Transgender saftey

I am a grandmother of a transgender, I watched and listened for many years the struggles they had living life of who they were, from middle school through high school. The bully's, the name calling, the misunderstanding of who this person really was. The teachers who didn't intervene, the parents who didn't understand, the siblings that didn't get what this was all about. This was a human being with a loving heart, that only wanted to be who they felt they were. In the wrong body, not doing things to embarrass anyone only wanting to live their life free and happy. My grandchild just turned 18, they stopped going to school but continued their education through the GED program, safer, less anxiety, but socially withdrawn. There have been a handful that have stood by my grandchild through this process, myself included, it's been a long bumpy road. We need to make our schools safe, without bully's, and with teachers looking out for these kids not looking the other way. I support 100%. We need to make this a safe world for transgenders, free to learn, free to live, free to love.


Excellent Document - Some Points Need Minor Clarifications

This document is well-written and comprehensive, and I hope will support school divisions in developing policies that will protect transgender students. I have a few notes on specific sections below: Bullying, Harassment, and Discrimination section * Please clarify that abusive and discriminatory behaviors towards a student should be defined as unacceptable and reportable, whether it comes from other students, staff, faculty, or school division administration. * Please require that policies and communications of the policy provide clear means of escalating reports of violations of the policy. * Please require policies to cover events taking place on school grounds, during school field trips and events, and using school communications or tools, in addition to defining which parties are barred from discriminatory and abusive behaviors. Student Privacy / Confidentiality section * Please make it clearer that the decision about whether to disclose gender identity, gender transition, and gender status resides solely with the student (and not with faculty, staff or administration). I believe that's intended here, but it is unclear, and could allow room for unsupportive individuals to out other individuals. * Please make clear that, while a student may request to transfer to a new school setting in order to ease gender transition, the school and the administration must not require it, and such an attempt to require or pressure a student to transfer would be deemed abusive. Access to Activities and Facilities section * Please broaden the definition of a "single-gender activity or program" to clarify whether schools may have non-competitive single-gender sports teams and competitive academic clubs, which are more common and complex example than single-gender chorus. Please clarify how school districts must support transgender students who wish to participate, when a gendered activity is deemed appropriate and allowable. Thank you for this excellent work.  May it help and support our children.


opposed to model policies for the treatment of transgender students

I do not approve of the proposed guidelines based on radical theories that eradicate all distinctions between male and female and indoctrinate our school children. This policy puts all employees at risk for disciplinary actions. It is not the role of a school to help a child explore, facilitate and make decisions regarding their gender expression of sexual identity. Why do you want to remove parental rights and privileges? A student could 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. I am not in favor of mixed genders using the same restroom and / or locker facilities. This is not safe and eliminates privacy. This does not even make sense: “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.” It is the parent’s duty to raise their children and be involved in their lives. It is outside the scope of a school to revoke these rights and privileges of parents. 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. This policy directly conflicts with fundamental beliefs of chromosomal makeup.


So that's the science, the hard data. - NO

The frontal cortex, the decision-making part of the human brain, isn't developed until the mid-20s. That's why our government said our youth cannot operate a motor vehicle until six-teen, they are not allowed to vote until eighteen, drink at twenty-one, our youth can enlist in our armed forces at seventeen, only with parental consent. Do they want a tattoo, only at eighteen, or parental consent at sixteen. Our government recently changed the age to purchase cigarettes; now they must be twenty-one years old. Children have no ability to make choices like what gender they "want" to be this week. Besides, children with outward transgender influences has even less right to expose my child to the behavior. We do not participate in such behavior. We do treat everyone fairly, equally, and with love and compassion. However, exposing my son to traits that go against every moral compass for children is unthinkable. Yes, every child should have a bully-free education. But that's the main goal, education! However, this will set children that haven't had confusion up for confusion. Children that are steadfast in their community and faith to question society and humanity. I have a 6-year-old son; we are of the Christian faith. I, however, push hard for our family to love everyone . I remember growing up; one of my best friends was "different." I would be outside riding horses and four-wheelers. He would be inside playing with my Barbies. I'll never forget the day he just stopped coming to school in middle school. I found out years later; his step-father tried to beat the gay out of him, again. His Mom sent him to Governor's school to make it stop. It was years before I saw him again. He had turned out to be an amazing artist, could play any instrument, and was an excellent ballet dancer. He is HIV positive, hates God, and changed his childhood name . I hold myself partially responsible even as a child for what happened. If policies like these had been in place, it would have destroyed him. He couldn't just go to school. The one place that his gender or gender preference wasn't even on the forefront because education was. He could immerse himself in knowledge and education. Learning to play the instruments and so forth. The school was his educational break from his nightmare. Public Schools should be about academic success and education. Not whose gender is what.


This can improve and even save lives.

These small changes can allow a transgender child the information and safety necessary to feel comfortable in their own existence. Being educated on transgender issues will not change whether someone is trans or not but it could help them find happiness, avoid depression and suicide, and educate others to prevent bullying. As far as bathrooms go, forcing a trans child to use the wrong bathroom can my them uncomfortable, make their peers uncomfortable, and lead to bullying and violence in a place frequently out of school staff's eyes. None of these regulations will make a child trans, or cause permanent changes to children; but they can prevent bullying, violence, depression, and suicide.


No way under God's grace this could happen

Anyone should totally disapprove of this radical push to eliminate differences between females and males and the brainwashing of our children and grandchildren.


Support

I support the Model Policy. It is our moral imperative.


Strong Support

I support the guidance as a parent, educator, friend, and human. This document helps provide direction for how transgender issues can be addressed in a way that is safe and supportive for all.


a

I wholeheartedly support this policy!


School Choice

I support the model policy because it is what is right. The comments in opposition are the same people who have been fighting for school choice. If you do not support the idea that our public schools support ALL of the public, regardless of your personal beliefs, then send your children to private school. Let the rest of the population who couldn't care less about what's between a child's legs educate them with compassion and strength, not fear and ignorance.


Model policies disregard role of parents

Schools have a duty to protect the bodily privacy and dignity of all students. No child should be forced to share showers, locker rooms, hotel rooms or other intimate settings with a member of the opposite biological sex. Many children would feel uncomfortable when they encounter a member of the opposite sex – particularly adults – in gendered facilities or when entering a shared hotel room as part of an overnight school activity. Children, particularly adolescents, can experience hypersensitive and traumatic reactions to these situations. Schools should not be accommodating the especially harmful view that youth is an appropriate time to be encouraging, in some cases, irreversible “gender transitions”. The model regulations infringe the First Amendment rights of parents to raise and care for their children.


Strongly Oppose!

I strongly oppose! When is this madness going to stop? There are only 2 genders...To believe otherwise you have a mental disorder...what is next?


I support the proposed policies for treatment of transgender students in public schools

I support the proposed model policies for treatment of transgender students in public schools.


Concern for the Virginia Transgender School policy

This policy is a concern for me that parents would be intentionally withheld information that is important for their child's wellbeing.


Public school transgender policies

Y’all have completely lost your minds. Where are your core values of life and respect for this country.


I support this policy fully.

This can help save lives! There’s nothin dangerous about accepting that LGBTQ+ people exist.


I support this policy!!

Transgender students are full persons who are entitled to a fair education and treatment by their teachers and peers. I hugely support this policy!


No - respect parents rights to teach their children morals - don't confuse impressionable kids

You should not disregard the role of parents in public education.  Children's brains aren't sufficiently developed to be making such a decision at that age, and they are too impressionable for the school to be preaching to them that biological features don't matter.


transgender policy in schools

I oppose this policy, it confuses children.


Support ALL students. Support ALL people.

Treat others the way you would like others to treat you!


I do not support VDOE Proposed New Policies

I do not support Virginia Department of Education’s proposed new LGBTQ policies (ie allowing biological men in girls dressing rooms, punishing teachers if they refer to a female student as “she,” reporting parents to CPS if they don’t “support” gender confusion and cross-sx hormones, etc) in all public schools.


Jenna Gabriel, Virginia Commonwealth University

In Support of our Trans and Non-Binary Students

Good morning, I'm writing in support of the proposed Model Policies for protection and affirmation of Virginia's trans and non-binary students. I have worked in education for over a decade, supporting students and teachers in ensuring all students--including and especially those most marginalized by discriminatory policies--have access to learning experiences that enable them to thrive. These polices advance the rights of our transgender and non-binary students to an education that affirms their identities and supports their success. It is an issue of safety, of equity, and of human and civil rights. I urge you to adopt these policies and appreciate your consideration of this matter. In Solidarity, Jenna Gabriel, EdM


I do not agree with the proposed transgender guidelines.

I do not agree or approve of the proposed guidelines based on radical theories that eradicate all distinction between male and female and the indoctrination of our school children.


Gender Dysphoria

This Bill should not pass into law. Gender Dysphoria is a serious mental health disorder in the family of reality incongruence disorders. Gender Dysphoria patients are at risk of suicide approximately 5 times that of the general public. No nation or public policy has been able to appreciably reduce that suicide risk through any means other than cognitive behavior therapy. This Bill becoming law would harm sufferers by creating an environment that subverts their recognition of a reason to seek professional therapy. All mental health therapy requires the recognition of the need for therapy and the active participation in therapy. This Bill would encourage patients to continue in their state of reality incongruence. Ultimately, this will leave sufferers of Gender Dysphoria untreated for the anxiety caused by this mental health disorder- and, thus, suicides rates will remain high in this population. Policies encouraging understanding care and concern for this demographic while encouraging the only known therapy by professionals can be implemented without this type of legislation. I greatly oppose the provisions which parents disagreeing with legislated policy being guilty of “abuse” and referred to CPS. Teachers jobs are difficult enough. I oppose the legal requirement and penalties associated to keep track of “gender fluid” preferences of each student. I find it difficult to believe that the provision allowing opposite sex locker room use will not be misused by teenagers of nefarious or malicious intent. this is an ill conceived bill that


Do NOT support this nonsense!

I am completely appalled at the lack of intelligence involved in the writing of this bill and the consideration and rights of the other 99% of society. My husband and I are products of the public school system from two different counties in separate parts of Virginia. I could have never imagined such nonsense would even be considered, much less be made law. Since when do the rights of my children, under 18 years old, trump my responsibilities and rights as their parent? My kids need a permission form to walk to a play across the street from their school, but you want to be able to talk to them and encourage them in their quest to define their own sexuality that affects their entire life without my knowledge or permission. It is MY job to teach MY children right and wrong, sex-ed and the like, and what God's standard for living is, NOT THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. The school system's job is to teach my kids how to read, write, do math, learn history as it is written (not-rewrite it to your comfort-level) explore arts, and provide an opportunity to express their interests in music, art, sports, agriculture, etc. Morality is taught at home. Sexuality is taught at home. It is not developmentally appropriate to teach elementary children these very complex subjects. My son changes his favorite color from one day to the next, but society wants me to believe that he is capable of deciding his sexuality at 8 years old???!!! I don't think so. Why don't you include the statistics of the increased suicide rate among transgenders when they regret changing their entire lives and appearance around? And where do they go for help to reverse-transition?? Nowhere because that is now forbidden and considered abuse! How backward could you be? Women have worked for years to have their own sports and now society says that it's okay for a man to participate and take top awards; the men are physically, biologically different in ways that allow them to outcompete with women. Is that fair? What is not fair is allowing this nonsense to perpetuated as normal and the discussion to be encouraged starting at the elementary level, AND to refuse to include their own parents on such a life-altering topic. As a former educator, you have set a stressed system up for failure. Shame on you!


Adamantly oppose the new transgender guidelines

I am horrified to see the proposed guidelines for Va public schools regarding treatment of transgender students. I positively will not change my morals or moral teaching to my children to accommodate a few students. I will not make my children think this is ok, or is a choice. God gave each and every person a sex. That is not optional. I will not tolerate a boy being in the girls bathroom or locker room with my daughters.


Inclusion

I support inclusion for all students.


Oppose DOE Transgender Policies

Opposed! This is govt. overreach- govt. telling us how to think.  Protect parental rights, protect our kids.


Transgender Policies

oppose


I strongly support the Model Policy

Our responsibility is to love and accept our students.


I support this policy

We must support ALL students  in our schools and this includes our transgender, non-binary and gender expansive students. I support this guidance because I want my children and all of their friends to be in a school environment that is safe and welcoming for EVERYONE.


I support the Model Policy.

I support the Model Policy.


Oppose strongly,  parents remove children and homeschool

Strongly opposed to any transgender policy. All parents know what's best for their children. Stay out of Parental responsibility and don't use the children as a power tool for yourselves. I will recommend to all of my friends that they should remove their children and put them in a Christian School and or homeschool


Strongly Oppose Policy on Transgender Students

There are multiple reasons to oppose this policy. Most concerning, there is no scientific or objective way for someone to define gender as proposed in this policy.  The policy is defining gender based on an individual's personal feelings or preferences at any given moment.  Feelings are quite variable and can change frequently in children and are subject to all kinds of external and peer pressures.  In contrast, one's biological sex is objective and can be confirmed scientifically.  Available prospective data suggest that most children who express a desire for a gender different than their sex defined at birth will identify and adopt their biological sex by the time they are adults.  Moreover, the US Constitution guarantees religious freedom that permits parents to provide religious and moral instruction to their children.  It also protects the religious freedoms of students. This policy interferes with parental rights and the religious freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution. Specific concerns include: Failure to use a student's new "preferred pronouns," which could change from day to day and even defy basic rules of grammar, would be classified as harassment and discrimination.  Both faculty and other students would be subject to disciplinary action.  Schools will be permitted to help a student, explore and make decisions regarding gender expression while at school without a parent even knowing. Since gender is such a fluid concept, without any scientific or objective measure, nothing will prevent a student from changing their gender identity to exploit specific situations. Parents who encourage their children to embrace their biological sex due their religious beliefs or their recognition that children can go through a phase of thinking or preferring a gender that is different than their biological sex, but will later affirm it as adults.  Administrators and teachers will not be able to validate a student's biological sex. Knowledge of a student's biological sex can a very important aspect of assessing and providing appropriate interventions to optimize student learning and health. Parents will not be notified if a biological male student was using the same changing facility as their daughter.  All students will be allowed to use any bathroom locker room they choose, eliminating privacy and safety concerns of students who may be partly or completely undressed.  The lack of sex-specific dress codes will cause disruptions and distractions, permitting biological boys to wear skirts and girls to go topless in activities where boys can, such as swimming activities or playing team sports. 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. The policies provide absolutely no exceptions or accommodations for a student or teacher whose religious faith, conscience, or understanding of biology, sociology, and psychology prevents them from being able to go along with the concepts of gender identity that underlie this policy.


SUPPORT:

I support VA trans youth!!! all equal under the law.


Strongly Oppose!

I believe such a proposition as this will cause more harm than good for children and leave long lasting physical, emotional, and psychological damage. It is also against the beliefs of many people of faith who should not have to be forced into going along with things that are totally against their conscience. God made them male and female.


I 1000000% support the safety of transgender students

I hope none of the transgender students are unfortunate enough to have to live with the transphobic parents in these comments. Support for the students identities and safety is absolutely CRUCIAL, especially in a world filled with so much hatred and malice as it is. In addition, statistically, your child is more likely to be harrased or assaulted by a family member than a transgender person, so anyone here crying that their child is going to be attacked should focus on evaluating their own family problems first. I hope any transphobes in these comments grow out of their ignorance, and learn not to look at people with hatred for being themselves and not hurting others.


Oppose

This Guidance is garbage. This is allowing the school system to make choices with no parental consent or input about their own child and sets a dangerous precedence going forward. Furthermore, as a dad of both a boy and a girl, I do not want my children going to the bathroom and having another gender in there with them.  I'm certain that if you include vouchers for school choice as a part of this nonsense, the public school system across the state would collapse within 5 years.  The path to being inclusive has to be the parents and the schools working together, not having the schools be nothing more than a dictator.


I strongly oppose this legislation

While seemingly benign, this legislation undermined the very core unit of our society...the family.  The school board should be focusing all of their attention and time on better educating our youth especially in this unprecedented times.  Because of this I strongly oppose it.


Keep up the good work!

I support this policy!


PLEASE VOTE NO

This transgender thing has gone on long enough.  How about working on better our education to our kids in math and science.  We are so far behind the rest of the world that it makes my head spin with all this political l non since that you folks think so important.  Focus ladies and gentleman why you are there.  Education, Education Education. Jim Luehrs Reston, VA


Strongly Opposed

Strongly oppose!


I do not support

I think it is very dangerous to expose children to the option of picking their gender. There are many studies that show Gender Dysphoria as a mental illness brought on by a traumatic experience. I don’t think we should be forcing that upon children who don’t have the ability to process that kind of information yet. This kind of a topic should be brought up in a psychology class in perhaps high school, not elementary.


Please vote NO.

Please vote NO.  This is an infringement on people's rights by not containing a religious exemption.  Also these rules violate natural law and what we have known about biological for millenia.


Oppose

As a parent and taxpayer I oppose this legislation. It places school employees between parent and child and acts as though teachers, administrators or school employees better know the needs of a child. The PARENT knows their child best and has their best interests in mind. Stop government interference into families.


Strongly OPPOSE

Strongly oppose this transgender mandate!!!


Overreach

Overreach For the Department of Education of Virginia thinks that gender is not 'assigned' at birth is far overreaching!!   That is extremely unscientific and beyond healthy innovation. Moreover the proposal is outrageous that any student being seen to have questions about sexuality will be considered someone to protect from their own parents or family or guardians. Your proposal to mandate such policy state wide is an overreach of any semblance of your place to teach Virginia students.


FULLY SUPPORT

I support the proposed policy. ALL students should feel safe and comfortable at school.


OPPOSE

I oppose this measure in its entirety.


Opposed to transgender policies

Public schools have overstepped the boundaries of what is called education.  I highly suggested returning to the basics of reading, writing, and mathematics, so that we have functioning and literate students. Social engineering has no place in our schools.


Opposed to transgender policies


Strongly Opposed - Be Fair to Everyone

Why would anyone think it important, or even necessary, to allow boys to use the girls bathroom just to acknowledge how they identify? Would it hurt their feelings if they used the boys room? These kids should be taught to respect the feelings of other people, too. How sad for them that they are being indulged, coddled, and led to believe that they are entitled to special attention and treatment. Talk about abuse! Wouldn't the logical solution be to simply designate a bathroom for transgenders (or build another one)? A girls bathroom would respect girls who identify as girls, a boys bathroom would respect boys who identify as boys, and a transgender bathroom would respect those who identify however they want to be identified. Do what is FAIR for everyone. To do otherwise would be showing partiality to some and failing to acknowledge those who see this as a moral issue. You can't tell them they are wrong and force your belief on them. You must be willing to compromise and look for ways to respect the feelings and rights of EVERYONE. There should be no policy respecting the selfishness of transgenderism - the Golden Rule should suffice.


Strongly Oppose New Policies

I strongly oppose the new policies of reeducation of children in fairfax county schools to favor transgenderism. It smacks of communist strategy of the state interfering with parental authority by separating children from their parents and brainwashing them. No! Not okay! These policies are divisive and discriminate against poor parents who have a duty to protect their children from corruption yet send their children to the county school in good faith trusting the government to respect their free speech rights and their personal morality which opposes such policies as base and unseemly. Do not implement these disgusting policies. Avoid the backlash from the majority of our good faith loving citizens who are the stable force of our commonwealth.


This is insane.  Do not do this.

This is a private matter between parents and their children.  You are not raising them so don't interfere where you are not needed.


Oppose "transgender" policies

Please follow the science. Every student has been created either male or female. And no, sex is not "assigned at birth". Anyone who has gender dysphoria should be treated by a professional to reconcile their feelings with their biology. You do a grave disservice to everyone by requiring society at large to pretend that males are females and that females are males.  Have you ever read The Emporer's New Clothes ? "Fallacies do not cease to be fallacies because they become fashions." G.K. Chesterson “Fallacies do not cease to be fallacies because they become fashions.”


Parental rights

This is a comment in reference to keeping information hidden from parents when children "decide to transgender" at school.  To not allow the parents to know what their child is dealing with is deception.  If the child was physically sick the teacher or principal would call the parent.  If a teacher suspected child abuse it would be reported.  There is nothing right about concealing something so important to a child's parents and "going along" with the child.


I don’t approve

This movement is a way for the government to make something un-Biblical and shove it down our throats. Not everyone e elite es that this move meant is for everyone. It goes against what the God said in the Bible!!!


Abominble

Horrible!  This type of sodomy promoting school policy is exactly why God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah with fire from heaven.  We had 5 children and this is one main reason why we never sent them to a government run school.   Jesus said in Luke 17: 29, "In the day Lot went out of Sodom, it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all".  Repent if you can.  God exists and WOE to those who corrupt children with their filth. Andrew and Jeanne Dart


Against this proposal, for mutual respect

As a parent, I find this completely unacceptable. The psychological challenges that accompany transgender identification require family support. If a child chooses to identify this way, it is not for the school to withhold this information from the parent. Honestly, it's not a small decision, so I can't imagine parents wouldn't already know? Isn't it in the best interest of the child if they can work with teachers and administration to properly support their children? As far as the bathroom issue, a third, non-gendered, lockable individual bathroom and locker room should suffice. You are talking about a very small portion of the population at each school. Leave the boys' bathroom for boys born and identifying as boys and the girls' bathroom for girls born and identifying as girls. If this is a proposal advocating equal rights, and respect for all, then respect the parents of these minor children and the personal space of the cisgender students.


Strongly Opposed to Transgender Policy changes

The school should not take the parent out of the discussion related to any questions about sexuality. Children are already facing some changes with the hormones and changed to their body and encouragement from the school that their biological sex is not correct is wrong and not the responsibility of the school to discuss with the students. Also the idea of allowing a boy into the changing room of the girls locker room is wrong. Little girls using the same restroom of biological little boys is wrong and should not be an option in any situation. Children could be going through questions about their body and it is not abuse for a parent to explain the differences without the fear of abuse charges from the school for not supporting children's sexuality questions.


Very Strongly Oppose

This draft policy put these children in harm’s way rather than protecting them by potentially assisting them in a transgender direction that they are too young to understand and that cannot be reversed.  Common sense tells us that children should not drive a car, drink alcohol, smoke weed, vote, or decide on medical procedures.  Why should gender selection be a child’s decision? No child should be forced to share showers, locker rooms, hotel rooms or other intimate settings with a member of the opposite biological sex. Schools have a duty to protect the bodily privacy and dignity of all students not just the less than .5% of the population. This policy completely undermines the authority of parents and gives schools and teachers jurisdiction in an area that is not theirs to control. Teachers will be at risk of prosecution since it seems it would be impossible to maintain a student’s gender preferences confidentially while the student uses any gender bathroom or locker room they prefer? The draft model regulations infringe the First Amendment rights of parents to raise and care for their children. The document ignores the scientific, medical evidence of biology and also the known long-term negative outcomes for the individuals that realize they have made a mistake.


Gender Identity

Mandating these gender identity policies override a person’s right to choose.  The policies do not allow for objections or other viewpoints.  Rather than allowing for more ‘freedom” there will be less for all.  Girls deciding to remain female will face unfair competition in varsity sports from males claiming to be female.  And you will be giving a green light invitation to sex predators.


Opposition to this policy IS NOT equivalent to disrespect of student with gender dysphoria

No one disputes that all students should be treated with respect. Gender dysphoria is a mental illness. Changing policies to disguise the mental illness of gender dysphoria is an abject disservice to absolutely everyone. Policies should provide real treatment for the condition, not the pasting the band-aids of pronouns, bathrooms and locker rooms, etc.


Proposed Policies regarding Transgender Indoctrination

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.


Strongly Oppose LGBT education

We strongly oppose the new guidelines being considered for LGBT education you will lose good teachers- ridiculous that they have to constantly remember a whim of a student who will use it to manipulate teachers they don’t like and create general havoc. you will loose students as parents choose alternative education opportunities. we do not approve!!!!  There is a point where freedom becomes tyranny!! Faith Slabaugh


Strongly Opposed to policy - transgender

The school should not take the parent out of the discussion related to any questions about sexuality. The idea of allowing a boy into the changing room of the girls locker room is wrong. Children could be going through questions about their body and it is not abuse for a parent to explain the differences without the fear of abuse charges from the state and the school reporting parents for not supporting children's sexuality questions.


Very strongly oppose proposed rules for HB 145 & SB161

The proposed policies articulate views – such as the view that “Gender identity is considered an innate characteristic that most children declare by age five to six ” – that are far different from those of many parents. Through its blanket endorsement of views like these, the VDOE has gone far beyond the path the General Assembly prescribed. Schools have a duty to protect the bodily privacy and dignity of all students. No child should be forced to share showers, locker rooms, hotel rooms or other intimate settings with a member of the opposite biological sex.


Strongly Support!!

These guidelines are a critical step to providing a safe and supportive environment for children coming to terms with their gender identity.  Seeing the number of comments that seek to condemn trans youth (and adults) only reinforces the urgent need for sound policies in the face of such bigotry.  Having watched several of my children’s friends work through the process of resolving their gender identity, I have seen first hand how a supportive environment is critical for their mental and physical health.  Even in a supportive environment the journey of a transgender person is challenging and fraught.  We owe it to ALL of our children in the Commonwealth to ensure they are each valued for who they are.  These guidelines are a critical first step towards building a supportive environment.


Opposed to policy

These policy changes are not inline with the rights and responsibilities of parents. The school should not take the parent out of the discussion related to any questions children have about sexuality.


Strongly support

I strongly support this law.  All young people should be protected & treated with respect especially while in school.  Studies have shown that young people are more apt to learn when they can be their authentic selves, without worry of being bullied and/or ridiculed.


Opposed to transgender policy

Disagree with all aspects of this policy. There is a very small amount of transgender population and I would bet this drastic policy change is to accommodate less than 5% of all children in VA. Even considering this is ridiculous.


Vote no transgender mandate in the FCPS

A parent child/student relationship is direct with family values shared in the home. The state (FCPS) must not insert itself between parents and their children. This has been increasing since the introduction of Sex Ed in the 1990's. Sex Ed has now mutated into Gender Studies. Science tells us that there are two and only two sexes; Male (XY) and Female (XX). Follow the science. Vote no on gender dysphoria.


Against Transgender changes: .39% population (point 39%)

According to American Journal of public health 2016 study less then .39% of the adult population is going to completely disrupt the Virginia school system. "The estimated proportion of transgender individuals based on surveys that categorized transgender as gender identity was 0.39% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.16, 0.62; I 2 = 99.8%; k = 13)" https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5227946/


Very Strongly Oppose - The state does NOT belong between parents and their children

I strongly oppose these transgender mandates for our public schools. The assumption in these mandates that children need to be protected from their parents by school personnel is seriously flawed. The fact that these mandates make no accommodations for the religious freedoms of Virginia citizens is truly disturbing. Organizations that have been chartered to educate students about reading, writing and arithmetic should do a much better job in that area before branching out into areas beyond their charter. This feels very Orwellian.


Opposed to this guidance

Criminalizing discourse is a foolish endeavor.  Since gender identity cannot be tested or ascertained by any objective method, nothing could prevent any student from constantly “changing” their “gender identity” to exploit many situations.


Strongly oppose these transgender policies

These policies are designed to usurp a parent's authority and right to teach their own children about sex.  Issues regarding sex should be handled at home especially through elementary school and the parents should always be informed about any decisions their child makes while at school.  Under these policies, a parent may find themselves accused of child abuse if they encourage their child to embrace their biological sex. These policies are also dangerous!  If a biological boy wants to use the girls bathroom, he is allowed to do that and schools are not obligated to let parents know!  At what age is this appropriate?  In fact, under these policies all students can use any bathroom they would like.  This will be a nightmare for most schools creating more problem than it solves. Students with gender disphoria should have the support and help that they need.  Schools can be a wonderful resource for students, but should never be allowed to take a parent's rightful place in teaching their children about sex.


Stop transgender confusion in FCPS

We moved to Fairfax county in the 1980's because of the public schools. I would not place my children in the FCPS today. Forcing children into gender dysphoria is wrong. The schools/state has no place inserting itself btw students and their parents. Stop it. Vote No!


Satanic Policy Proposals that Exist to force children to be groomed and abused.

Stop the evil proposals.


Strongly oppose new transgender mandate

Not only do I oppose the policy, but I deeply troubled that the county is allowing parents to be reported to CPS and that the school is keeping secrets from parents.


Education and Pronouns

Let's stop this pronoun nonsense.  Virginia needs to start teaching kids useful subjects and get the schools opened, proper maintenance, and improved HVAC systems.


Strongly oppose

I strongly oppose this. This is terrible indoctrination  of our students. Not to mention, parents, first and foremost, have the right to know what is going on with their child in school. This directly cuts out parents rights and information. It is not the place of the school to go around the parent. Kids brains aren’t fully mentally developed until well into their 20s. To call CPS over a parent not wanting to scar or abuse their child with gender transformations is absurd. Hell to the no with this motion. You all are completely insane.


Oppose proposed transgender policy

There are many problems with these policies.  They are too extreme.  I oppose their use with especially young children, who are too young to understand what it means to be a different gender.  This is child abuse.  I recall reading about a young girl who wanted to be a boy.  Why?  She revealed she hoped to please her parents who had wanted a boy.  Great Britain, ahead of us in this movement, seems to be having regrets. There should be punishment for students who pretend to be a transgender to gain an advantage in sports, academics, to challenge a teacher, to see girls undress.  Teachers should not be permitted to promote transgenderism.  Teachers are influential adults in children's lives.  They should not encourage or affirm transgenderism.  How many children who change their gender change it back when adults?  Is it about 80%?  You are opening a Pandora's Box. I studied education at Radford with honors many years ago.  I would never consider teaching today with such inappropriate mandates.  You will prevent many gifted students from seeking such a career that is not centered around academics. I think you need to be concerned about Virginia's children's academics, not gender change.


Very Strongly Oppose

Department of Education Guidance Document Change: The Model Policies for the Treatment of Transgender Students in Virginia’s Public Schools guidance document was developed in response to House Bill 145 and Senate Bill 161, enacted by the 2020 Virginia General Assembly, which directed the Virginia Department of Education to develop and make available to each school board model policies concerning the treatment of transgender students in public elementary and secondary schools. These guidelines address common issues regarding transgender students in accordance with evidence-based best practices and include information, guidance, procedures, and standards relating to: compliance with applicable nondiscrimination laws; maintenance of a safe and supportive learning environment free from discrimination and harassment for all students; prevention of and response to bullying and harassment; maintenance of student records; identification of students; protection of student privacy and the confidentiality of sensitive information; enforcement of sex-based dress codes; and student participation in sex-specific school activities, events, and use of school facilities. Previous Comment Next Comment Back to List of Comments 1/16/21  4:45 pm Commenter: Very Concerned VA RESIDENT Very Strongly Oppose This draft policy put these children in harm’s way rather than protecting them by potentially assisting them in a transgender direction that they are too young to understand and that cannot be reversed.  Common sense tells us that children should not drive a car, drink alcohol, smoke weed, vote, or decide on medical procedures.  Why should gender selection be a child’s decision? No child should be forced to share showers, locker rooms, hotel rooms or other intimate settings with a member of the opposite biological sex. Schools have a duty to protect the bodily privacy and dignity of all students not just the less than .5% of the population. This policy completely undermines the authority of parents and gives schools and teachers jurisdiction in an area that is not theirs to control. Teachers will be at risk of prosecution since it seems it would be impossible to maintain a student’s gender preferences confidentially while the student uses any gender bathroom or locker room they prefer? The draft model regulations infringe the First Amendment rights of parents to raise and care for their children. The document ignores the scientific, medical evidence of biology and also the known long-term negative outcomes for the individuals that realize they have made a mistake.


Opposed to transgender policy

Boys are created boys and girls are created girls. Keep them separate!!!!


Strongly OPPOSED to these transgender guidelines

I would like to express my strong opposition to these new guidelines. Please oppose this harmful legislation. Sincerely, Dory Filatov


Transgender Indoctrination

Please stop the madness of normalizing aberrant behavior.  This agenda is anti-science as your gender is your sex and your sex is determined by your chromosomes.  Children are minors and they are not in a position to make these decisions, but they are impressionable and the push of the LGBTQ etc agenda negatively affects their ability to navigate their childhood in a normal and healthy manner.  Schools need to focus on education not indoctrination.


perversion

THERE ARE 2 BIOLOGICAL  SEXES; THIS IS A FACT. PARENTS ARE A CHILD's PRIMARY EDUCATORS. AMERICANS REJECT THE AGENDA OF PUBLIC EDUCATION TO INDOCTRINATE INNOCENT CHILDREN WITH PROPAGANDA! STOP promoting radical transgender ideology and undermining the role of parents in the raising of their children. STOP partnering with pro-homosexuality and pro-transgenderism organizations, including Side by Side, the Shenandoah LGBTQ Center, Equality Virginia and He She Ze & We aiming to pervert innocent children and promote mutilation of children!


Strong Support

I am very impressed with the proposed Model Policies for the Treatment of Transgender Students. As both a parent of children who will attend school in Virginia, and as a friend and family member of several in the transgender community, I think this policy would benefit both cisgendered and transgender students alike. Transgender students are at much higher risk for bullying, suicide, and other emotional traumas, and this policy could very literally save lives. I look forward to bringing my children into a school district that values the gender identities and emotional health of its students.


School "Transgender" Policies

We are in opposition to the draft model policies set forth by the Virginia Department of Education.  An individual's gender is determined at conception by their creator, and is not subject to human manipulation or change.  Attempts to reverse these God given genders will result in lasting physical, emotional, and mental harm.  Children and young people do not have the mental maturity to understand the consequences and make these radical life changing decisions.  It is wrong for the our education organizations to encourage the child in making these decisions.  The policies set forth by this document does encourage children to do this and discourages them from discussing and being accountable to their parents.  This is the responsibility of the parents to teach, train, and make these decisions regarding their child's welfare.  The parent does have the right to discourage the child from altering their birth gender without government interference.  These policies will allow biological males to utilize female restrooms and locker facilities which could cause sexual abuse, fear and trauma for these females.  This policy forces one view of human sexuality on others whose differing views and faith does not agree with this policy.  The government does not have the right to take away this freedom of thought, speech, and belief from the parents, teachers and student.


Follow the Science NOT the Political Indoctrination

"Gender: A set of social, psychological, and emotional traits that classify an individual as typically masculine or feminine, although the social construct of gender may be more diverse across a continuum rather than as a binary system." The definition above is from your Draft Guidelines. In NO universe is this the definition of gender. None. Nada. Never. Gender is a reference to Biology. If you have 2 X chromosomes you are female. If you have an X and a Y you are male. If you are having a hard time deciding what you are, look where the pee comes out. If you are deformed (either congenitally or accidentally) a compassionate society will pity you, but reality must not be deformed to "normalize" you. This Draft is offensive from page one. Chuck it. Forget it. Virginia public schools urgently need to deal with bullying, violence, crime, drugs, and TEACHING THE BASICS! Math competency and English competency MUST take priority over "political correctness indoctrination. Virginia schools aren't graduating enough kids with competence in basic Biology with just the 2 real genders - focus on that first!


Strongly OPPOSE

It is unconstitutional for state government to dictate morality, period.  Defining what genders are or are not is outside of competence of the government.  Plus these proposals are very vague on multiple instances.  Many items aren't even defined, but delegated to "school divisions" to ultimately define.  To support this would mean to give up the responsibility for what is being proposed here.


Support

I support this bill as a former student of VBCPS, future clinical mental health counselor, and advocate for TGNC individuals. School is meant to be a safe and supportive environment to foster the growth, individuation, and education of all students. It is our responsibility and duty to prevent and heal past, current, and future gender-based traumatization. TGNC students pose no threat to other students by being given access to their human rights and are only harmed by the discriminatory policies that prevent basic interaction, integration, and self development. TGNC students can and do thrive when given an environment which supports and protects them just as their cisgender peers are given. I truly hope these policies will be given the overwhelming support they deserve, and transgender and gender nonconforming youth will have their identities nurtured and rights protected with a safe, inclusive learning and social environment.


Strongly opposed to schools creating Transgender confusion

Simple biology proves there are only two genders. Experimentation with multiple pseudo genders, especially at a young age could lead to life long confusion and psychological damage. Parents should not me excluded from the discussion if the child thinks it belongs to a gender other than the one it was born with. If schools humors the child at school and does not inform the parents they won't be aware of the root of any behavioral or psychological struggles the child is having or where to begin to assist. Biological girls should not be subjected to biological males in the same dressing rooms.This is all wrong on so many levels.


Unamerican proposals.

These proposals are unamerican. Such abusive policy proposals are downright treasonous. Might as well pass a bill requiring children to be raped - wait, that's what you are doing.


Fire those behind these proposals

They are sick and sadistic and shouldn't be employed in education


Stop Trying to Commit Institutional Sexual Abuse of Children. Your policy proposals should be abandoned forever and those behind the proposals should resign.


Opposed/ James Monroe Alumni

To whom it may concern, I am a graduate (2012) of James Monroe High School. I strongly oppose this policy. What if a boy claims to be a girl in order to have access to the girls bathroom/ locker rooms for his own sexual pleasure? What if a child does not want their parent to know they are a transgender, and ends up telling a teacher, and then harms themselves, or even commits suicide? Are their parents going to know then? This policy does nothing but undermines parents and their rights to guide and raise their children. It is a prime example of government overreach for the sake of control. As a school teacher myself, I cannot believe how many potential liabilities can come from this for your public schools. I also am dumbfounded in how it claims to put kids first. Gender Dysphoria is a serious mental health problem in our society today. This policy would only encourage a mental disorder in our youth, when they already have a lot of pressure and things to work through as being a teenager. If you really want to make an inclusive environment, then coming up with a mental health plan to help kids through the pain and suffering they already have with this disorder, would be a start. If you implement this policy you are going to lose a lot of people from the public schools. Many people have already left Fair Fax County public schools, Do you want more losses?


Brilliant Fools

Transgenderism is an abhorrent abnormality. Stop trying to make it ok. Find another cause....like helping indigents, or St Judes.


No!!!

DO NOT force every child to adhere to transgender beliefs! My daughter will NOT be subject to this!


Do not pass this evil proposal!

This proposal should not be passed in any public or private schools. Transgendersm introduced at early stage confuses developing minds, it puts the safety of our children at risk. This gives a free entrance by an abuser who pretends to be a transgender to gain a free access to women’s lockers/bathrooms and involve in sexual misconduct or other inappropriate behavior (free pornography). This very proposal puts the safety of one group at greater risk (girls and boys) under the pretense of protecting another group (transgender). Children in elementary,  middle or high school are very much children and should be protected and treated as such. No exception!!!


NO HOMOSEXUAL AGENDA

Antonio This is no longer a democracy.  These rules must be presented to the parents and voted upon.  You have no right to force this on my children.  I will not send any of my children or grandchildren to public schools, if any of these rules are passed.  If I have to, I will move to another State.  God bless you.  Thank you.


transgender mandate

I oppose the transgender mandate and am politically focused to unseat whomever conceived this evil proposal.


Model Policies for the Treatment of Transgender Students in Virginia’s Public Schools)

strongly oppose


Strongly support

I support this completely. All kids deserve respect and a safe space the be themselves without fear of persecution or discrimination.


transgender mandate

Once again, this favors the so called rights of one group while trampling on the rights of others.  I vote, kill the bill.


Strongly opposed

Schools are not qualified and do not have the resources to make judgments about the diagnosis and treatment of children/adolescents who present themselves as transgendered.


Strongly Oppose

I strongly oppose these changes. While we should show respect and kindness to all students, these changes go too far and do not respect the parents, families, students, teachers, and employees who do not agree with these constructs.


Transgender policy model

STRONGLY OPPOSE!!! How are teachers and schools qualified to help a student make this kind of decision? I’m trained and licensed in psychology and even then there is a process in helping a person determine this kind of life changing decision. Certainly a teacher or guidance counselor IS NOT QUALIFIED to do so. This is also taking away parental involvement and consent and encouraging kids to make very important life changing decisions without their parents. That is Dangerous!!! This  is also jeopardizing the safety of girls in bathrooms. How do you plan to keep them safe if any boy can walk in without being stopped especially in middle and high school? This mandate should propose separate bathrooms for those who identify with another gender not the use of the same bathrooms.


Strongly oppose this

This is something that shouldnt be promoted and this policy should be done away with


Social Experimentation on Children/Violation of Privacy/Ignoring true mental health needs

I am deeply opposed to these transgender policies due to their social experimentation on children; violations of the basic right to privacy; and their inability to actually help the small number of children legitimately suffering with gender dysphoria and their mental health concerns. My husband and I were a part of this lengthy debate in 2017 when PWC school board ignored hundreds of concerned parents and rushed a vote to include gender identity and sexual orientation as a protected class. On first glance, this seems like a compassionate measure, but upon deeper inspection there are serious and disturbing ramifications of this policy and the policies you are promoting now. A primary concern is privacy. After the #Metoo movement, you would think that girls' and young women's right to privacy would be respected, but instead they are being shut out of safe changing spaces and bathroom facilities. A PWC school board member in 2017 responded to my concerns about bathroom/locker room privacy saying that it didn't matter because "boys were already gaining access to girls restrooms for sex" during school hours. When I asked about the short and long term consequences of these rushed policies, the same board member said "I'll be off the board by then." It's clear from my interactions with the PWC school board that Virginia public schools cannot even enforce basic codes of conduct and safety and that prior to 2017 thay were repeatedly failing at enforcing decent and respectful behavior between students. This sad reality is not going to improve with these ill advised transgender policies but only become more chaotic and ridiculous. There is a very small percentage of children who actually experience gender dysphoria, and yet the DOE wants to encourage the ENTIRE student population, beginning in kindergarten, to experience and promote transgenderism. You will obscure the actual students who need help, while confusing the biological reality of thousands of MINORS. You also want to destroy or undermine legitimate parental authority, responsibility, and protection for their children. Have you forgotten who has given you the authority to teach and keep our children safe during school hours and activities? YOU ARE GIVEN PERMISSION TO EDUCATE CHILDREN FROM THE AUTHORITY AND AGREEMENT OF PARENTS. Virginia schools have no right to undermine a parent's primary and essential right to know what occurs to their child during school and their fundamental right to raise, guide, and protect them! For a child struggling with their biological sex/gender identity, there can be many reasons for the outward expression of transgenderism. It can be a reg flag for abuse; unstable home life; serious illness or death in the family; domestic violence; neglect; other trauma or major life event. How can assigning a random pronoun of choice ever meet the mental health needs of children with gender dysphoria or their common comorbid illnesses of depression, phobia, and adjustment disorders? This is a mental health crisis that requires real care, NOT transgender activism. You have developed these policies listening to a lobbying movement that makes up less than .5 percent of the population. These policies are about undermining legitimate parent authority and social experimentation on our children. Please reject this disturbing trend of rejecting biological reality that leads to horrible pharmaceutical drugs and horrific surgeries on children. Will the DOE take ownership for the inevitable course you are promoting when it includes breast binding, breast amputation, puberty blocking drugs, sterility, amputation of reproductive organs? Will you be ready for the harassment lawsuits and other lawsuits that will follow from the mental and physical harm from your endorsement and promotion of transgenderism? You must oppose adopting these extreme policies and this blatant movement of social experimentation on Virginia's children. You will continue to see an exodus by families from your public schools and you will be making the case for taxpayers to object and oppose their tax dollars being used to fund these school policies.


Oppose.

schools should concern themselves with education, not with social engineering. Schools should concern themselves with education, not with social engineering.


I support keeping Trans students safe

I support this


These policies abuse so-called 'trans' students too.

People claiming that these policy proposals will protect 'so-called' trans students are delusional or sex offenders.


Strongly Oppose: The Proposed Policy Is Antiscience and Potentially Medically Harmful to Children

When a biological male has surgery to transition his gender, he does not become female. He becomes a handicapped male. Likewise, when a biological female has surgery to transition her gender, she does not become male. She becomes a handicapped female. This proposed policy would force school officials to defend a minor's decision to mutilate his or her own body with the amputations done in sex reassignment surgery. Please consider the absurdity of this policy with the following scenario. If a biologically male student were to go to his school counselor and say that he believes he should have his hand surgically amputated, the counselor would likely diagnose him with body integrity identity disorder and intervene to get the student mental help before the student could take steps toward self-mutilation. However, if the same student were to go to his school counselor and say that he believes he should have his penis surgically removed, under this policy, the counselor would be forced to affirm this student's desire and defend this student from anyone who would try to dissuade him away from self-mutilation, potentially including the student's parents. Depending on how Recommended Standard, p.13, of this policy is interpreted, parents who do not affirm their child's expression of gender identity could be reported Child Protective Services. “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) Please rescind the purposed Model Policies for the Treatment of Transgender Students in Virginia’s Public Schools.


Our family supports this!

Our family supports this. So thankful you are creating safe spaces for these beautiful trans children. Good job!


Strongly Oppose

I strongly oppose this policy. It is not fair to the children or the teachers. School is a place to learn academics not theory on genders. This is a slippery slope allowing opposite genders to go into bathrooms and locker rooms together. This will eventual fail with a child being taken advantage of sexually. More parents will pull their children from public school and the public school will start to loose their funding. This is a very bad idea.


Strongly Oppose

Schools should concern themselves with academics instead of social engineering and undermining parental authority.


So sad

What ever happened to the science?  Why do schools need to be involved?  What kind of treatment will these kids receive when a kid with a penis goes into the girls locker room or a kid with a vagina goes into the boys locker room?  There’s a psychological problem called gender dysphoria.  We should help these poor kids, but having all these rules shoved down our throats isn’t the way.


Opposed - Very concerned parent & citizen

I agree that our children need a school environment that ensures the safety, security and a conducive learning environment for All children.   But these troubling policies proposed by VDOE are totally unworkable and will force all students, faculty and administrators to comply with views of sex and gender, that might directly conflict with their own fundamental beliefs and understanding.   They will also infringe on the rights of a potentially much larger group of students, faculty and parents than the group they believe they are trying to protect.   It’s seems more like an agenda or ideology is being pushed, rather than thoughtful, measured policy in the best interest of the entire school community   The VDOE went way, way too far and needs to scrap this entirely and go back to the drawing board, that is if the current policies are not effective  - and I am not sure that they are not.


Absolute Support for Proposal

Absolute support for "Model Policies for the Treatment of Transgender Students in Virginia’s Public Schools".  This is an important step toward equality policy where all citizens of the state are treated equally, regardless of their sexual identity. This will serve as a model for the nation.


I Support this Model Proposal! Treat all Citizens Equally

Very grateful for this model proposal. It will ensure a save learning environment for all our students.


Guidance Document

Satan is very proud.


We Support this Proposal. Critical for Safe Learning Environment for ALL Students

We Support this Proposal; it is critical policy to provide a Safe Learning Environment for ALL Students.


Strongly oppose

This is child abuse, and there is no need to actively promote gender dysphoria to our impressionable youth.


Satan is quite pleased

Satan is very proud.


Support: When you are accustomed to privilege, equality feels like oppression.

This proposal stops oppressing students based on their gender identity and rights the learning environment so that it is safe for everyone.


Strongly Opposed and Concerned

I am strongly opposed to this policy and concerned if it is implemented. First, it places the Department of Education in a position of greater authority than parents. Parents are primarily responsible for raising their children and have a greater insight into their children’s lives than a school administrator or teacher ever can. No government agency should have that level of authority in a child’s life when parents are involved. Secondly, this policy can be abused. It can be abused by children who wish to cause problems for teachers or administrators by deciding in a moment to change their preferred pronoun. It can be abused by children who wish to cause members of the opposite biological sex discomfort by using the same facilities, or be used as an opportunity for voyeurism. It can be abused by teachers and administrators who want to push an agenda and encourage children to explore gender identity when the child or the parents may not wish to do so or when the child is exploring gender identity in a safe home environment. Thirdly, parents or children who follow a faith which does not view gender identity in the same way as the policy (and as the government) will be forced to conform to this policy and abdicate walking in accordance with their faith. The argument will be made that religion is separate from government based education. I submit this is not a separation of religion from schools, but rather government forcing anyone with a faith objection to separate from their faith while in a school environment. This is an infringement of the First Amendment right to practice religion without interference from the government. This policy is part of an agenda. Instead of thinking through the potential impacts to children and families those with an agenda to push are rushing headlong into making unwarranted changes.


Opposed

I oppose transgender education as it is anti-education and anti-child.  Teaching kids that X and Y chromosomes are irrelevant is a return to the dark ages.  This turn from science also ignores the many studies showing the destruction caused by pursuing transgenderism - a violation of our natural design. If an anti-science agenda is pursued, Virginia's schools will be another step down the road of being centers for indoctrination rather than education.


The oligarchs want the schools to train kids into being sterile, docile wage slaves.

This is wrong and tantamount to child abuse.  LGBTQ+ is pushed by oligarchical interest as a way to decrease the population and to essentially enslave them to their own passions, thus producing docile wage slaves.  The number of young kids that identity as non-heterosexual has increased in proportion to the amount of this type of indoctrination they receive.


Opposed

Allowing children to make big decisions about their life, before their brains are fully developed, is child abuse.  Please do the research on what is happening here - children that are trying to find themselves and getting sucked into the welcoming arms of this phenomenon and this is not the solution. Let's work with these kids to find out what the root of the issue is.  Please do not pass.


New Transgender Policies

Strongly OPPOSE!


Strongly oppose

I strongly oppose the guidance document. “Schools should help students make decisions regarding “gender identity” without parents being informed”.  SO, the state knows what is best for minors and NOT parents?  How can any individual feel this is accurate. Parents are ultimately responsible for their children. Therefore it is between children and parents to make these decisions. No state organization should be given the power and responsibility that belong to parents. This is a democracy, not a dictatorship Secondly, allowing children to use any bathroom is unsafe. Any boy can pretend to identify as a girl. Then use the girl’s bathroom to harass or assault a girl. I’m shocked that anyone would propose this document. These people apparently have not worked with children or understand the importance of the neutral family and their rights and responsibilities. I strongly oppose this bill!


Proposed Transgender guidance curriculum

Strongly Disagree.


MOST STRONGLY opposed as a very concerned father of four!!

Most strongly opposed to this suggestion for our children.


Public School  Transgender "reeducation"

Virginia public schools shall not be allowed to replace parent's responsibilities with radical political "reeducation camps" ideology (transgender) that imposes the will of strident narrow minded unaccountable radicals on our young developing minds.


Use the school system to educate, NOT indoctrinate (oppose)

Stop using pseudo-science and threats to push this agenda of sexualizing our children.  Colleges and universities are already having to re-teach basic concepts that students should have learned in high school.  How about providing students a classical education so they can become productive members of society and *learn to think for themselves*??


Oppose, modify existing laws if necessary.

The best way to protect our children is not to single them out.  If anything, amend an existing law so bulling in all forms is handled equally.  Also, teachers and administration have entirely to much on their plates as it is.


Oppose

As a parent of both a male and female public school student I oppose this. My main concern is the sharing of the dressing room. I feel this proposal presents an opportunity for abuse, for both those who are in transition and those whose biological makeup isnt in question. If these guidelines are pushed through separate dressing areas must be created.


Model Policies for the Treatment of Transgender Students in Virginia’s Public Schools

We must teach our children science and not social fantasy. We are not "assigned" a sex. Biology presents it as fact and we can not will it otherwise. We do our children a disservice by promoting confusion on simple fact. Stop it.


We support compassionate and inclusive schools

It is quite sad to read some of the fear-based comments naming "child abuse", ethics, and parental rights as arguments against this bill. None of that is threatened by respecting children, and expecting children to respect each others' rights, while requiring a safe environment. We support caring, inclusive school communities where learning is focused and effective. If anyone feels threatened or marginalized that hinders the purpose of the educational environment. No child should be bullied, and all children should feel safe to learn among peers.  Our school days always began with friendly greetings from amazing staff. We appreciate all of the wonderful teachers and administrators who are dedicated to teaching, and helping to promote life-affirming self esteem.


Please allow families, not school bureaucrats, to guide the moral lives of their children

This policy intrudes on the rights of parents, families, and communities in the name of Big Brother. I firmly request that you reject it. Thank you.


LGBTQ

Please give LGBTQ students understanding and welcome them into all educational activities. OUr nation will be stronger if we can all come together and respect one another without judgement. All people deserve to be educated.


Strongly oppose

As a Virginia resident, I strongly oppose these dangerous, misguided policies. Children will be harmed, not helped, by implementing what is proposed. Virginia students should not be subject to the state's warped view of reality, nor should the state strip parents of their right to raise their own children. These policies are dangerous and should be opposed.


Support our LGTBQ students

I speak in support of the proposed regulations supporting our LGTBQ students in public schools. Those who protest speak out of anger and fear, which will not be satisfied even if the regulations do appear. I know that these students feel uncomfortable and fearful in our schools, which hinders learning and their mental and emotional growth. It's also contrary to the stated goal of Chesterfield County to prepare students to "adapt and thrive in a rapidly changing world". Certainly our nation's recent acceptance of the LGTBQ community is an example of that rapidly changing world. These regulations would protect those who need protecting without harming the rest of us, and they should be adapted.


OPPOSED.

Opposed to the Document.   It supports and promotes a lie and encourages discrimination. I believe only the Truth can set You Free.


OPOSED

This is complete INSANITY!!!


Strongly oppose this bill

Strongly oppose ! A concerned parent not only for our kids but children everywhere .


Strongly Oppose this proposed ruling

Mandatory sharing of bathrooms, showers and locker rooms with opposite biological sex should not be allowed. Schools should respect and protect the privacy of all students.


Where is protection for cos-gendered females?

Under the proposed policy, there is no protection of biological females in restroom or changing facilities. The science is unsettled on this, there is no reason to rush so that public schools can be”woke”.


SUPPORT - All students deserve an education free from discrimination

There isn't much to debate when considering the education of Virginia youth. All students deserve an education free from discrimination and harassment. The Model Policies for the Treatment of Transgender Students in Virginia's Public Schools ensure a safe, positive and nurturing learning environment for students. As a parent, I expect all students to have access to such an environment. I am fully in support of the Model Policies. Thank you.


Objections to Draft Model Policies

“There is definitely no science to suggest there are more than two genders.”Dr. Debra Soh I believe Virginia can the uphold equal rights of all students without the excesses of the proposed unscientific policies.   I strongly oppose these policies, which are obviously written by activists who are promoting their own orthodoxy and who want to gain power and influence by forcing it on the rest of Virginia.  And perhaps they stand to gain monetarily as well. Compelled speech in a government-run establishment, as in the case of demanding preferred pronouns in schools, (p12) is a violation of our rights under the first amendment.  The State wants an allegiance to the new orthodoxy and I do not consent.  People must not be forced to use certain words; it has to be a matter of free will.   Manners are a choice and mistakes are by accident.  You cannot compel spoken words.    A student has a right to request that a pronoun or name be used.  Others have a right to freely exercise language within the free speech framework. Parental rights must be respected by the government's schools.   Parents have the first responsibility for the education of their children.  It is insulting that a school would keep secrets from parents. (p12, 13)  This is government overreach to the extreme and constitutes a severe breach of trust.  Parents are first and foremost responsible for their child's upbringing.  In particular, I worry about special needs children and activists grooming them in the schools.  This is a danger and I don't see any protections for them in this document. The obsession with gender identity and intersectionality is a dangerous game that activists are playing at the expense of children and families. (p6) Children need to be children and not have their worldviews conditioned by an unscientific critical theory culture that some elites have embraced and want to spread.   Children deserve a childhood based in reality, not theory.  Untested theory that is used to break down the natural binary gender division is unhealthy for society.  The natural world should be a model here. This document talks about bullying and transgender children but uses statistics for self-reported LGBTQ+ students.  (p9) That is not good science because it lumps all groups together and there is not even an idea of how many students in VA view themselves as transgender.  Activists have done the research so it is not neutral in the way a real scientific study should be done.  Activists are essentially bullying the Virginia Department of Education to adopt their orthodoxy.  I reject their orthodoxy while upholding the right of all students to be treated with respect because they are human beings (and in my belief, made in the image of God).  No one should be bullied and that is already built into school policies. With regards to restrooms, I believe that the privacy, safety, and modesty of the larger group should be preserved.  (p18) It goes against all common sense to make a restroom/locker room/showers concession when other alternatives are available.  Each person's dignity should be upheld, including those of the larger group.  You cannot erase women and girls when you adopt a pro-transgender student agenda. That seems to be happening more and more lately. 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.  I do not and will not accept this post-modernist view of the world.  I do not want this world-view imposed on my community by taxpayer-funded schools. These troubling policies proposed by VDOE are totally unworkable and will force all students, staff and administrators to comply with an empirically false view of sex and gender, even if it directly conflicts with their own fundamental beliefs.  This becomes totalitarian. By conditioning children to believe a false reality, that they can choose their gender, that little children should question how they are made and how they should look, you are sowing seeds of destruction.  You are not promoting the common good, which is something the government should take very seriously.  I will not live by lies, nor uphold them. I certainly do not want to fund them. Who will benefit the most from these policies?  The organizations that will win professional development contracts from Virginia public schools will hit the jackpot. (p18)


Strongly, strongly support

Gender is a social construct that is not restricted by biology, and people should be able to use the bathroom that is right for their own gender - this includes gender neutral bathrooms that non-binary students can feel safe using and anyone can use if they don’t feel safe in the other bathrooms. Nobody is going to pretend to be transgender and face all that discrimination and go through all that effort just to be able to be closer to a stall where people of a different biological sex are peeing - this is not a danger to cis women. On the other hand, refusing to allow trans people into the gender-appropriate bathroom does harm them, due both to having to not use the bathroom for the whole day, which causes medical complications, and the high risk of suicide in the trans community stemming from cruel, ignorant disregard (like the rules currently surrounding bathrooms and the opinions appearing in a lot of these comments) for their legitimate gender identity.


Transgender Policy

Legislation to erase the differences between male and female are misguided. There is no question that biologically speaking, there are two genders, male and female. An infinitesimal percentage of people actually have some mixture of the two. Girls and women are female, and should have rights as females, such as dedicated bathrooms, locker rooms and sports. There are clear biological differences between the sexes which make it unfair for males to participate in female sports. A male who decides to call himself a female is NOT a female. Please do not vote for ANY measure which would seek to deny these biological (and Biblical) truths, and to brainwash our children with these inaccurate ideas.


Please vote against mandates that destroy girls sports, safety in locker rooms, etc.

Please vote against changes to school policy that would force teachers to allow genetic males to join girls teams.  Those girls will not be able to compete.  You will ruin sports!  Even Tulsi Gabbard agrees!  There are also concerns about the safety of girls with proposed changes.  Teachers shouldn’t be forced to keep Children’s experimental changes from parents.  This puts teachers in a very precarious position which they should never be put in!  It’s also not fair to parents who entrust you to keep them apprised of what is going on with their children.  Children not transitioning have a right to privacy that would be violated if you vote for the new proposed legislation.  You are also opening the state to lawsuits if a teacher refers to a child by their birth pronoun accidentally.  We do not need taxpayer money going to frivolous lawsuits.  It will not be fair to the teachers. Please vote against it for so many reasons!


STRONLY OPPOSE

As a resident of Virginia and a mother of young children, I am appalled by the fact that government officials are attempting to put the safety and privacy of my children in great danger. Children never should be used as political pawns of any community. Government officials certainly do NOT have a public mandate to enforce gender promotion in all taxpayer funded schools and in turn jeopardize bodily privacy and safety of our children. Please take a stand to protect the lives, security and emotional well being of innocent young children who deserve better.


OPPOSE - Children Deserve Better


Strongly Oppose

STRONGLY OPPOSE


I oppose the transgender policies

While I agree that courtesy and respect are due all students, I oppose the transgender policies proposed for Virginia's public schools. Gender is NOT distinct from biological sex. There is only male and female. A transgender identity is against the laws of nature and reason. Students of both sexes deserve the privacy dictated by their anatomy NOT their desire or thinking. These policies are confusing to, and potentially disruptive for ,younger children especially.


Transgender policy in education

I strongly oppose the insertion and teaching of transgender politics into schools.


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

I fully support legislation to protect the health and well being of all students in Virginia schools. We know that transgender students are more likely to experience harassment, bullying, and violence at their schools due to their gender identity. This must change and policies must be implemented in schools to allow all students to grow and thrive.


Transgender

There are two genders, Male and Female. It is an abomination for the department of Education to consider otherwise. It is child abuse the support the transgender agenda.


Transgender policies - I strongly oppose the state's transgender policy

I strongly oppose the schools teaching ANY transgender policy.  Let the kids be kids and stop trying to force this on them.


STRONGLY OPPOSE.


Support

As a parent and allie of the LGBT community, I'm honored to support this guidance. My child is only 3 but I want her school to be progressive and support all students and have a policy and procedures needed  to confidently provide a safe and inclusive educational experience for all students, and most especially our LGBT youth.  We can make sure they are safe and welcomed at their school. I want every child to have the same chance at a happy and successful life, and that starts with their education!


oppose mandatory transgender study for childrenThi

This pushing of transgender study on children is ridiculous. It is totally un natural, sinful and not necessary. School is for learning things that will help them succeed in real life. why are we ranking homosexuality higher than anyother natural God created being?


Opposition to Transgender Policies

Forcing transgender legislation down the throat of the public is unconscionable. Furthermore, statistical analysis identifies only 9.2 of 1,000,001 people identify as transgender. This is 0.00092% of the population! Instead, put much-needed emphasis on improving academic results --27th worldwide for a country that thinks it's so intelligent is the height of arrogance. Page 6 Definitions – “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.” THIS 'DEFINITION' IS INCORRECT. FACTUALLY SPEAKING, A PERSON'S "INTERNAL SENSE" DOES NOT OVERRIDE THEIR PHYSICAL MAKE-UP, NO MATTER HOW MUCH THEY IMAGINE. SCIENTIFIC ANALYSIS HAS PROVEN THAT , A 'MALE' REMAINS MALE (TESTOSTERONE), AND A 'FEMALE' REMAINS FEMALE (ESTROGEN), REGARDLESS OF THEIR 'INTERNAL SENSE'. HOWEVER, ONCE SURGERY IS PERFORMED TO MODIFY SEX ORGANS (AND RENDER THE INDIVIDUAL STERILE), A LIFETIME OF HORMONE THERAPY BECOMES NECESSARY TO TRY TO MIMIC THE INDIVIDUAL'S 'NEW' SEX. Page 10 – “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 .” A student could be investigated, and if resolved at the school level, a parent would not be notified. TWO ISSUES: (1) A PARENT MUST ALWAYS BE NOTIFIED. THE PARENT PAYS TAXES, SO THE SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR IS A DE FACTO EMPLOYEE OF EACH PARENT. (2) THE SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR MUST BE CERTIFIED BY A PROFESSIONAL PSYCHIATRIST IN TRANSGENDER PSYCHIATRY. Page 10 – “For transgender students, acts of verbal harassment may include the intentional and persistent use of names and pronouns not consistent with their identity.” School staff and students would face disciplinary action. A REASON TO KEEP LEARNING VIRTUAL. Page 12 – “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 .” UNACCEPTABLE -- PARENTAL AUTHORITY MUST NEVER BE IGNORED. Page 12 – “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…” UNACCEPTABLE -- PARENTAL AUTHORITY MUST NEVER BE IGNORED. Page 13 – “Schools shall allow students to assert a name and gender pronouns that reflect their gender identity without any substantiating evidence .” UNACCEPTABLE -- DO NOT GIVE CREDENCE TO A CASE OF 'THE KING'S NEW CLOTHES'. “School staff should be prepared to support the safety and welfare of transgender students when their families are not affirming,” and school personnel who suspects a child is at risk “ should report those concerns to Child Protective Services immediately.” UNACCEPTABLE -- THIS IS A SOCIALIST POLICY -- PARENTAL AUTHORITY IS PARAMOUNT. ONLY ARROGANCE AND POWER-HUNGRY BUREAUCRATS SUPPORT REMOVING CHILDREN FROM THEIR PARENTS -- YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED. IT IS THE  PARENTS' RIGHT, PREROGATIVE, PRIVILEGE AND RESPONSIBILITY TO TEACH THEIR CHILDREN ABOUT SEXUALITY. Page 17 – “For any school program, event, or activity, including extra-curricular activities that are segregated by gender, (School Division) shall allow students to participate in a manner consistent with their gender identity.” “Athletic participation regulated by the Virginia High School League (VHSL) or another organization such as the Virginia Scholastic Rowing Association (VASRA), as well as middle school athletics, shall be in compliance with policies and rules outlined by those organizations.” OUTRAGEOUS. THIS WOULD NEGATE 49 YEARS OF TITLE IX PROTECTIONS OF GIRLS AND WOMENS ATHLETIC PROGRAMS, ROB GIRLS OF POSSIBLE ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIPS, AND ELIMINATE THEM FROM COMPETING IN WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS AND OLYMPICS. INCREDIBLY STUPID. Page 18 – “Access to facilities such as restrooms and locker rooms that correspond to a student’s gender identity shall be available to all students .” “School staff should not confront students about their gender identity upon entry into the restroom.” THIS WOULD ELIMINATE PRIVACY AND SAFETY IN THE USE OF BATHROOMS AND LOCKER ROOMS.


Strongly oppose

As a resident of Virginia and a mother of two young children, I am disgusted by the attempt government officials are making to put the safety and privacy of my children in great danger. Government officials certainly do NOT have a public mandate to enforce gender promotion in ANY taxpayer funded schools and in turn jeopardize bodily privacy and safety of our children. Please take a stand to protect the lives, security and emotional well being of innocent young children who deserve better.


I strong oppose this insane transgender policy!!

To think that this extremely dangerous and unscientific transgender Bill is ok is totally ludicrous. It is NOT the schools policy to teach any child about their sexual orientation much less try to encourage and indoctrinate them with this evilness. To say parents can get charged with child abuse or neglect because their children say that God made them either a boy or a girl is one of the scariest and most dangerous things I have ever heard. This bill will damage and confuse children beyond repair not to mention put innocent children’s lives in danger. If this bill passes I pray every parent and teacher with any moral and biblical convictions with pull their children and themselves out of public school immediately. I know mine will no longer go to public schools!! Do not pass this dangerous and sick policy


Oppose - first step to "transition counseling" without parent involvement

Another good argument to reject the failure that is our public school system.  In California, schools are assisting in children's "transitions" without parental involvement.   This includes hormone blockers that devastate the normal development of our children.  Can't leave it up to the parents, the ones who love their children the most, to make these decisions.  It must be the enlightened State. Before you begin tweaking with our children's development and well-being, perhaps prove VA schools really do know best by achieving equity in the quality of education with countries that far outpace our own.


Opposition

I strongly oppose the gender "education" policy proposed by the VA Department of Education. It not only stands in opposition to the well-being of our students, but in clear opposition to God Himself!


I strongly oppose Transgender Policies in our schools.

I strongly oppose Transgender policies in our schools.


Repeat after me:  Boys are boys and girls are girls; boys are not girls and girls are not boys. I am adamantly opposed to the current radical push to eliminate differences between girls and boys and the brainwashing of our children and grandchildren. Have you all lost your minds??


STRONGLY SUPPORT

I hope this committee will see through the noise of all of this hateful opposition in order to see the powerful stories of trans folk throughout the state whose lives would have been changed by this type of guidance. I would like to echo other transgender folks who have said this will save lives. Also, consider the fact that many in support are signing anonymously because we are that used to living in fear of retaliation or violence. What is the harm in passing this?


Strongly oppose any transgender policies in schools

Do not believe we need to change our natural laws for the few.  Nation founded on God, and God made man, man, and woman, woman.


Safety of All Children

Trans youth are required to go to school, like all children, this is not an option and it is a state requirement to provide public school. With that knowledge, school is the #1 place where children are required to spend their time and therefore, it is our responsibility to protect them and we protect all children. Trans children (as evidence in the statistics below) are very vulnerable and it is mainly due to misunderstanding and assumptions. The bottom line is that they, like all children, deserve to have an education where they are supported. Their existence and recognition does not take away from the safety of any other children, it just includes them in the umbrella of benefits all children receive. This is not a matter of feelings, it is a matter of safety and health. 35% have attempted suicide within the past year (CDC, 2019); 61% are likely to feel less safe at school (GLSEN); 77% report being harassed (U.S. Transgender Survey, 2016); 24% report being physically assaulted (U.S. Transgender Survey, 2016); 13% sexual assault U.S. Transgender Survey, 2016). Recognize, honor, value, and respect trans children.


Treatment of Transgender Students in Virginia’s Public Schools

It is not the responsibility of schools to teach sexual education or sexual orientation.  It is the parent's responsibility. This policy encourages children to hide information from their parents, creating a family rift.  How is this good for our society. Allowing biological boys to change for PE in a girls locker room does not protect the girls. This policy is not thought out and is harmful to our community. I still have not heard a reasonable explanation how someone can biologically be a boy or girl but somehow really be the opposite.  Maybe you wish you were the other, but you can never really be the other no matter how many operation you have.


Strongly Support!

I almost killed myself more than once growing up LGBTQ+ because of the atmosphere in this state's public schools. If we are able to help children NOT feel like they want to kill themselves, I believe it's common sense to do so.


Adamantly opposed to transgender policy in public schools!

This is a mental health issue that should be addressed by a mental health expert. If teachers were not forced to be teaching this sort of thing they could concentrate on actually teaching the basics.  Our educational system is in a shambles because of such nonsense.


The turning upside down in our schools because of transgenderism

If I go live in another country, where my culture is not practiced by the people there, it doesn't mean I can't live in that country.  What it does mean is that I know that my culture may not be displayed and congratulated, and my ideas of my culture will most likely not be changing their ideas.  I can still be me and still be accepted into their society, but I understand it is not my place to turn their culture upside down and topple their customs and ways.  These ideas have parallel constructs within the topic of transgenderism.  Most people who are male and female from birth and live those related lifestyles are not opposed to others having a different sexuality.  But when those individuals and institutions who do not assent to the transgender lifestyles are assailed by those who want to change the cultural norm and majority, then it becomes problematic at best.  One case in point - biological males competing against girls in sports.  We have to say "no".  It's a vote FOR our girls.  In this area, hypocrisy is revealed by those who champion women in equitable salaries with men, etc., yet, they do not champion the young girls who have played sports all their lives.  Those girls who have worked hard for a college scholarship in their sport, only to have a person who identifies differently from their birth sex, take it all away from them.  How can this be championing women's rights?  Societies have customs, values and beliefs because of what the majority hold in common together.  US culture holds in common assigned sex at birth.  Pluralism holds a society together and pluralism should be the voice of reason in this situation regarding transgenders' appeals for rights in our schools.


Strongly Opposed

I strongly oppose any transgender policies in our schools that allow for bathroom use or gender reference/education or physical education, etc. that differs from biological gender


Strongly support this movement

Strongly support any legislation that promotes equality in our schools.  This teaches our children acceptance of all people no matter what their differences are.  Just 50 years ago they where having the same conversation about allowing African Americans to go to school and use the same bathroom as their white neighbors.  I think we know what side history stands on when we look back at that, please be on the right side of history and choose to support equality.