  Scientific studies have also demonstrated innate differences that can be observed between male and female behavior, which has led to much consideration and justification for increasing female participation in myriad aspects of society that have been historically lacking.  Such observations acknowledge a basic difference between males and females that cannot be disregarded, ignored, or pretend it does not exist.  While the anthropological understanding of "gender" typically corresponds with a spectrum of how males behave and how females behave, it does not eliminate the difference and distinction between males and females. The proposed policies lack application of common sense.  When I was in college in the last twenty years, I heard others say often enough that it was acceptable for a college freshman to have not yet declared a major even after the majority of others in the class had, since that person was "young" and did not yet know what that person wanted to do in life.  That comments suggested there was a state of maturity that had yet to develop for a decision that many consider to be life-long and life-changing.  By the same token, when a young child (be it 2 years old, 5 years old, or older) says to a parent "I'm a dog" or "I'm a fire fighter" or "I'm royalty", parents and adults know not to treat that child as actually being what that child declared, knowing the child is either playing or in need of instruction for why the child is not actually any one of those things.  When students in school assert to be a different sex (or non-sex) than that person actually is (scientifically, immutably), the school system should be respectful, but apply the basic recognition that the student is not yet fully matured (again, scientifically) and frankly is incapable of making that determination.  More likely is that there are other factors in that person's environment that have impacted the person in a way that would lead to such a declaration.  The student is not best served by the school's immediate, dogmatic acceptance of such a declaration and the resulting actions these proposed policies suggest must take place. The proposed policies present dramatic overreach of authority.  The policies do not allow for any employee to refuse to accept a student's declaration of being something other than their scientifically established being.  Almost assuredly, there are employees who have genuine concerns about the impact these policies might have on student development, and not because of ignorance or notions of male and female behavior that may be deemed as outdated.  The school system is abandoning their employees if these proposed policies were to be put in place.  In addition, the proposed policies replace the rightful authority of parents.  In fact, the proposed policies replace the rightful authority of parents and the school system by placing all power in the hands of students, who can dictate whatever one pleases with respect to their gender or sex without any challenge or question.  These proposed policies go beyond basic respect, they abdicate responsibility. These proposed policies also have no mechanism for preventing students from taking advantage of the proposed policies.  While there is a reference to "consistent" insistence on one's gender or sex, any one who has been in school, has taught in school, or knows of someone that has served in a school system will be able to tell you that there will be students who will take advantage of such policies.  For example, there could be males who will assert to be female to gain access to facilities or organizations that are restricted to females, potentially with malicious intent.  Females could be marginalized if males who identify as females decide to compete in female sporting teams. Public schooling was established in our democratic society to educate and ensure a robust republic for the people and by the people.  The underlying premise is that a person is not inherently knowledgeable or disciplined and is need of instruction and direction – of formation.  As written, these policies are not about basic civil behavior.  Instead, they assume the student to be irrefutably correct about human sexuality and condition, without need of instruction or formation from educators and parents.  If true on those topics, then presumably a student could assert to be irrefutably knowledgeable on any subject that is taught at the school.  If policies like the ones proposed here are put in place, the school system would be hard pressed to disagree based on objective (i.e., scientific) measurements like tests or fact-checking, since the students knows best.  If it is good for the goose, then it is good for the gander.  These proposed policies are contrary to the fundamental purpose of schools – to educate.


strongly support!!

strongly support!!


This is wrong and should not be passed

I am opposed to this policy. This isn’t helping children to learn, having nothing to do with a child’s fundamental learning of math, English, science, etc This also totally undermines the women’s rights movement and will remove their title 9 sports. it doesn’t help parents if they cannot help their children


Oppose! Goal: Preserve Innocence & Promote Mental Health

This transgender policy focuses on appeasing and promoting a small percentage of children with gender dysphoria while simultaneously disregarding the rights of privacy and protection of the majority of children. Developing children deserve school environments that promote healthy and comfortable restroom/locker room privacy based on biological gender. If a male custodian identifies as a 4th grade female, will he then be permitted to utilize the girl's restroom? I hope we'd all be concerned about that, but according to your backing principles of the transgender policy, the answer would be yes because you're blurring the lines of appropriateness to promote mental illness. Please give consideration and protection to ALL students! For students with gender dysphoria, allow them the restroom/locker room option with children that have the same anatomy OR work to create a stand alone restroom/locker room for their peace of mind. Just like the "family" restrooms at many stores. This policy also creates a dangerous loophole that allows school faculty to bypass the primary leadership of the parent that has a child with gender dysphoria. This is unacceptable. Parents have complete authority to guide and direct their children on all social and moral matters without the interference of any conflicting guidance from school officials. School officials should only provide support or special care based on parental input and request. Please create a policy that doesn't seek to incorporate a few while disrespecting the majority. And please recognize that parental authority, when it comes to their child and gender dysphoria, is what is best for each individual and unique child.


strongly support

ppl who oppose are dumb.


Strongly Support

We must treat transgender students with the same respect we treat everyone else. They are the only ones that know who they are, and they should be treated accordingly. The suicide rate for trans kids is comparable to their cis peers, when the trans kids are supported by their school and community. It is not the trans kids that pose a danger in bathrooms; it's the bullies that pose a danger to trans kids. The more they are accepted and allowed to be themselves without everything being "a big deal" the less anyone will notice or care what bathroom they are using. Most students are already accepting of their LGBTQ+ peers, and so are most teachers. Let's make it the official policy, so that trans kids can be free to be themselves, and spend their time at school learning, not hiding.


Reject Model Policies on Transgender that will cause serious harm to children and undermine families

As a social worker counseling adolescents for four decades, I am appalled by the lack of understanding of adolescence and child development in the VDOE “ Model Policies." The VDOE document advances a political goal and does not address the needs of students suffering gender dysphoria.  The Committee does not include persons with direct professional clinical experience of gender dysphoria.  It includes political advocates.  Only one person is designated as a “Parent” representative.   There is no one from the Faith Community to address the critical spiritual needs of students.  Without the spiritual, a complete view of the reality of gender dysphoria is impossible.   The number of students who identify as transgender is growing because of social contagions, but the numbers are still relatively small. It is unlikely that school mental health representatives are experts in the area of gender dysphoria. The law mandates the development of the Model Policies to assure a safe learning environment of transgender students free from discrimination.  Schools should already be assuring this with every student.  Policies are in place to allow for Individual Educational Plans (IEPs) for any student.  Schools are required to respect and support these IEPs.  Until now, IEPs have been initiated by a competent adult (parent, professional specialist, school personnel, etc.) and are developed in agreement with the parent and team of professionals.  They often require professional referrals. They are not the result of a student request for special accommodations.  The Model Policies only require that the demands of the student should be persistent, not fleeting.  This capitulation shows a lack of understanding of adolescent and child behavior and puts teachers and other school personnel at risk to the tyranny of students seeking attention. Mental health practitioners always know the latest fad taught in Family Life Education/Health (FLE) classes or in popular books/movies/social media because of the rash of adolescents, usually girls, presenting with the problem being discussed in school.  These social contagions or “mob madness” are well documented and often the impetus for the VDOE adding topics to the FLE curricula.  Social media has exacerbated the problem of social contagion and the latest is Rapid Onset Gender Dysphoria, occurring after extended periods of watching social media of dynamic self-described transgender social influencers.  With the lockdown of schools and increased social isolation, social contagions caused by social media are skyrocketing. I have witnessed the heartaches caused by other fads:  false accusations of molestations from “recovered memory”, “cutting”, Anorexia Nervosa and bulimia, suicide, etc.  Plastic surgery to achieve the preferred "body image" of celebrity are not new: nose jobs, breast enhancements/reductions, buttocks enhancements, piercings, etc. Few individuals, child or adult, are satisfied with their body image – size, shape, etc.  Most grow out of it and accept their body.  For some, the fixation is greater and leads to dysfunction.  Adolescence is a time of discomfort for most and all are looking for the reason for their unhappiness.  The reasons and solutions are complex and cannot be addressed with Model Policies and certainly cannot be self-diagnosed by children and adolescents, or school personnel whose only exposure to gender dysphoria is indoctrination during “staff development” by political activists promoting radical gender theory, not scientific data.  The Model Policies are dependent on the premise that radical gender theory is proven and legitimate.  No data is provided to support this radical theory and no “evidence-based best practices” are included.  Asserting that the Model Policies are evidence-based without providing evidence, does not make it so.  Individual treatment by objective, qualified, professionals is needed for each student.  Support groups run by objective, competent professionals may be part of the response, but peer groups run by political advocates are directive to the outcomes of the biases of the leadership. Peer group acceptance is critical for adolescents to have a sense of well-being.  FLE curriculum warns against the negative effects of peer pressure.  All peer groups exert pressure, usually benign or beneficial, but sometimes destructive.  High-risk adolescents are particularly at high risk for negative peer pressure.  Agenda driven advocacy groups prey on vulnerable high-risk adolescents imposing a preconceived viewpoint on each individual seeking membership.  Groups led by peers are generally well meaning, but do not have the maturity, knowledge, competence, life experience, etc. to provide reliable advice or guidance to their friends, particularly on matters as serious and complex as gender dysphoria.   As a result, they can be dangerous as they steer students down the wrong road, misinterpret reality and undermine the helpful guidance and support of competent adults.   Adolescence is also a time of separation from parents and conflict is therefore common.  It is a necessary stage for children to secure their own individuality.  It requires moderating involvement of parents to provide some balance to the volatile emotions and experiences of adolescence and give an anchor of reality. The Model Policies recommend that politically motivated groups be used as a resource for information and support, even in opposition to parents.  Competent professional counselors are always on guard for the pitfall of transference and countertransference.  Advocacy groups do not exercise the same cautions.  Tunnel vision is always a danger in counseling.  “If your only tool is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.”  Adolescence is a complex stage of development and cannot be reduced to a single issue, but students who are legitimately in emotional/psychic pain can reasonably, if not rationally, conclude that the etiology of their pain is the “cause” described by the “support” group that has embraced them in their time of need. The Model Policies proceed on the assumption that there is a widespread problem in schools that needs to be fixed with Model Policies, without providing any evidence to support that assumption.  Implementation of the Model Policies including recommending curriculum changes and staff development will however likely lead to a widespread contagion. According to DSM 5 (2013) (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the American Psychiatric Association), population estimates for natal adult males range from 0.005% to 0.014%, and for natal females, from 0.002% to 0.003%. However, about 0.7 percent of 13 to 17-year-olds living in the United States identify as transgender according to the Williams Institute at the University of California, Los Angeles, School of Law. This estimate is between 140 (males) and 350 (females) times higher than that for adult males and females .(emphasis added). According to the Society for Evidence Based Gender Medicine: Historically, the small numbers of children presenting with gender dysphoria were primarily prepubescent males. In recent years, there has been a sharp increase in referrals of adolescent females to gender clinics. Many do not have a significant history of childhood gender dysphoria and a number suffer from comorbid mental health issues and neurodevelopmental conditions such as autism (ASD) and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Childhood-onset gender dysphoria has been shown to have a high rate of natural resolution, with 61-98% of children reidentifying with their biological sex during puberty A sharp increase in Gender Dysphoria Referrals occurred between 2009 and 2016 in the UK.  Similar trends have occurred in the US. The definition of gender in the Model Policies clearly states that the operating theory behind the recommendations is based on “social constructs”.  There is recognition that the messaging is social and based on prejudices and biases, yet the Model Policies promote and support erroneous interpretations of children and adolescents from social messaging.  The VDOE proposes to codify social biases about gender traits and transmit the message that non-compliant students should redefine their gender to comply with social constructs, even if that means they should mutilate their bodies. The Model Policies show a lack of understanding of cognitive, moral, emotional development of children and adolescents.  Children and adolescence are concrete thinkers.  They are prisoners of logic.  The citizens of Virginia should have the right to expect that anything promulgated from the VDOE is child-centered and based on a competent understanding of human development.  The Model Policies do not honor this trust. Society says “girls don’t like Math.”  In the concrete cognitive stage of development of students K-12, a girl who likes Math may conclude that she is not a girl.  In earlier times when class discussions about gender identification based on biased gender traits were not required, she may have concluded that she was a minority among girls and gone on with life as an engineer.  Today, she is being forced to consider that her gender identification that she has always known, is incorrect. Anyone spending time with teenage girls knows that this is not an overstatement of today’s reality about the messages on social media and now being perpetrated by the nonsensical recommendations in the Model Policies. Gender dysphoria carries a high risk of depression, anxiety and even suicide. It does not take a Ph.D. to recognize that this serious internal conflict (spiritual, psychological and emotional) between biological reality and perceived identity creates tremendous turmoil.  Rather than exploring the roots, causes, and even reality of this confusion and other factors that may be contributing to the overall sense of discomfort of a student from an objective, professional point of view, the Model Policies advocate creating more problems for more students.  The Model Policies promote a false narrative that social constructs of gender, not biology, determine gender identity reality.  It further concludes that social constructs and individual interpretations are static (cannot be changed), but changing the physical body is a legitimate and appropriate response to the gender dysphoria.  The potential life-long physical, emotional, psychological and spiritual damage that will be wrought by these, perhaps well-meaning, but clearly ill-conceived, Model Policies cannot be overstated. While theories abound in faculty lounges of Gender Studies Departments, no such consensus exists in society; and no scientific data supports radical Gender Theory.  If scientific data existed, it would have been included.  One study cited shows that the mental health of adolescents is improved when the student has supportive parents.  That is a truism that all, professional or not, can recognize.  However, the Model Policies undermine the parent/child relationship encouraging children and adolescents to rely on their own “feelings” and diagnosis to the exclusion of their parents’ judgment, to the point of alienating children from their parents.  Parents have a lifetime of experience with their children.  Chances are, the parent knows the child better than any teacher, school counselor or administrator who has limited contact with the child and is hearing a one-sided narrative from a child/adolescent who is unable to make a competent mental health diagnosis because of developmental, experiential and knowledge limitations.  Resistance to a child’s erroneous self-diagnosis, does not indicate abuse or neglect by a parent, but may be based on a realistic historic understanding of the child.  Suggesting, as the Model Policies does, that the child should be treated without the knowledge or consent of the parents is malpractice at its worst.  No competent therapist would treat a child without family involvement.  That the schools would insert themselves in this manner is unconscionable and will lead to increased depression and anxiety as children are encouraged to live the lie of a double life.  Further, by denying them the support of their parents, the school is denying them the most useful and critical support they need in a very vulnerable and volatile time. The VDOE needs to go back to drawing board and treat the issue of gender dysphoria like every other issue of special need. The schools have a responsibility to assure that students have a safe environment and are protected from harassment, bullying, etc.  This protection includes protection from erroneous information that suggests to vulnerable children that they may be in the wrong body because they exhibit traits that society has deemed belonging to the opposite sex. The responsibility of the schools is to make sure that every student in Virginia schools is treated equally and with respect without regard to any particular trait.  Policies should not single out groups by specific traits.  If instances of abuse occur from other students or school personnel, they should be handled under current disciplinary policies. Policies concerning the privacy and confidentiality of all students and their records should already exist.  The legal name of a student should be the name on school documents.  If a name is changed legally, obviously, the changes will be made.  Each teacher determines whether they will refer to students by their nicknames or legal names.  Perpetuating the myth proposed by advocates that it is causing trauma for a child to be called a name given by a parent, is abusive.  Requiring that name changes only be done when a legal change has been made, impresses on the student the seriousness of the change they are considering.  It is going to require life-long adjustments and the student needs to be prepared to make those efforts if he/she is to be successful in transitioning.  This is not a matter of changing hairstyles. Individual Education Plans (IEPs) are available for any student who presents a special need to allow for special reasonable accommodations.  Students with gender dysphoria who are seeking special accommodations should be treated the same way with documentation from parents and competent, objective professionals working with school personnel to determine the appropriate response within the school community.  As with all IEPs, it is a document that provides for the needs of the student within the confines of what is practical. Existing laws require that teachers and school personnel report abuse and/or neglect to Child Protective Services (CPS).  There is no need to establish new policies in this area.  Disagreement between a parent and a child over a child’s self-diagnosis does not indicate abuse; but may in fact indicate a parent who is deeply involved in the care and treatment of the student and has an accurate assessment of the child’s condition, even if the child does not understand that. The Model Policies are silent on the privacy rights and safety concerns of non-transgender students.  Discussion only addresses what transgender students can demand in terms of access to program, activities, facilities, etc. It does not address the rights of other students to object to persons of the opposite gender using facilities, sharing overnight accommodations, etc.  Is it not possible that there are “acting-out” adolescents who will use this new power (without the need for any corroborating responsible adult) to push other, sometimes dangerous, agendas? Unless the goal is to change the culture rather than protect the safety and well-being of the students of Virginia, there is no need to indoctrinate staff and students toward a political theory that is not supported by science through curricula, staff development, programs, speakers and the dissemination of propaganda.  As with all political theories, students and staff are free to form their own opinions and can do so on their own time. The Model Policies go far beyond the legislation that directed them and will put countless children at risk because the VDOE does not appear to understand the complexities of gender dysphoria and is treating it as a political cudgel.  The students of Virginia, whether they are suffering from gender dysphoria or not will be the collateral damage of this misplaced compassion on parade in this document.


Support Proposed Protections For Transgender Students

After reviewing these guidelines, I believe they provide reasonable and lawful support for transgender students. I appreciate the focus on protecting students' personal information as well as respecting their gender identity. One thing I found particularly compelling was the guidelines for fair and gender-neutral enforcement of the dress code: a provision that all female students have been waiting for since even I was in school. High school is difficult for all kids. Transgender kids have often had it worse, as both the system and their peers work against them. Bullies may not change, but the system certainly can by adopting these guidelines for teacher and administrative conduct. We should all support our children's right to be recognized and respected for who they are.


Strongly Support HB 145, SB 161

There are so many difficulties young people face in today's world, gender identity acceptance shouldn't be one of them.  This legislation could help eliminate barriers to feeling accepted, and safe in the school environment, aiding in the creation of a true sense of worth and self. Kids can't learn if kids aren't in school and if a child or young person does not feel loved, accepted, worthy, safe, they find ways to avoid attending school.  This helps no one.  Why not create one less obstacle in these challenging times?  Why not take actions that might save lives and graduate happy kids?


Strongly Support Policy Protections For Transgender Students

It is troubling to read so many comments that are transphobic and opposed to the policy. I strongly support this policy because it is critical for kiddos to feel safe and welcome in school. Using a student's correct pronouns and chosen name can make all the difference in their life, especially for students for which school may be one of the few spaces in which they feel safe. Discrimination against the trans community has lead to increased suicide rates and increased violence and it is so important to have policies in place to support and protect them.


Support - helping marginalized population

RE: Model Policies for the Treatment of Transgender Students in Virginia’s Public Schools I strongly support this guidance document. The role of government is to help marginalized populations, including transgender and non-binary students. Until laws are changed, any marginalized students will suffer. Just like in Ibram X. Kendi's book, How to be an Anti-Racist , meaningful societal change will only come when laws and regulations are created and enforced. I sat in a local school board meeting with public comment on a similar policy, and was heartened by the large numbers of people who came to support transgender students, and was saddened by the people who spoke out of ignorance and fear. All Virginians deserve to be comfortable in schools, with staff who provide a supportive environment. This guidance document will help those like the young woman who is the subject of Becoming Nicole by Amy Ellis Nutt. I challenge anyone who is opposed to this regulation to read and reflect on the experiences of Nicole and her family and how so much heartbreak could have been avoided by school systems that were set up to provide the kinds of support in this document. My experience with children in elementary school is that they want to be inclusive of everyone in the rainbow community. I hope that the changing policies and regulations can change the prevalence of death by suicide in the LGBTQ+ community.  Being treated with dignity and respect in school will provide hope and a glimpse of how thing should be everywhere in our Commonwealth.


Focus of Educating the Students

I strongly oppose the VDOE draft transgender  policy. Stick to teaching the basics and stop  indoctrinating the agenda du jour.


I support this !

I strongly support this. All students ( and people overall)deserve to be treated with respect and kindness. No one should experience bullying or harassment, especially in a place where kids deserve to learn and grow.


Support Policy

I support the policies that are being outlined here. It is important to highlight the importance of acceptance and tolerance from an early age. It is never the wrong time to teach the students of our schools the importance of accepting people, regardless of who they are or who they love.


Transgender Guidelines

After reading these proposals I was totally perplexed.  I couldn't find any connection with nature or reality.  Just one example is the requirement for teachers to use preferred pronouns, but if students can change their gender identity at any time without notice, how can anybody comply with this requirement?  Didn't anybody even consider this when they wrote the proposal? Another example is the requirement to allow boys who self-identify as girls to play on girls' athletic teams and use girls' locker rooms and bathrooms.  Is this for real?  What happened to social decency? You all need to scrap these silly ideas and go back to the drawing board and come up with something that reflects a reasonable and moral approach to treating transgender students compassionately and justly without disadvantaging straight students.


A teacher’s job is to educate children and help them become good citizens.  Let them teach tolerance and kindness in the process but please do not saddle them with trying to implement the social change flavor of the moment. We adamantly oppose the VDOE "knee jerk" reaction to the desires of a vocal minority through the proposed Model Policies for the Treatment of Transgender Students in Virginia’s Public Schools. The proposed policy would violate the rights of parents and prevent them from properly fulfilling their responsibilities.  Parents, not the VDOE, are responsible for the upbringing and welfare of their children.   The policies will place teachers in untenable positions imposing behavior upon them with which they must comply or face dismissal. Moreover, the policies would allow minor children to be the undisputed authority in the schools rather than teachers. The wishes of the students would become paramount and the teachers would be stripped of their adult authority and become servants of the students. A child’s sex is determined at conception; even young children know the difference between girls and boys.  A few children may develop sexual confusion, possibly due to molestation, peer pressure, media influences or genuine physical or emotional anomalies, and they should be treated appropriately with understanding, acceptance, and compassion.  However, most students do not.  Children should not be forced into situations where they will be uncomfortable (specifically regarding bathroom facilities) due to catering to a small minority which wants their perceived "right" paramount, to use any toilet facility they decide suits their identities of the day.  For centuries, our English language has male and female pronouns; “they” is plural.  For VDOE, any DOE for that matter, to try to force a change in language usage is inappropriate, unacceptable and beyond the pale. We urge the Virginia Department of Education to use good judgement and common sense and drop the proposed transgender policies.


Strongly oppose,Model Policies for the Treatment of Transgender Students in Virginia’s Public School

Strongly oppose the "Model Policies for the Treatment of Transgender Students in Virginia’s Public School". The entire premise is false.


Transgender Guidance

I oppose the proposed Transgender Guidelines.


STRONGLY SUPPORT

I strongly support this initiative. It is important to make concrete steps to foster a more inclusive environment for transgender students.


Strongly Support the inclusion of the Model Policies for the Treatment of Students

As a parent I cannot fathom anything worse than seeing my child suffer from ridicule, unequal treatment or discrimination for any reason.  I have always taught my children as I was taught, to be kind and accepting of all people regardless of our differences.  However, I realize this is not always the case and many children, especially those in the LGBTQ+ community, suffer great consequences for their differences.  I see every reason to support the inclusion of the Model Policies for the Treatment of Students in Public Schools.  Our job as parents, educators and a society is to honor all children and to advocate for those who need our help the most.


Transgenders action in schools

This goes against scripture!! You will stand in judgement before a Holy, righteous and JUST God for the decisions you are making!! You are calling what is evil, good! There are other ways the school system and our government to help these children who are being led to believe this is normal. This way of life leads to high depression and suicide rates! Please vote against this and find others ways to seek help for these lost children!!


Transgender and pronoun usage

I strongly OPPOSE both of these actions in the state of VA The genitalia that you currently have should be the bathroom you use. No matter what age. The “rights” they have are the same as us given to them by birth   Pronoun usage change?  Really?  So we are going to change everyone’s language usage so nobody gets offended?  This is just childish and a waste of time and money that could be spent on so many bigger fish!!


Strongly Oppose

This strongly goes against parental rights and also religious freedoms. Parents should have the freedom to teach their kids what they want regardless of political agendas. If parents want to teach their children about these things on their own time, fine. But should not be policies in the school.


Strongly oppose

Please do not circumvent my parental rights to care for my children. I consider my responsibility as a father to be sacred, and given to me by God. Educators and organizations that so clearly have an agenda to push their own beliefs and values upon my children are evil.


Strongly Support- Trans Rights

I strongly support the development of a guidance document to align with trans student safety in elementary and secondary school. Their inclusion and safety poses no harm to others and should be prioritized. I support trans rights and trans accessibility to safe schools.


Strongly Disagree- Too young to allow them to make a life decision like this

Before the age of 25, the upstairs brain of a youngster is not fully developed and allowing them to make a life decision like what gender they are is not right and can be very harmful.  Undecisiveness and confusion are predominant at those ages.  They do not know what they want and allowing them to be put in a box can be very harmful.  They need direction and guidance.  If I allow my children decide to eat whatever they want to eat, they would eat candy for breakfast/lunch and dinner which is neither healthy or good for their development.  Statistics have also revealed the devastating effect on many of our teens who have chosen to embrace or experiment with a new gender identity.  The suicide rate for these young people is shocking and heartbreaking.  It will be very harmful for society.  They can make a much more informed and wise decision when later on when their brain is fully developed.


Virginia Pannabecker, Virginia Organizing

Strong Support from Parent of 2 Daughters for Model Policies for Treatment of Transgender Students

As a parent of two children, one of whom is in the Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) system, I whole-heartedly support the Model Policies for the Treatment of Transgender Students in Virginia Public Schools, and look forward to it being fully applied across all Virginia public schools, including MCPS. Our LGBTQ+ community members, friends, and family, including transgender youth and adults, are integral to our communities and our well-being as a society. We gain everything in moving in the direction of honoring and respecting transgender youth in our schools, and welcoming them to be their whole selves by nurturing inclusive environments that value all our children and community. As others who have commented have said, these model policies will also help cis-gendered adults and children to learn more about gender identity and gender expression, and how to support and be in community with transgender peers. I am glad to see that these guidelines include evidence-based practices to maintain safe, supportive, and inclusionary learning environments for transgender youth, in compliance with nondiscrimination laws; that they are informed by research and policies from national organizations who advocate for the rights of transgender youth (e.g. Human Rights Campaign and GLSEN); and that they are aligned with guiding documents from counseling organizations, such as the American School Counselors Association’s Ethical Standards and Position Statement on Counseling Transgender Youth: https://www.schoolcounselor.org/Standards-Positions/Position-Statements/ASCA-Position-Statements/The-School-Counselor-and-LGBTQ-Youth and the American Counseling Association's Nondiscrimination Position Statement: https://www.counseling.org/about-us/social-justice/nondiscrimination . I look forward to these model policies' adoption and implementation to ensure that the Virginia Department of Education and all our Virginia school systems succeed in these goals: "... be committed to working with school divisions to ensure a positive, safe, and nurturing learning environment for all students. It is important that as education leaders we affirm our commitment to advancing equity in Virginia’s public schools. Efforts to advance equity priorities include developing a culturally competent workforce of educators, closing opportunity and achievement gaps among marginalized student groups, increasing access to high quality early learning opportunities, and maximizing the potential of every Virginia student. The key guiding principle of the model policies is that all children have a right to learn, free from discrimination and harassment." Thank you for your work on behalf of transgender youth and Virginians. Sincerely, Virginia Pannabecker


SUPPORT

Totally in support of this proposed guidance.  It is fact based, which is critical. It provides the basics to help develop a safe environment for all minds to flourish.  And it does not infringe on anyone else.


I am strongly against these guidelines.

These guidelines will destroy our young people.  The privacy of girls and boys will be destroyed.  Girls will be sexually abused and attacked with the government's approval.   Parents, who are responsible to raise their children, will have their ability to raise their children in a healthy environment that promotes the God-given gender that never changes taken away from them.  This must not happen.  There will be a mass exodus of children from our public schools.  The best thing you can do to promote the integrity of public schools is to reintroduce Bible reading every day and teach them the way of righteousness so that when they grow up they will not depart from it.


Strongly oppose the Model Policies for the Treatment of Transgender Students

Reject the Model Policies for the Treatment of Transgender Students in Virginia's Public Schools as they are harmful to children and undermine the rights of parents and families.


Transgender bathrooms

I strongly disagreed with trans people using alternate bathrooms


Concern

I am very concerned about the separation of parents from their children, especially in any process that is so critical to mental health. I am concerned about a lack of policies that require parents being notified when a student wishes to change their preferred pronouns. Parents need to be a part of a child's mental health care.


STRONGLY SUPPORT

27% of transgender students reported feeling unsafe at school in 2017 (vs. 6% of cisgender students). (CDC) 24% of transgender students reported being threatened or injured by a weapon at school in 2017 (vs. 5% of cisgender students). (CDC) I support transgender youth.


Transgender Bill

Please vote NO to this bill! As a parent of 6kids who have been educated through the public school system-I always felt like I had a voice-I felt good about sending my kids off to school.This bill would infringe on parents rights and create  an unsafe environment for my kids! Please listen to Virginia parents! Thank you,Elizabeth Karaffa


Strongly opposed!  Very concerned for ALL our children

I am VERY concerned about the unintended consequences and dangers introduced by this bill.  I do think that children with gender disphoria, transgendered experiences, etc. should be cared for and protected.  BUT we must not make laws that will endanger the physical and emotional security of other children.  PLEASE find some other way to make protection and provision for these children without compromising the safety of others.  I STRONGLY ask that you oppose this bill and any others like it!


Strongly object

Please vote  NO to this bill- think of children not politics


Disagree - Protect All Virginia Students & Educators

I am united with the policy writers in pursuit of the following mutual goals: safety, well-being, and respect for all Virginia students. I profoundly disagree with the policy writers in how these outcomes are achieved. These policies seem to be relentlessly aimed at creating a culture that is subservient to the transgender student’s view of the world. Dress codes, everyday language, legal language, school records, school activities, and school facilities are modified to align with this view. The transgender student is to be vehemently protected from those (even parents) who would dissent from her/his/their opinion because her/his/their safety, health, and well-being is at stake. This is not the goal of education. Healthy educational institutions promote the robust discussion of differing points of view within the context of a respectful environment. Let me be clear. Respect is not the same as agreement. Respect makes room for disagreement while still being deeply committed to the dignity and well-being of the other person. To teach children that they can only be safe and healthy when others affirm their view of the world is to miss the point of education. These policies mandate affirmation of a student’s transgender identity by school staff. These policies demand this affirmation from staff members, even if there is no evidence for the affirmation other than the student’s assertion. If a school staff member refuses to affirm the student’s perceived gender identify, that staff member is considered discriminatory. These mandates negate two rights guaranteed by the constitution – free speech and the right to practice religious beliefs that adhere to traditional views of gender as binary. In effect, are we baring people who believe in the traditional, and long accepted, view of two genders from serving as educators in this state if they refuse to acquiesce to these new demands? Furthermore, if staff are considered discriminatory for dissenting from this use of language, how will students who abstain for religious conviction be treated? We are reorganizing school cultures and dividing family unity to conduct a social experiment exploring the new and inconclusive proposition that gender is an endless spectrum rather than a biological reality. Why are we trading what we have long held to be precious and worth protecting, things like family unity, respectful cultures full of differing viewpoints, free speech, freedom of religion, for what may in the long run be damaging to our families, institutions, and culture at large? Why are we not approaching these new ideas and cultural shifts with great caution and significant testing? In an effort to prevent bullying for transgender students, I am concerned that the law itself is becoming a bully toward those who genuinely believe in respect, protection for the vulnerable, and diversity but who are also deeply committed to the pillars of free speech, freedom of religion, and healthy family relationships. I urge law makers to revisit these policies and ensure that these precious societal pillars are upheld.


I strongly oppose this bill

I strongly oppose this bill


Strongly Oppose!!!!!!

Strongly Oppose!!!


Opposed - this can be done better to accommodate all persons and beliefs

As with most people (I assume), I certainly want to prevent the bullying/harassment and discrimination of children. I think children should feel safe at school and be afforded the opportunity to learn without distraction. However, these policies are, unfortunately, swinging the pendulum from one extreme to another and they do not have the best interest of children at heart, especially prepubescent children. The majority of scientific studies and experts make clear that the majority of children outgrow gender confusion by the time they reach adolescence, and pushing involuntary promotion of gender confusion in a public school setting has significant potential consequences for children who are still developing. These policies are prioritizing the thoughts and feelings of one group while marginalizing those who have valid concerns about their female children being forced to share a restroom or locker room with a biological male with clear biological male traits and genitalia, and vice versa. I would hope that the leaders of our state could come up with a better solution that encompasses the concerns of all parties and prioritizes all children.


Support from an educator

As an educator who has taught transgender students, I can attest to how isolated and ignored many of them feel by our public school system. I strongly support this guidance. I am disheartened to see a number of comments claiming "religious freedom" as an excuse to oppose this. "Religious freedom" means you will not be persecuted for your beliefs, not that others should be required to abide by your religion.


I Support

All children should be protected and provided a safe environment for learning.


In support

I support this bill. All children should feel welcomed in school. Schools should strive to be models of inclusion and acceptance. This  policy is a needed step in that direction


STRONGLY OPPOSE - FORMER LGBT

Greetings, I am concerned that children who suffer from this disorder (sexual identity) are not being properly treated. Instead of getting the counseling they need to deal with this identity crisis, they are being enabled by guidelines like these. It is not normal for a child, who was born a specific sex, to believe that they are the opposite. This flies right in the face of Science, Biology. There are only 2 sex's, male and female.  We shod not be embracing this disorder, instead providing means to help the child to overcome it. How can we pass legislation/laws based on how someone feels? Who would have ever thought we would live in such a world. These children need help, and so do the parents condoning this kind of behavior. If a child wants to walk around on all fours and be a dog 24/7, they wouldn't allow that, so why is it any different here. This is exacerbating a already toxic problem in this society. This is coming from someone who was former LGBT.


I agree with Andrea Bayer! These policies are only a model for psychological & emotional abuse of children There is a pervasive and perverted plan by the LEFT and the well-funded LGBTQ lobby to manipulate and change our society (values, language, vocabulary, behavior, families, parental rights, religion, and science) via our tax-payer funded public education system. What is being implemented in these proposals is the product of: 1) the mentally-disturbed "sexologist" Alfred Kinsey - who believed infants and children are hyper-sexualized beings, and 2) Queer Theory - an ideology concocted in universities by academics such as Judith Butler and Gayle Rubin - that demands people believe that biological sex is fluid and even meaningless.  However, this is scientifically wrong and medically dangerous. The key concept of "Queer Theory" is the idea that heterosexuality is privileged and reinforced in society through institutional arrangements and accepted social norms.  Those perpetuating Queer Theory wish to eradicate these norms. Now the goal is to indoctrinate every student in America with highly potent, ideological, and hyper-sexualized rhetoric that emotionally and psychologically confuses children and completely alienates students and families, and especially those who rightfully object to homosexual lifestyles and transgenderism, and know that there are only 2 genders. All one needs to do is to look at the myriad demands and changes recently made to our pre-K through grade 12 curricula to understand that race-baiting, anti-Americanism, anti-Capitalism, pro-Socialism/Communism, re-writing history, sex, homosexuality, and gender fluidity are the topics du jour in our tax-payer-funded schools.  Instead of relaying and teaching factual concepts and actual academics, our children are now intentionally confused, indoctrinated with false rhetoric, and trained to be activists. Let's not forget:  we live in the United States and we are American citizens - period!  And the law of our land is the Constitution, Bill of Rights, and Amendments.  Any law, regulation, or policy implemented by a federal, state, or local governing body that requires citizens (children and adults) to violate their freedom of conscience, religious beliefs, understanding of biology, the human sex binary, and/or freedom of speech must be vigorously opposed. It is also highly inappropriate and even dangerous for government employees to be given the right, much less the mandate, to violate parental rights by perpetuating (explicitly or deceitfully), celebrating, and/or concealing gender confusion and transgenderism in schoolchildren. Truth and First Amendment rights are paramount, not ideological fads and unconstitutional mandates enacted by a rouge President, state General Assembly, or Board of Education. Let's be clear:  homosexual and trans activists are not centrally concerned about ensuring "equity" and eradicating bullying.  Rather they are hell-bent on deconstructing society and pushing their agenda.  To achieve their goals, they must infect our schools, manipulate our children, and strip away true equity to glorify those embracing their ideals, and punish those who don't play along.  And they achieve this via big money and BULLYING tactics. Ultimately, it is the job of the schools to partner with parents and to protect the innocence of our children, not to manipulate, obstruct, or corrupt.  We tax-payers fund and own these schools. We pay the salaries of the school administrators, teachers, staff, school boards, VA Dept. of Education, and VA General Assembly.  So the BIG QUESTION is:  Why are these citizen-owned entities only marching to the edicts and bullying tactics of the loud, well-funded and well-oiled LGBTQ activists? Do the job you were hired and are paid to do, and let the parents do their job of parenting. For your perusal: 1) https://www.firstthings.com/web-exclusives/2020/01/the-billionaires-behind-the-lgbt-movement 2) https://www.theamericanconservative.com/articles/how-lgbt-nonprofits-and-their-billionaire-patrons-are-reshaping-the-world/ 3) https://activistmommy.com/lgbt-activists-reveals-goal-to-completely-smash-heteronormativity-through-education/ 4) https://c-fam.org/friday_fax/un-lgbt-czar-takes-aim-against-religions/ 5) https://c-fam.org/friday_fax/un-agency-tries-to-impose-abortion-and-lgbt-rights-in-sex-education-everywhere/#:~:text=UN%20Agency%20Tries%20to%20Impose%20Abortion%20and%20LGBT%20Rights%20in%20Sex%20Education%20Everywhere,-By%20Stefano%20Gennarini&text=NEW%20YORK%2C%20August%2030%20(C,promotes%20abortion%20and%20LGBT%20rights. 6) https://mailchi.mp/c8304bb6f443/va-education-policy-for-transgender-students?e=860a7b0282 7) massresistance.org/docs/gen3/19b/Renton-WA-Teen-Pride/index.html 8) https://guides.library.illinois.edu/queertheory/background


fully support

As someone who is in the process of coming out as trans, I am excited to see anything that would make it easier for others like me so that they won’t grow up hating themselves.


STRONGLY SUPPORT!

We need to support Trans individuals. We should be protecting them with proper legislation, especially Trans kids and teens. These are citizens of the United States who have a RIGHT to Life, Liberty and the Pursuit Of Happiness. It’s that plain and simple.


Strongly oppose

Every single student including those in the LGBTQ+ community should be protected from bullying, harassment, and violence but this policy goes way beyond that and promotes harmful ideas. As a female high school student who has attended Virginia public schools since kindergarten, I am strongly against these new transgender policies. These policies endanger female students and violate students’ religious rights. The safety of all female students would be at risk if these policies were implemented. If these policies are adopted, “access to facilities such as restrooms and locker rooms that correspond to a student’s gender identity shall be available to all students” (Draft Policy, p.18). This is frightening for females of all ages, but especially females in high school; An eighteen-year-old biological male would be allowed to use the same restrooms and locker rooms as me, a fourteen-year-old female, all because of the gender he decided to identify as when he woke up. It is the responsibility of school systems to take precautionary measures to keep all students safe. These policies do the exact opposite and put young women in harm’s way. The policies proposed provide no accommodations for a student whose religious faith prevents them from being able to go along with the transgender ideologies and policies. As a Christian, whose worldview is based on the Bible, to acknowledge that there are more than two genders would simply be false. Under these policies, I could be punished for my religious beliefs and that is ridiculous.


Strongly Oppose

I do NOT approve of your proposed guidelines based on radical theories that eradicate all distinctions between male and female and indoctrinate our school children! These troubling policies proposed by VDOE are totally unworkable and will force all students, faculty and administrators to comply with an empirically false view of sex and gender!


Strong against this!

I strongly disagree with this.  I will not allow my child to be involved in public school if this is approved.  When are we going to focus on education and stop this nonsense!


STRONGLY DISAPPROVE

Strongly DISAPPROVE!!!


OPPOSE!!!!! People need to wake up this is rediculous!!!!

What are people thinking?! There no place in schools for this nonsense. This will create more problems for our children then they need to deal with.


Support & Protect Trans + LGBTQ+ young people!!!

I SUPPORT THIS PROPOSED LEGISLATION!! Protecting, supporting & affirming trans youth through their school experience is (as many have stated) literally life-saving, trauma-informed, socially just & a moral imperative. LGBTQ+ youth, particularly transgender individuals experience way higher rates of suicide, bullying, violence, homelessness, substance misuse, mental health obstacles, and being victims of homicide. In a world that has a ways to go to fully support trans folks, this is an important step towards creating that crucial supportive environment. These young people may not get that same support in other spaces and realms of their life. Implementing this policy not only reduces these harmful + extremely negative outcomes, but fosters an environment in which ALL young people benefit and feel supported, accepted & included. These policies aim to reduce gendered stereotypes and standards that harm ALL YOUTH, and allow to teach through example how to be fully accepting of others who are different from you. This can greatly reduce bullying & violence in schools and among young people! Being inclusive of the most vulnerable folks in the classroom allows ALL students to feel more accepted for all the beautiful spectrum of identities that they hold. Nurturing this type of environment also facilitates a much higher capacity for learning in general. When students feel safe, comfortable, and accepted, the survival-mode, defensive part of their brain can relax, and they can actually learn better, excel in academics, sports, music, art, and socially etc. This reduces opportunities for harmful long-term effects of trauma to cause mental & physical health issues down the line. This is an incredible opportunity to set a vital example for students, educators, school administrators, legislators & political leaders, and families throughout Virginia and the country- to support, protect, & cherish the very vulnerable, but simultaneously beautiful & resilient young trans people our communities are lucky to have.


COMPLETELY SUPPORT

Trans students deserve to live their life as their true self and be fully accepted by their community.


Strongly Oppose!

I STRONGLY OPPOSE!!


Concerned Citizen, Parent and Future Grandparent

VEHEMENTLY OPPOSED

This is nothing short of child abuse.


Strongly oppose!!

This is going to end badly.  Where are all the women who have fought for our girls to excel in sports and be treated fairly?  If a male can enter a girl's bathroom anytime - there will be a problem.  This is setting back women's rights and privacy a hundred years.  Even in Europe - there are men's and women's restrooms.  This is unnecessary and irresponsible.


Completely Support

All students need our support and respect including trans children. Set the best example for the next generation by showing them bigotry has no place in our society.


Vital for the Safety and Comfortability of Transgender Students

I can not understate how strongly I support the passage of this bill. Transgender and gender non-conforming individuals suffer from some of the most extreme forms of discrimination in America today, evidenced by the hundreds of hateful and disgusting comments that have been submitted by ordinary citizens. Making sure that everyone has access to an educational environment in which they feel safe, secure, and comfortable is one of the fundamental responsibilities of a good civil government, and it is vital that this bill be passed in order to uphold those responsibilities. In the same way that we accommodate students with disabilities, or students who are impoverished, or students who simply learn differently from others, we must accommodate students who identify as transgender and give them the space to grow, learn, and exist comfortably and securely.


Support

All students deserve safe schools, regardless of gender identity.


Transgender Policies Proposal

I am voter and small company owner located in chesterfield ,we have been established here since 1979and paid enormous amounts of taxes to the state of va .  I find this to be unconstitutional and completely absurd! This not only A BAD IDEA it is not necessarily alot of peoples reigous values .


Absolutely unacceptable

as a mother of four small children either already in elementary school or entering elementary school and a woman of faith, how dare the government and the state feel they have any right to dictate when and how we discuss these topics with our children. This conversation is a personal one, it’s serious, and it’s one that should be had within the confines of one’s own family not through educators.  I am also an educator and it is not my place to have these highly sensitive discussions with some own else’s child.  It is one thing to make some things voluntary it’s quite another to make the mandatory. Shame on you this completely ridiculous and unacceptable.


Guidance

I support the guidance, all Virginians should be treated equally.


Strongly Support

I strongly support this policy. Transgender students need to be protected in our public schools.


Absolutely Oppose !!!!

I am absolutely opposed to the new policies regarding transgenders using bathrooms & locker rooms of opposite God given sex.  I am also opposed to females swimming topless etc. If kids choose, yes choose, to identify as their opposite God given sex, that’s their choice. However what the rights of those who are not transgender??? We need to stop catering to those the few!


Support legislation to promote health and well-being of trans youth.

I fully support legislation to promote health and well-being of trans youth! All students deserve to feel valued and appreciated but more than anything, safe to learn!


I strongly  disagree with this

I strongly disagree with this!


Strongly opposed

I strongly oppose transgender in the schools


Strongly Support

I work at a non-profit that provides free counseling to children who have experienced trauma.  In the last four years, we have seen a 200% increase in youth who identify as transgender.  They are depressed, suicidal and usually at risk of being kicked out of their homes because their parents don't agree with who they know themselves to be. Coming out as transgender as a child or teen comes with a variety of struggles, particularly with parents and your community. For instance, studies show that familial rejection can lead transgender youth to engage in behaviors that put their health at risk, trigger depression and other mental health problems, and in the worst of cases – result in suicide. Furthermore, lack of family acceptance after coming out as transgender is one of the top reasons teens runaway or are kicked out of their homes by their parents. Among homeless youth, 20-40% are transgender, and most face discrimination when seeking even temporary shelter. However, familial and community support does the opposite. Parents, teachers and supportive adults who accept a child’s gender identity can act as a buffer against bullying and bias in other areas of life. In other words, for some transgender youth, support from their school can be the difference between life and death. Our public schools systems should be leading the journey toward acceptance and support of children who don't fit societal norms of what gender should be.


Full Support

There's not much more to say other than that if you care about the mental and physical wellbeing of students there is no other option than to support these guidelines. Arguments about impinging religious freedom or parents' rights are grounded in ignorance. I know from personal experience in VA public schools that these guidelines, if effectively instituted and supported, will make a big positive difference in a lot of student's lives.


Strongly Oppose

For starters, children know from the start the difference between the two sexes. Secondly, how about my rights? The rights of the rest of the people who are uncomfortable with this? Doesn't our rights matter? If transgenders are uncomfortable, (say in restroom situations) why does that have to take away might right to feel comfortable?


SUPPORT for anti-discrimination policies for Trans youth

I fully support legislation needed to promote the health and well-being of trans youth. This is important and inclusive legislation.


Do not support

Where has all the common sense gone??? This is just wrong.


Support This Guidance Document

I strongly support this much needed policy to protect transgender students in our schools.  It absolutely needs to be implemented, and the sooner the better.


Protect marginalized students WITHOUT violating EVERY child's rights

I am gravely concerned about what this policy could mean for our children and families. I personally have no problem with people identifying as transgender, even young children if they feel strongly about it early. I think these children should be protected and included and gendered language could be adjusted for certain curriculum where appropriate. However, allowing one type of student's rights to negate other students' and families' rights is not the solution. Kids and teens who identify as transgender can use whatever pronouns they prefer and ask for others to use them for themselves. Other kids who identify as cisgender should not be forced to use non gendered language or be forced to wear gender neutral clothes just as trans kids shouldn't be forced to wear gendered clothes. Families certainly should not have their kids taken away if they are having a hard time reconciling their beliefs with their child's chosen identity. This is essentially giving rights to one group while stripping rights from another. If we are stressing inclusion and individual rights, why would schools (or anyone) insist some conform to another group's preferences at all? Why can't we have trans and LGBTQ+ inclusion, not exclusion of others? In addition, covertly planning this agenda for public schools violates parents' rights to decide about their children's education. If government run schools are going to insist on making our schools into communist or socialist regimes where no one has any choice about their education or how they are treated, then parents need to have to right to have their tax dollars directed towards school choice instead of being forced to pay for this kind of "education."


Support-love and acceptance  for all

Support-love and acceptance for all


Supportive of Policy

Students need a nurturing and welcoming environment, and this policy helps create that space for our transgender students. Please support this policy


I fully support the protection of LGBTQ+

Good day sir or madam, I am a professional educator and am in full support of amending the Code of Virginia to include § 22.1-23.3 to address the needs of transgender students in accordance with best educational practices.  Data within the proposed amendment shows a clear need for protections for LGBTQ+ students for their well-being and happiness, and by definition the first priority of the VDOE is: Priority 1: Provide high-quality, effective learning environments for all students (Reference: https://www.doe.virginia.gov/boe/plan/comprehensive-plan.pdf ) Discrimination against individuals based upon basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, or disability is already outlawed at the federal level, and so integration of such expectations at a young age not only improves the educational outcome of LGBTQ+ youths, but also better prepares others for the expectations already set for for life after school.  Therefore, I am in full support of this amendment. -Dr. Watson


Support for Transgender Students

I applaud the DOE's proposed model policies for the treatment of transgender students in Virginia's Public Schools.  It is a recognition of a long, institutionalized history of discrimination and exclusion and a step forward to helping these youth have the childhood they deserve.


Ridiculous.... Strongly disappointed and disagree


Support

Trans students deserve the same rights and protections as any other students. I had fellow classmates who were transgendered and they deserve to feel safe at school and learn in a comfortable environment. School is a place of education and the ability to engage with your fellow classmates and instructors is dependent on feeling safe. There is no reason that trans students should feel scared to go to school


Fully Support

Strongly support


this encourages child abuse

Children have a right to the truth about their sexuality—whether they are male or female. Denying them that right is child abuse. Transgenderism has been proven time and time again to lead to harmful psychological and physical side effects. It is not healthy for individuals or for our state.


I absolutely do not agree  with this

I absolutely do not agree  with this. It is not fair to the other students  on so many levels.


FULLY SUPPORT

To whom it concerns, As a person of faith, I want to express my full support for this policy to create safe and inclusive schools in the state of Virginia. Most of the children and youth we serve in Sunday school attend the Virginia public schools and many identify as transgender, non-binary, or questioning. They deserve a safe environment, too. My own children went to school alongside transgender youth and bore witness to discrimination as the schools tried to figure out how to handle these students. This policy is necessary not just for trans and non-binary kids, but for all students. Sincerely, Annie Parker


Shocked, appalled, and disgusted...

As the mother of young girls and a Virginia educator, I am shocked, appalled, and disgusted by this policy. It is not the responsibility of myself or any other school staff to encourage or promote the sexual preference of any student. It is my duty to ensure that all students, regardless of their sexual orientation, receive a high quality education and are able to do so in a safe environment. And that’s where the responsibility should stay. I do not want other adults influencing or encouraging my own personal children to explore alternate lifestyles. Also, allowing mixed gender restrooms and locker rooms is just inviting sexual encounters or assaults. To me, that is not keeping children safe. Should these policies go into effect, I foresee a mass exodus of Christian educators from Virginia. I also am sure that many families (including ours) will either send their children to private school or pursue homeschooling. What a great disservice to the school staff and children of Virginia. I do believe many in our state have become so “open minded” their brains have officially fallen out of their heads.


Opposed to any form of brainwashing of Virginia students

“Model Policies” include: Failure to use a student’s new “preferred pronouns” – which can change from day to day and even defy basic rules of grammar (“ze/hir/hirs”, “they/them/their”) – would be “harassment” and “discrimination”, for which both faculty and students would be subject to disciplinary action. “For transgender students, acts of verbal harassment may include the intentional and persistent use of names and pronouns not consistent with their identity.” (Recommended Standard, p.10) “A school administrator may need to direct school staff to abide by the wishes of a student on their asserted name and pronoun. A school employee’s intentional and persistent refusal to respect a student’s asserted name and pronoun is considered discriminatory.” (Recommended Standard, p.12) “Complaints alleging discrimination, harassment, or bullying based on a student’s actual or perceived transgender status shall be handled in the same manner as other discrimination or harassment complaints.” (Draft Policy, p.10) Schools will be permitted to help a student explore, facilitate and make decisions regarding their gender expression of sexual identity while at school, without a parent even knowing! “School divisions will need to consider the health and safety of the student in situations where students may not want their parents to know about their transgender status … There are no regulations requiring school staff to notify a parent or guardian of a student’s request to affirm their gender identity...” (Recommended Standard, p.12) The definition of “Gender identity” is completely subjective to each person claiming it, hence it cannot possibly be known by anyone except that person. Since it cannot be tested or ascertained by any objective method, nothing could prevent any student from constantly “changing” their “gender identity” to exploit many situations. “Gender Identity: A person’s internal sense of their own identity as a boy/man, girl/woman, something in between, or outside the male/female binary. Gender identity is an innate part of a person’s identity and can be the same or different from the sex assigned at birth.” (Definitions, p.6) Parents who encourage their children to embrace their God-given sex would be at risk of being reported for child abuse or neglect by the school. “School staff should be prepared to support the safety and welfare of transgender students when their families are not affirming. … Whenever school personnel suspects or becomes aware that a student is being abused, neglected, or at risk of abuse or neglect by their parent due to their transgender identity, they should report those concerns to Child Protective Services immediately.” (Recommended Standard, p.13) Students will be allowed to claim to be either a biological male or female (or both, neither, or something else entirely) for any duration of time, without providing any evidence to a teacher or administrator, making it impossible for teachers to comply with these policies. “A student is considered transgender if, at school, the student consistently asserts a gender identity different from the sex assigned at birth… it does not necessarily require any substantiating evidence nor any required minimum duration of expressed gender identity ...” (Recommended Standard, p.12) “Schools shall allow students to assert a name and gender pronouns that reflect their gender identity without any substantiating evidence.” (Draft Policy, p.13) Schools would be prohibited from notifying parents if a biological male is using the same changing facility as their daughter that was designated for girls. “In addition to adhering to all legal standards of confidentiality, school personnel shall treat information relating to a student’s transgender status as being particularly sensitive, shall not disclose it to other students and parents, and shall only disclose to other school personnel with a legitimate educational interest.” (Draft Policy, p.12) All students will be allowed to use any bathroom or locker room they choose, without being questioned by any school administrator or faculty, eliminating privacy and safety of students in states of undress. “Access to facilities such as restrooms and locker rooms that correspond to a student’s gender identity shall be available to all students.” (Draft Policy, p.18) “School staff should not confront students about their gender identity upon entry into the restroom.” (Recommended Standard, p.18) The requirements for schools to maintain gender-neutral dress code standards will cause disruptions and distractions, permitting boys to wear skirts and girls to go topless in activities where boys can – such as swimming activities or teams. “Students have a right to dress in a manner consistent with their gender identity or gender expression. Schools shall administer and enforce dress and grooming codes consistently across the student body, regardless of actual or perceived gender identity or gender expression. Requirements for attire for school-related programs, activities, and events shall be gender-neutral.” (Draft Policy, p.16) Parents will not be notified that their child is being interrogated by school officials for allegedly violating these policies, or have the opportunity to intervene on their child’s behalf, UNLESS the complaints are not resolved “at the school level.” “Any incident or complaint of discrimination, harassment, or bullying shall be given prompt attention, including investigating the incident and taking appropriate corrective action, by the school administrator. …The [School Division’s Designated Contact] shall be available to hear concerns from students or parents when complaints are not resolved at the school level.” (Draft Policy, p.10) The policies provide absolutely no exceptions or accommodations for a student or teacher whose religious faith, conscience, or understanding of biology and sociology prevents them from being able to go along with the “transgender” ideology and policies. Over a period of forty years, I taught mathematics in private and public schools at the elementary the high school then college levels. I received an e-mail from a close friend outlining the specific policies above. In my view, the policies expose innocent children to sex confusion, allow boys in girls' locker rooms and showers exposing girls to rape, deny parents their right to raise their children in accordance with their moral and religious preferences and expose students, faculty and staff to lawsuits. The focus of the schools should be on providing a strong, rigorous, academic education. The large numbers of students unable to meet mathematics and writing skills standards at the college level indicates to me that Virginia schools are not meeting their primary purpose. In my opinion,  supporting constitutional rights and love of country are critical to the survival of our country. Communism, Marxism and Socialism are poor substitutes for our constitutional republic. Respectfully submitted, Joan M. Quill


I do not support the transgender policy. There has to be a better alternative!

i do not support the transgender policy to enter females locker rooms and restrooms. I do not agree in “labeling” the genders should fall under a new law. Let everyone have the freedom to label themselves and if the lbgqt+ has a preference name then call them that but not as a whole! Safety comes first for everyone and not forcing them to be in a uncomfortable situation.


Opposed

I strongly object to the Virginia Department of Education draft proposing a new policy regarding transgender ideology in our schools. It would interfere with parental rights and responsibilities, put more stress on teachers and students alike (re: pronouns and names) in everyday speech, privacy issues regarding bathroom and locker room facilities and even proposes to enforce clothing issues. It also disregards the sensitivities of teachers, administrators and students whose religious faith or conscience prevents to from accepting the “transgender” ideology. All people are entitled to safety and freedom from bullying and prejudice, but this proposed policy is extreme and unacceptable.


Strongly oppose/stick to education/it’s against my religious beliefs


I strongly disagree, oppose this special treatment

I strongly oppose this treatment!


Support

I support this measure


Blatant Effort to Promote the LGBTQ+ Agenda

It is evident that the purpose of these policies is to promote the LGBTQ+ agenda. To this end, students struggling with transgender identities are encouraged to act independently of their legal parents/guardians and embrace these alternative views.  Then under the guise of “safety and inclusion”, teachers, counselors, and students will be “educated” to embrace these decisions. Parents who do not accept their child’s alternate identity will be labeled “non-affirming”. Finally, schools will be expected to promote these views through the support of clubs and programs, as well as the open display of Pride flags, etc. It is one thing to be accepting of transgender students. And certainly, they should be protected from bullying, coercion and the like. It is another to ignore the fundamental biological nature that differentiates the sexes. No allowance is made for the safety and mental health of strait students who feel uncomfortable sharing a locker room with the opposite sex. Soon, it will be the rest of the student body who will experience depression and anxiety by being subjected to this oppressive “reeducation” program. The Transgender policies the Department is implementing will cause irreparable damage to Virginia students. Elementary and secondary school students simply do not know enough about gender to make definitive decisions about their identities. Many gender dysphoria issues stem from a conflict between perceived and assigned genders. In these cases it is not always clear if a child wants to be a different gender. Rather, the child may be seeking counseling to help identify with his/her birth gender. These policies make no provision for allowing a counselor to explore this option. At the heart of the matter is the confusion generated when individuals and society do not recognize the biological reality of gender. Case in point is the conflict between a child and parent discussed on page 13. A teacher is placed in a horrible position during a parent-teacher conference trying to remember what pronouns and names the Department deems ‘appropriate’. The policies further state that it is in the child’s best interest for parents to accept the child’s transgender identity, as opposed to allowing parents to decide what is in the best interest of their children and having teachers support the parents. The policy even goes so far as to suggest that ‘non-affirming’ parents are actually harming their children, and that teachers have a responsibility to report these parents for child abuse. Page 18, school health care officials will be given “continuing education” to teach them to support the LGBTQ+ agenda. Clearly they will be expected to teach students these views. Furthermore these officials will be given “competency training” to insure compliance. A key point is that these counselors can teach students without the consent or knowledge of the parents. Page 19, School boards will be expected to “engage” the community regarding these policies. It is acknowledged that these meetings will involve “deeply conflicting community views”. But the Department is willing to stir up this level of strife rather than accept parents’ views that gender is birth-specific. Any community organization operating outreach programs must support these policies. No mention is made regarding the penalty for non-conformance. One can only assume that such programs will be terminated and those groups banned. Page 20, divisions are to “consider ensuring LGBTQ-inclusive curricula”. They are also expected to support the formation of clubs and programs affirming these views. Students are even encouraged to be trained to accept and promote a transgender world-view.


I oppose the policies because it goes against parent’s rights and compromises the safety of students

I oppose the VDOE’s draft policies for the treatment of transgender students because it goes against parent’s rights to educate their children with their family values, gives the schools the authority to hide children’s personal information from their parents, and sacrifices and compromise the privacy and safety of all the students.


Worst idea ever!

This does nothing but put fears into parents. It will be adding unnecessary secrets and problems into families. Putting ideas into our children's heads that are not agreed upon by everyone. I birthed my children, therefore I will make their decisions, NOT some teacher who thinks they know better. We should not have to suffer because someone wants to choose their gender. If you have a penis, your a man. Got a vagina? You guessed it, you're a woman! My child will be removed from public schools if this ends up be "acceptable". There are 2 genders. Period. This ideas will not be pushed into my child. Where is the privacy? Personal space? What about abused girls being forced to share a bathroom with a male? No. No. No.


Protect our Trans Kids

Being a trans kid is hard enough. Please help protect these beautiful children like any other child deserves


Jennifer Spears Fairfax County Public Schools

Support

I support the guidance recommended.


Absolutely Oppose

Absolutely oppose. The definition of “Gender identity” is completely subjective to each person claiming it, hence it cannot possibly be known by anyone except that person. Since it cannot be tested or ascertained by any objective method, nothing could prevent any student from constantly “changing” their “gender identity” to exploit many situations. Schools would be prohibited from notifying parents if a biological male is using the same changing facility as their daughter that was designated for girls. The requirements for schools to maintain gender-neutral dress code standards will cause disruptions and distractions, permitting boys to wear skirts and girls to go topless in activities where boys can. The policies provide absolutely no exceptions or accommodations for a student or teacher whose religious faith, conscience, or understanding of biology and sociology prevents them from being able to go along with the transgender ideology and policies. We live in the United States and we are American citizens - period!  And the law of our land is the Constitution, Bill of Rights, and Amendments.  Any law, regulation, or policy implemented by a federal, state, or local governing body that requires citizens to violate their freedom of conscience, religious beliefs, understanding of biology, and freedom of speech must be vigorously opposed. It is also highly inappropriate and even dangerous for government employees to be given the right, much less the mandate, to violate parental rights by perpetuating, celebrating, or concealing gender confusion and transgenderism in school children. Ultimately, it is the job of the schools to partner with parents and to protect the innocence of our children, not to manipulate, obstruct, or corrupt.  We tax-payers fund and own these schools. We pay the salaries of the school administrators, teachers, staff, school boards, VA Dept. of Education, and VA General Assembly.


EDUCATION TRANSGENDER POLICIES

I AM ABSOLUTELY AGAINST THIS POLICY. WE NEED TO FOCUS ON CHILDREN'S EDUCATION !!


Strongly Oppose

Why is an extreme radical agenda that is so strongly opposed and has nothing to do with education being pushed on our children and teachers? When did parents lose all say in what their children are being taught? What about the parents who don’t want this taught to their kids? What do they do? When did the state gain ultimate authority over parents? Education is supposed to be reading, writing, arithmetic, etc. What’s next? Confiscate children from parents who don’t agree with this?


Support.  Inclusion is worth the effort.  Let us all learn from our mistakes.


Trans rights are human rights

Trans people deserve equal treatment and rights as cis people, and should be given such. No one has any right to openly oppose this, as doing so is distinctly un-American. Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.


Strongly oppose this violation of First Amendment and parental rights

The proposal violates First Amendment rights of students and parents.  The Supreme Court has held that people cannot be forced to "affirm" principles contrary to their faith.  This proposal forces students to affirm transgenderism, and interferes with the rights of parents to educate their children with the parents' religious beliefs.  This is wrong - you may be able to force girls to accept boys watching them undress in a locker room, but you cannot force those students or their parents to express approval (or refrain from expressing disapproval).  You are just inviting division, hard feeling, suppressed feelings and emotions of students who are victims of the oppression, and ultimately litigation. The rights of Christians and their beliefs must be respected, and this policy requires students and parents to ignore their beliefs in clear violation of the First and Fourteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution.   And, if you think you can avoid a response by the parents by trying to keep it a secret from them, do you seriously believe that the parents will not find out what is happening from their children.  If I were the parent of a child exposed to the abuse called for in these "guidelines," I would call the police and Child Protective Services and report the abuse.


Strongly Opposed!

Strongly Opposed!


John  Hopkins diagnosed Transgender issues with mental health disorders

John Hopkins has diagnosed Transgender issues as mental health issues. in the 60s and 70s surgeries were performed to help people with these issues. Upon following up these patients after eight years they were no better and continued to have the same mental health issues. This bill is promoting mental health disorders and confusion to children.


Protection for one, persecution for another

It is my hope and deepest desire that every single child be treated with respect, compassion, and love...no matter their gender identity, their sexual preference, their race, their ethnicity, their academic standing, OR their religious beliefs. However, while these "model policies" provide a platform and process for a very specific population of student to be protected it also provides a platform and process for other populations of students to be attacked for their convictions/beliefs and not be protected. The policies related to discipline of other students (and teachers) for not referring to the transgender student by their preferred pronoun and those related to the use of restrooms/locker rooms based on the student's chosen identity are potentially harmful to the "cisgender" student who, based on their own faith/religious beliefs or other deeply held conviction, feel unsafe in those situations. The creation of a policy related to how we refer to each other by name/pronoun is an overreach. We find ourselves in a world where "being offended" is an ever-expansive black hole and one in which grace, understanding, and respectful conversations are long-forgotten and deemed inappropriate. As the father of a teenage daughter, I am very concerned about the restroom/locker room policies. Again, while it may seem to be protecting one group - it seems to have the opposite affect on another group (cisgender female students). While I don't consider myself an alarmist or extremist and feel confidently that the large majority of students wouldn't take advantage of this policy to create opportunities for sexual assault, voyeurism, etc., to think that this won't ever occur is naive and short-sighted...and again, this line of thinking is not putting the best interests of ALL students as the top priority. I don't envy the position of our school boards, our teachers, our state/federal authorities, but I truly don't envy the position our children find themselves in - and I feel for my fellow parents as we try to find the correct ways to navigate this and other challenging situations. That being said, as a Christian first and foremost, I know what I am called to as a parent and as a citizen of this world. It would be a travesty for these policies to move forward as presented for many reasons, including those listed above, but also simply from the perspective of the persecution that will follow for those who's religious beliefs are opposed to much in these policies. I ask and pray that you will consider how to protect all children, not just one group.


OPPOSE - WHAT A BUNCH OF CROCK

THIS IS REALLY RIDICULOUS !!!


I fully support the health and well being of trans youth


Strongly oppose!!!!! Poses great concerns

Strongly oppose this as it poses great risks to students. You can’t have the opposite sex in the same bathroom with your child. I don’t care what the identify with! It poses risks to students. It is encroaching on my child’s rights to be raised in an environment that recognizes their given sex at birth. It is not fair for a million reasons including sports. You can’t have a boy who is made to run fast, etc identify as a female and get to compete in their specific sport. You can’t change the whole education system and society for a few people who have chosen that they want to be a different sex. I pay taxes for my child to fund public schools that are safe and educating them in a scholastic sense, not thrusting them into a questionable unsafe environment!! This needs to stop right here.


STRONGLY OPPOSE

THIS WORLD NEEDS THE LORD NOW MORE THAN EVER. THIS IS ABSOLULTY HEART BREAKING AND DISTURBING FOR CHILDREN.


Strongly Against

I am strongly against staff being able to push the agenda of transgenderness on children. That is something that should be discussed amongst the children and their parents that is something that is intimate and private and if it needs to be addressed with staff it should be done so in a way that everyone (parents, child, staff) is involved not in a way that staff is pushing it onto children. I am also STRONGLY against the idea of boys and girls and adults that "identify" as the other gender being aloud to use restrooms and locker rooms of the other gender. This is just opening the door to people taking the advantage of being able to use the opposite genders bathroom and allowing room for sexual abuse to happen. School should be a SAFE place for LEARNING. Not a place where parents feel uncomfortable sending their children. Education is a vital part and right of our children and it is being ripped away from them due to these unsafe measures.


Strongly Oppose

Schools should not be allowed to facilitate, guide, or make decisions about a student's gender; especially without a parent's knowledge. A teacher or staff member has no place in discussing a student's gender identity or getting involved simply because they are in no authority position, they don't provide and take care of that student, and won't have any connection to that student beyond their class. Next, if a parent encourages a child to go by their God-given sex, how that constitutes child abuse is beyond me. How a parent decides to raise their child is their own business as long as that child is not being harmed or neglected. By saying that encouraging a child to go by their God-given sex is child abuse, diminishes the severity of actual child abuse. It also takes time away from Social Workers that could be helping other kids with more severe problems besides their parent encouraging them to go by their birth gender. I don't care if someone changes their gender but what I do care about is when that potentially puts other people at risk. If we allowed biological males to go into a women's restroom that puts women at such a higher advantage for sexual assault. While some may be going to the female bathroom because they believe they are a female, what about the males who are pretending simply so they can go the bathroom to see a female exposed or to assault them? Why should we put women, or men, at risk because someone wants to say they are the opposite gender and use another bathroom? Why don't we keep everyone safe and offer a gender neutral bathroom? At my old high school, student's who felt uncomfortable using the bathroom associated with their gender can go to the nurse or library bathroom. That shouldn't make those students uncomfortable and it's not excluding them either, it's protecting all student's of every gender and sexual orientation by protecting against terrible things that are very real possibilities. It also would put transgender people at risk because if they use the opposite bathroom they could be harassed or attacked. If there was a bathroom available to anyone then everyone can stay safe. If a student gets in trouble at school for something that's as important as people are saying it is, why would the parent not be notified? My mother was notified when I was using the bathroom too many times because I had an undiagnosed medical condition. Why is bathroom usage more important to be notified about but the interrogation of someone's child is not? Those standards and priorities are so screwed up and backwards that it makes absolutely no sense. I DO NOT encourage bullying or hate from anyone for any reason. Being kind to everyone is just a basic human thing that everyone should want to do, but if for some reason someone is not, a parent needs to be notified. They need to be notified to not only help solve the problem, but also because the school shouldn't be allowed to have conversations and take actions against a minor without parental knowledge. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions and beliefs and to try and force others to conform is so wrong in every way. The policy says that no matter your religion, faith, or understanding of biology (which is so humorous to me because it saying that if you understand basic biology and anatomy which has been taught to students since the fourth grade then if you don't understand then you are confused about what gender is) you can't disagree. This is forcing people to follow and believe things that they shouldn't have to. Would this still be so supported if the roles were reversed? Would it still be a good thing if transgender people were told you have to agree with what gender we tell you you are and if you disagree then watch out you'll lose your job or be kicked out school? If someone wants to say they are another gender, fine whatever, but I don't have to be forced to do or believe anything. I will be kind to everyone because that is how I want to be treated, but you better believe I won't be forced to believe anything. Some of the policies being suggested are tolerable and as long as it doesn't affect what I believe and do then I don't mind it. There are some policies that force me to do and believe things, put people at risk for harassment or attacks, and allows schools to have power over a student and what a parent can teach their child. Those things are unacceptable and I will not tolerate it.


Oppose

I am strongly opposed to this proposition. I am in favor of helping children who are confused/exploring their gender but that should be done with parents and therapists and then communicated with the school on an individual basis. I think these guidelines will open the door for rules to be bent and privileges abused. Schools are supposed to protect all children and not make sweeping changes for a very small percentage of the general population.


STRONGLY OPPOSE

Just spit balling here, but maybe the VDOE should stop playing social engineers, and concentrate on dramatically improving the educational outcomes of all students.


Strongly Opposed

I strongly oppose for multiple reasons. In no way is it appropriate for a teacher to have influential gender conversations with a young child without a parents knowledge. Our children need to be protected, not subjected, to unwanted sexual incidences that will be perpetuated by sharing of locker room or bathroom facilities between male and female students, without question. Our public schools need to be a safe place for all students and this proposal would make public schools an unsafe environment for everyone.


Support Transgender Youth

Fully support legislation to promote the health and well-being of trans youth.