Strongly opposed

Good afternoon; I am a mother to 3 children in Virginia public schools and I am not comfortable with anyone of the opposite sex entering into a dressing area or bathroom where my children are. If you feel the need to send transgender children into another bathroom then my suggestion would be to have a third private option where they can go and change or use the restroom in private. I am understanding that people have different values and beliefs. But I feel like allowing boys to go into girls restrooms and vice verse is extremely inappropriate and I do not feel safe with the decision to allow this. One of your jobs is to keep children safe. A majority of our children are not transgender and I feel like some children would be taking advantage of this situation. If you are worried about keeping transgender children safe then refer to my suggestion above about a completely separate area for them. I was a victim of sexual assault at a young age and I just feel like placing my daughters in a potentially dangerous situation is not acceptable. You all need to do better at leaders and for our children then exposing them to this. Let the sexually confused children’s drs and parents deal with their situation in private and you should stay out of it if you can’t keep the majority of kids safe. sincerely; Mrs. Heather B A concerned parent


Live and Let Live

Most children today don't care what sex people identify as, and neither do most parents or school officials. Most take a "live and let live" attitude. What is proposed here is bad policy and financially costly. The number of transgender students in FX County (the largest school system in the state and one of the most supportive of trans students) is estimated to be less than 50 people total and yet this policy places significant burden on millions of good teachers, administrators, parents, and other children. It is likely that there are school districts in Virginia with single digit transgender people. It is more practical, and more cost effective, to treat each transgender child uniquely at their school. I am also strongly opposed to the school system stepping in and assuming the role of parent. Parents must be at the center of their child's life, and brought into the conversation. Studies have shown that when children feel disconnected from their parents, their life outcome is severely degraded. This policy undermines parental involvement and is therefore detrimental to the long term success of children. Further, will this policy ultimately enable biological males who are transgender to be allowed to participate in girls/womens sports? Scientific evidence is clear that these athletes would have a significant advantage over biological females. The unintended result will be that many young girls are discouraged and end up feeling inferior in biological males. This is exactly the opposite of what our systems are set up for. There is a better way than this policy.


Strongly Oppose

All children are made in God's image and should absolutely be protected from all forms of bullying.  At the same time, parents should never be kept in the dark when it comes to their children.  They should ALWAYS be informed.  A biological male should NEVER be allowed in a biological females restroom or changing room.  Both biological genders have the right to feel safe and protected.  This policy is NOT the answer.


Strongly Oppose

This is nothing more than a political issue.  Science does not support the view of transgender thought.  This is a psychological problem and should be dealt with as such. As responsible parents, teachers and members of society, we should fight to remove the stigma associated with mental illness and work toward getting them the help they are screaming for. In addition,  any psychologist knows well that children do not complete brain development until the mid 20s, which also is affected by biological sex.  Let's get these children the help they need to understand what they are going through. In addition, children who know they are either male or female should not be subjected to the issues this poor thinking subjects them to.  It infringes on their rights.  This is a can of worms that should never have been encouraged, much less considered. Let's get these children help and support that are confused.


Gender Policy

I humbly submit to the VDOE that it is not your duty, obligation, or responsibility to dictate to children political agendas that are harmful to their physical and mental well being. PARENTS are the authority and MUST be included, informed, and communicated with. PARENTS must take back their authority over the education of their child. Though it has already begun, my concern is these woke, pc, and negative policies enacted in one state will inevitably transfer to other states. Having lived and served on a public school board in VA, I've seen how parents are systematically being ignored, removed, and negated when it comes to the education of their children. Parents are desperate to have alternative education environments for their children so they aren't subjected to political agendas and policies that are the opposite of their core belief system. It's shameful that VA continues to fight to limit school choice, which in many cases traps parents into making choices that aren't in the best interest of their child. This practice is nothing short of promoting and ensuring failure for a percentage of the K-12 population. I do not support and will ask you not to support any policy that removes parental authority out of the decision-making process. Thank you, Dr. Karen Hiltz


Transgender policy- STRONGLY oppose

I strongly oppose this policy. It sets a very dangerous precedent and opens the door for numerous sexual assault and harassment cases within schools. Terrible, horrible, awful, STUPID idea.


STRONGLY APPOSE

I do not approve of the proposed guidelines to eradicate all distinctions between male and female and to indoctrinate our school children. I strongly disagree with the recommended standard (p. 12) which states, "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...".  I believe it is the parent's job and perrogative , NOT the school's, to help a student explore, facilitate and make decisions regarding their gender expression of sexual identity while at school. I also strongly appose the the idea that "Access to facilities such as restrooms and locker rooms that correspond to a student's gender identity shall be available to all students."(Draft Policy, p.18) I believe that my teenage daughters have a right to change in all female locker rooms and bathrooms and should not be forced into a position where they would see male anatomy while changing for sports, PE, etc. I believe this violates their basic rights. I disagree with many other points in the proposed policy change as well.  I feel like my rights as a parent will be taken away. PLEASE DO NOT PASS THE PROPOSED POLICIES. Thank you, Rachel McEwen


Model policies for transgender students

I strongly oppose this policy.


Strongly opposed

This is wrong! You will end up with people abusing this!


Fully support

As a Virginia public school teacher, a parent of students in Virginia public schools, and someone with a doctorate in educational leadership and policy, I know that Virginia public school educators, students, and other stakeholders and would all benefit greatly from their local school districts' creation of a trans student inclusion policy. It is very much needed. I fully support this legislation.


I am FOR this anti discrimination policy.

I see so logical, moral, or ethical reason to oppose a measure or policy that will help ensure that ALL students are treated fairly and are acknowleged for who they are.


Strongly OPPOSE!!!

I strongly oppose the transgender bathrooms! Leave them as they’ve always been!


Model Policies for the Treatment of Transgender Students in VA Public Schools

Faith, science, and reason support male and female gender at birth.  I believe parents are the teachers of their children’s sexuality.  I do not agree with government agencies (schools) interfering with the sexual orientation of children.  I vehemently disagree with policies that withhold important information from parents concerning their child’s actions at school.  This is teaching deception.  It also undermines parent/teacher trust.  I do believe children should be protected from harassment, bullying, harm.  Each and every child is a gift to all of us. policies want to include withholding important information their child


OPPOSE! Opening the door for molestation/assault/rape

This is ridiculous. Education doesn’t take place in a bathroom. Pretty sure both genders are allowed in classrooms, which is where the teaching takes place. This bill will open doors for molestation, assault and/or rape and there’s no red flags of a male entering a woman’s bathroom will occur any longer. Are you ready for the victims of these crimes to increase?????


Strongly Support

I work with many young adults and teens who have endured significant trauma due to others dictating their identities.  Allowing everyone to be who they know themselves to be does no harm to their neighbor.  Public schools must be a place of safety and respect for transgender students and all students.  Please support this legislation.


Opposition to proposed guidelines for transgender education in Virginia schools

As a follower of Jesus Christ and pastor for 50 years and as as a former resident and as a former legal and active voter in the Commonwealth of Virginia for 35 years, I want to voice my strong opposition to the currently proposed transgender guidelines that seek to promote and force transgender views upon children and youth ages 18 and younger, and proposed guidelines that disregard the rights of parents, are morally wrong and contrary to the Bible, and are contrary to historical education in public schools for more than 200 years. Richard Parke


Lgbtq students

Public school policies should reflect the reality of diverse demographics and support the needs of all students, especially LGBTQ students. Having inclusive school policies is an important step in supporting all students, regardless of gender, race, or orientation.


Shared restroom

This is ridiculous, I will be filing law suits if I find out boys are going into restrooms that my granddaughter may be in.


Oppose! Your rights end when others' begin

Transgender Policy: Your rights end where others’ begin.  Thomas Jefferson said, “There can be no Right, or Limitation of Right, inconsistent with, or opposite to the greatest public Good.” These policies are big changes that would infringe on the rights of many other people.  I think they would be very unhealthy for a multitude of reasons.  They are offensive to many people and will not accomplish what you want, but create a more hostile environment. The policy treating it like other discrimination and harassment (Draft policy pg. 10)- complaints could be weaponized against other students and/or teachers. This could be exploited by any student by changing their minds and ‘gender’ at will, any number of times. Particularly offensive and illegal – a blatant violation of parental rights – is the idea of the school helping a student to explore, facilitate, and make decisions without the parent’s knowledge or consent!    (Recommended standard, Pg. 12)  This would be opening up schools to lawsuits, not to mention political suicide. In addition it is the RIGHT OF THE PARENTS to nurture their children as they see fit.  It would be blatant and illegal over-reaching to interfere in this area of parenting and report it as abuse, if they disagree with radical ideologies.  The ideas that you propose to set forth as policies are not proven to help children with gender confusion.  There is much evidence to the contrary.  (Recommended standard, pg. 13) I have cited multiple Supreme Court cases below upholding parents’ rights to nurture their children as they see fit. The policies would also put many girls at risk for harassment, abuse and violence.  What about the rights of all of the girls in these facilities – their right to feel secure in restrooms and locker rooms.  What parents want their 9 th grade daughter entering a bathroom, or locker room, with a 12 th grade biological male?  (I do not know of any!)  Again, you would be responsible for opening up the schools to lawsuits. The policy would essentially “tie the hands” of school staff: “School staff should not confront students about their gender identity upon entry into the restroom.” (Recommended Standard, p.18) You are forcing a worldview that is based in feelings, not based in facts .  Transgender is not biological reality.  Human sexuality in binary.  Females have X,X chromosomes, males have X,Y.  Someone who identifies as transgender, that is not in their body, that is in their thoughts. Thoughts and feelings, are not hard-wired; they are subjective. They can be factually wrong, or factually correct.  (Delusions are a real thing, and the definition is a fixed, false belief.)  You would be doing more harm than good and it seems these policies are intended to create more confusion about gender in students, than to actually solve any problems.  (https://sexchangeregret.com/how-to-debunk-transgender-madness-in-2-minutes/) One of the world’s leading authorities on gender confusion, Dr. Paul McHugh, former psychiatrist in chief at Johns Hopkins University Hospital warned, “…policymakers and the media are doing no favors either to the public or the transgendered by treating their confusions as a right in need of defending rather than as a mental disorder that deserves understanding, treatment and prevention.” ( https://fwipetitions.org/fwi/16-facts-on-gender-confusion/ ) For children who experience gender confusion, family therapy can help. Dr. Kenneth Zucker, head of the Child and Adolescent Gender Identity Clinic in Toronto, Canada and one of the leading authorities in the world on gender disorders, has treated over 500 children with gender confusion. He has documented that in the vast majority of cases , therapy focused on reducing the psychopathology within the family and child and has resulted in the child’s acceptance of their birth sex. (Zucker, K. and Bradley, S. Gender Identity Disorder and Psychosexual Problems in Children and Adolescents, The Guilford Press, New York, NY, 1995) ( https://fwipetitions.org/fwi/16-facts-on-gender-confusion/ ) Just a few SUPREME COURT CASES regarding parents rights involving their families: Meyer v. Nebraska (1923) - A case ruling that parents may decide for themselves if and when their children may learn a foreign language, based on a fundamental liberty interest individuals have in the family unit . (And this has much broader implications than a foreign language!) Pierce v. Society of Sisters (1925) - A case deciding that parents may not be forced to send their children to public rather than private schools, based on the idea that, once again, parents have a fundamental liberty in deciding what happens to their children. Griswold v. Connecticut (1965) - Connecticut's laws against distribution of contraceptives and contraceptive information to married couples are struck down, with the Court relying on earlier precedent involving the rights of people to make decisions about their families . Jones V Barlow (UT Supreme Court, 2017)  The Court upheld the right of parents to raise their children.  It held that a lower court’s award of visitation rights to Barlow’s ex-partner wrongly interfered with Barlow’s “right to direct the upbringing of her child”.


Do not support!

This is complete government overreach and will take away the responsibility parents have  for their own children into the hands of the state. This isn’t going to help the trans community in the long run. They are just being used as a political pawn. Gender transitioning will not help them, it will only hurt them.


Strongly Oppose

I am registering my strong opposition to the changes regarding language (preferred pronouns) and use of bathrooms. These changes will have detrimental effect on the physical and mental health all children. Your intent may be to sooth feelings of some children. Enacting these rules, however, will be creating an environment negatively effecting the overwhelming majority of students. These rules will only increase severe mental health issues related to depression and anxiety, not reduce these issues. We've already seen massive increases in depression and anxiety among children and adolescents, and increases in suicidal ideation, suicide attempts, and, sadly, suicide. These result can be avoided by reversing and not implementing these directives.


Strongly Support

I strongly support the adoption of this model guidance. All children need to feel loved and supported for whoever they are.


Treatment of Transgender Students-Strongly Opposed

I strongly oppose the proposed Model Policies for the Treatment of Transgender Students. It seems to  promote the "transgender ideology", there are no regulations to notify a parent or guardian of a student's request to affirm their gender identity, cannot use normally used gender pronouns, concern about the privacy, modesty and safety in the uses of bathrooms and locker rooms, etc. This policy contains no common sense and is opposed to natural law and our christian faith. Again, I am strongly opposed to the proposed Model Policies for the Treatment of Transgender Students


Transgender in schools - strongly oppose

I strongly oppose the transgender in schools in Virginia. No way I want boys in the bathroom with my daughter or male teachers in the bathroom with my wife. There needs to be separate bathrooms for these folks not the majority.


Support

Please continue to support our trans students. These students need to be treated with the same respect as their peers. We provide supports for students that come from poverty, students whose first language is not English, students who face learning disabilities. These students need our support as well. They already face more bullying than most. Rules sharing these students should be respected and supported are overdue.


OPPOSE 100 PERCENT

It's sick this is even up for discussion.  Perverts will always bend the law.


Fully support

I am a parent of a Virginia public school student and I fully support adopting the proposed guidelines to keep trans kids safe and supported in our schools. Every child needs to feel  valued and nurtured and accepted for who they are, and have a safe and supportive learning environment free from discrimination and harassment.


Strongly Oppose

Students will be allowed to claim to be either a biological male or female (or both, neither, or something else entirely) for any duration of time, without providing any evidence to a teacher or administrator, making it impossible for teachers to comply with these policies .


VA schools transgender plans

Strongly oppose! Keep the school system out of our families! Enough is enough! Leave the parenting to the parents and stay out of our way! If the schools refuse to educate our children then issue vouchers so we can take OUR money and send our children to schools that are willing to educate them.


Martha L Gravett, MS., Pedagogical Consultant

Endorse Providing Guidance to Educators

Working in the field of early childhood education for 50 plus years, I have observed that children often become aware of their place on the gender identity continuum first as preschoolers and then carry their awareness forward into their teens and adulthood.  Given this is true, and given that young people who do not understand this process may have questions, may  bully or distain transgender individuals, or may become confused;  adult guidance is needed. The adults responsible for the education and care of all of these children deserve good information in order to support them all-- both transgender and non, and from preschoolers to 12th graders.


STRONGLY Oppose!!

I STRONGLY oppose this Bill!  Forty percent of transgender people have attempted suicide.  The brain is not fully developed until the age of 25.  Therefore, how in the world can someone make such a life changing decision before then?  I was considered a "tomboy" until I was about in 9th grade.  I cannot imagine how my life would have turned out if my parents would have made such a horrific decision for me!  The parents that make this decision for their child should be considered child abusers.  Children are exposed to so many inappropriate things at too young of an age as it is right now.  We need to get back to putting our kids first and knowing what is appropriate for them instead of what gender we want them to be because they did not come out of the womb the gender that we were hoping for.  Kids have enough to go through as it is with social media.  We need to look at protecting them more by keeping them away from things that are not appropriate for them and perhaps we would not even be having this discussion.  Kids go through traumatic events.  Therefore, they should have professional counseling (and not just a school counselor) in order to be able to deal with what they have gone through instead of making them think that their life would be better if they were the other gender.  God DOES NOT make mistakes, and the parents that are doing this to their children will have to answer to it! The person(s) that proposed this horrific Bill should be removed.  Hopefully, they will be removed from office with the next election!  Let kids be kids!!


strongly oppose

I strongly oppose the guidance document proposal for treatment of transgender students.


Transgender Revisions for VA School System - Very Strongly Support

This is long overdue and I am quite happy to hear that these students will getting the legal protection and support (that they should have at a minimum) in school districts across the Commonwealth of Virginia. Most negative comments here are operating off of a great amount of ignorance and fear on this issue. I should know, I am a Trans woman myself and I very much appreciate this substantial progress as it will save the lives of many Trans / Non-Binary youth who attend school in Virginia. Gender variant individuals have existed across all cultures since the dawn of human history. It is high time they are supported and brought out of the shadows. Diversity is strength.


Strongly OPPOSE transgender mandates for public schools

I oppose the Virginia Department of Education's currently proposed transgender guidelines for public schools. I guidelines establish unacceptable controls over children and deny parents their rights toward their children.


Strongly oppose!!!!

There are so many issues that are more important than this in our public schools. Protect our students that don't want to share restrooms or locker rooms with someone of the opposite sex!


Oppose

This infringes on the rights of parents and doesn’t protect the privacy of all children.


Transgender ideology in Virginia schools.

I strongly oppose transgender ideology in our schools. It would be harmful to our children and undermine parental rights to raise their children as they see fit.


STRONGLY SUPPORT

I am in support of policies that acknowledge and protect transgendered students.  The state cannot allow vulnerable students to be marginalized.  Transgendered students exist and attend Virginia schools.  To avoid putting policies in place that support transgendered students' education and personal safety is not only inhumane and short-sighted, it places Virginia on the wrong side of history and sets the state up for liability and lawsuits in the future.


Strongly opposed

My husband and I are strongly opposed to this idea of transgender students using the same restrooms and locker rooms with all students. I have a middle school age daughter and I’m not comfortable with a young man coming in the locker room and changing next to her or using the restroom next to her. I fear this could be used as an excuse to get into the locker room of the opposite sex. I also fear confusion for the rest of the children. Couldn’t there be a separate room or separate restroom for them that would be a way to respect everyone’s privacy and choice?  I think we have to protect every child and their choices and their believes but this is not the answer. Please do better at protecting every child.


when did it become acceptable to discriminate against one group to pander to another?

I believe we do a huge injustice by pandering to one group by discriminating against another.   Doing wrong by one group to try in right a wrong on a second group, whether it is real or perceived is immoral. If you allow someone to merely say today I am a woman  then have access to women only areas how do you plan on protecting young women that you may have just put in harm's way?   I am not saying or implying that people that identify as transgender will necessarily harm anyone. I am saying is that changes like this can very easily be exploited by people with bad intentions.  Therefore you are potentially putting people at risk for really no other benefit then to make yourself feel better.  These things need to be thought through and emotion needs to be left out of it.


Very strongly opposed!

very strongly opposed to this in it’s entirety!


Strongly oppose!!!!

This proposal goes much further than just helping transgender students. The definition the policy proposes for gender identity is fluid, subjective, and unscientific. The policy removes parental rights and gives too much power to unaccountable school staff and bureaucrats. It also removes students' rights and privacy by allowing boys into female bathrooms and locker rooms and even allows boys to share rooms with females on overnight trips. And finally, it compels speech by forcing people to use the transgendered vocabulary and is a form of verbal bullying in itself.


Strongly disagree with the Transgender rule changes as proposed

Boys room, girls room and others if need a third catagory. Subjecting others, especially girls to the other sex unexpectedly.....I see many bladder infections in the kids future's due to not going when needed. If this is the rule, then one to a bathroom. With a lock! Also, Taking parents rights to raise their kids as they see fit is wrong. Parental inclusion is a must.


Transgender Education

Very strongly opposed to teaching immoral behavior to young minds!


Transgender

Strongly oppose! You don't discriminate and endanger one group to pander to another!


Transgender Opposition

I strongly oppose. My child should never be interrogated without a parent. Furthermore, you can’t impose a rule or law that goes against how a person was naturally born. Especially if a person means no harm and isn’t trying to be insulting. A persons choice on how they want to live should not suspend the freedom of others. This is going TOO far!


Transgender changes in schools

I strongly oppose this new plan.  While I fully understand that transgender people have a long road to walk and will support their choice, our schools are not the place for this.  Can we teach tolerance and understanding?  Absolutely!  But should 2 children of a different sex share a bathroom???  Absolutely not.  This is a safety  concern for all parents. When kids are in middle and high school,  they are learning who they are sexually, pushing children together like this is only going to cause issues.  Our schools should be promoting peace and understanding for all sexes and orientations,  not deciding which bathroom they should use.  This is not about being politically correct,  this is about our kids, the most important part of our lives.  I choose to keep my kids safe and teach them tolerance and if this is passed, my children will be homeschooled.


STRONGLY OPPOSE!!

It is not the business nor privilege of the State, or any school board, to decide what to teach our children in matters of Faith or Morals, which this proposal most certainly does. Parents are the primary educators of their own children, and it is up to the parents alone to guide them on issues such as these.


NO!

Do you realize IF this were to pass, you would be inviting a host of other issues? Males in a female restroom or locker room that are potentially sexual deviants or offenders? Or females in a male locker room which have the same ideas. You are inviting situations and opportunties for harassment, sexual misconduct, rape? This proposal is not the answer. There is a room for males, a room for females, maybe there needs to be a separate room for someone who identifies as the opposite gender as they were born- independent of whichever they identify as. I don’t claim to know the answers but this proposal of allowing males to use the ferooms and visa versa isn’t acceptable.


STRONGLY OPPOSE!!!!

This shouldn’t even be a question!


Support - Allow children to determine who they are and want to be

As an educator of 15 years I strongly support this legislation. Students deserve to be who they are and not who society forces them to be. To not allow a child to determine their own identity is as if to state that their entire identity and idea of self is decided at birth. In addition, for many students school is the only safe space for them. To not allow them to be who they truly are - their authentic self - we take that safety away from them.


STRONGLY OPPOSE!!

STRONGLY OPPOSE!! It is not the business nor privilege of the State, or any school board, to decide what to teach our children in matters of Faith or Morals, which this proposal most certainly does. Parents are the primary educators of their own children, and it is up to the parents alone to guide them on issues such as these.  The schools responsibility is to teach reading writing and arithmetic.  Stop indoctrinating our children.


Strongly SUPPORT

We need to support all of our students.


Strongly Support

I am in strong support of passing this legislation to protect and support the transgender community. It is important for all students to feel heard, supported and included in their education system as well as establish guidelines to protect this marginalized community. I also think this wording and guidance is helpful for teachers to protect and support students to the best of their ability.


Transgender students

Strongly oppose! Keep the school system out of our families! Enough is enough! Leave the parenting to the parents and stay out of our way! If the schools refuse to educate our children then issue vouchers so we can take OUR money and send our children to schools that are willing to educate them.


Concerned parent

I read all documentation with trying to place myself in the shoes of the students and parents who have children who are gender non-conforming.  It seems very reasonable to me that for gender non-conforming students there should be access to facilities that help them maintain their privacy when changing for school related activities.  I can see there is true value in that consideration.   However, the guiding principle that a school staff member may not question a student who enters a gender specified bathroom and is only known to the staff as the opposite gender clearly poses problems for mischievous behavior at best, and concerns for safety to the other students at worst. I also have to wonder how would each school district be able to determine an accurate percentage of the student population they would need to provide these facility considerations for so school taxes are not being wasted on an ambiguous budgetary line item?


Oppose

Schools need to teach subjects and not morality.  Truth needs to be taught based on science and reality. Behavior needs to follow what is true - not wishful thinking.  Schools should provide for the safety of all children, respect everyone's religious freedom and freedom of speech and not preference anyone!


Support

I support this legislation that works to allow trans youth to experience safety and acceptance at school, which can function as a site of stress if there is no structural support for students who are trans and gender nonconforming. It also should not be the burden and responsibility of trans and gender nonconforming youth to have to educate their teachers and peers on their identities and experiences. These model policies will strive to build education and acceptance within the school environment so trans and gnc students can be more present and not live in fear, and their peers can learn how to be supportive, respectful allies.


OPPOSE!

It is no body's business, State, School Board or Educator, to decide what it teaches our children in matter's of Faith or Morals.  Parents are the primary educators of their own children, and it's up to the parents alone to decide and guide them on these issues.


transgender students

Full inclusion and understanding of transgender students and related issues are much needed.


The pronoun and bathroom legislation currently being discussed for schools.

I oppose!


STRONGLY OPPOSE

The school system has absolutely no place mandating or even involving themselves in this. There are many "special needs" that kids have, and gender dysphoria is one of those. However, the entire population of kids need not be turned on its head to cater to a tiny fraction of confused kids. This is something that should be dealt with at home, and kids need to use the facilities according to the genitalia they are born with. Please do not force children to live the fantasies of liberal adults living vicariously through them.


Oppose

Strongly oppose that students should be forced to use another student's new 'preferred pronouns'.  Instead should just call them by their name. Strongly oppose that all students will be allowed to use any bathroom or locker room they choose, without being questioned by any school administrator or faculty.   This eliminates privacy and safety of students in states of undress.


STRONGLY OPPOSE

It would seem ‘follow the science’ means nothing anymore. We actually now ‘Ignore the science’ or ‘ignore biology’ in order to advance an agenda and encourage sexual behavior that all to often has serious emotional and physical consequences. Furthermore, putting this burden of forcing a teacher to deny their own conscience or to deny what they plainly see is heartbreaking. As if teachers weren’t already struggling right now!? Perhaps some teachers have no issue with this, but where is the conscious clause for those who will undoubtedly struggle? Where is the conscious clause for parents who don’t wish to complicate their child’s education with such unnecessary distractions? I am quite sure there isn’t one. We’ve gone mad. ????


Transgender Issues

I believe that public education  should focus on the child's mind not their gender.  Parents are responsible for the welfare of their children.  Children are just that, children, and should not be confused by adults wanting them to change their gender.  This is CHILD ABUSE.  What is behind it.  If anything, public education can help families instead of trying to destroy them.


No to this trans crap!

Why encourage being something they are not? We should be teaching these kids to be happy with who they are. Why would you make the majority uncomfortable when that still will leave the minority uncomfortable? It puts boys at risk for being accused of sexual harassment and our girl at risk of being harassed or assaulted. Are you going to have a teacher of the opposite sex watching kid change clothes and use the bathroom? Now that's going to put teacher in a bad position. I pray I never have to put my child in public schools.


transgender agenda

This policy proposal keeps the parents of the child behavior in secret.  Is this how a family is to function.  Secrets are deadly. Where is the protection for the children who see the child of the other gender come into the restroom?  Terrifing  for them. I am totally against the policy going forward in our county.


For God’s sake... Support!

Trust science, trust doctors, trust teachers, trust trans students, trust their friends and family, and trust God’s plan. Kindness and love are the key. Who are we to question God’s plans and creations? Shall we only accept those we understand? Trans rights are human rights. People are people. Don’t spread hate and fear. Be kind, help others, take care of those in need. Support laws and guidance that support trans people.


Oppose

Oppose this.


Absolutely oppose

Appalling policy, which seeks to force the state's public school students to positively affirm those suffering from the disorder of gender dysphoria. Equally as appalling, this draft guidance also seeks to undermine parents' authority to educate their children in the area of sexual mores. If imposed, this guidance will force students and parents who object to this offensive intrusion into this sensitive area, to either protest loudly and constantly, and, or pull their children out of Virginia's public schools. Accommodation may be able to be made for students suffering from the gender dysphoria disorder, but brainwashing all students and staff, and proposing to spy on and turn-in parent to CPS, is not only wrong-headed, it is an assault on the freedoms of conscience, expression, privacy, and religion. This is a dangerous draft policy.


STRONGLY OPPOSE!

I strongly oppose this policy. It's dangerous for our students, it undermines parents/family units, and it normalizes a thing that should not be normalized for our impressionable students. No female student should worry about a male student coming into the bathroom at any time, or changing in front of them. I strongly oppose this proposed policy for so many reasons.


Schools aren't parents

I and many other parents are very concerned about first the arrogance of the our State legislatures and now VDOE that schools know better than parents. This is way beyond self-righteous. The current model policies states on page 13 "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." Who is to determine what is defined as at risk of abuse or neglect? This is at the discretion of the individual teachers and school administrative staff and many of them have very extreme and biased views regarding transgender students. I have heard of specific instances in other states in which a student has been upset that their parents were concerned over the child's interest in changing their pronoun and that was sufficient in the eyes of the teacher to be abusive. This is crazy. I also have an issue with schools not being put in the position of "outing" a student to their parents. You are saying that schools know better and that values held by the VDOE supersede that of parents and families. This is an appalling premise. I have fundamental issues with transgender youth in general. Transgender adults is a whole different issue and I totally support the decision of adults to make this important decision, but please educate yourselves if you believe supporting transgender youth is actually OK.  However, believing you are superior to parents and that you should play the role of parents is morally wrong and reprehensible. You are encouraging children to potentially live dual lives and I assure you will increase the suicide rate among students. You are absolutely destroying the lives of these students and their families, which is unconscionable.


Oppose this

Bathrooms should be limited to the biological gender not a made up idea of gender. Keep the bathrooms a safe place for our kids!


I do not support Transgender rules.

I do not support the new transgender policy. Your biological genital should determine which bathroom to use.This rule is going to be exploited by perverts intentionally going into the wrong bathroom ,then claiming they are transgender. I think it is ridiculous to hold facility accountable for mistaking someones gender. society should not have to comform to someones sexual preference. Why should my daughter be forced to share a bathroom room with a male,what about her rights. Forcing citizens by law to use certain pronouns is a violation of free speech. I do believe we need more individual bathroom stalls and better access to mental health.


Strongly oppose

Public schools should teach kids how to read and write, not how to lie to their parents.  Schools should be places of learning.  Keep transgenderism out of our schools.


Oppose transgender guidelines proposed

The guidelines proposed would bind teachers to compliance with confusing guidelines that could be manipulated by students who wish to continually change preferred pronouns pertaining to gender.  The school environment is a safe place for learning and teachers must be respectful and respected as the authority in their classroom.  Students may choose/change their gender outside the classroom, but must be subject to the leadership of teachers while attending school.


I do not approve of this movement.

I do not approve because of my religion.


I don't approve

Is against my Christian believes.


I don't approve

there is only male and female the way God said it was. the government should not push these beliefs on out children. the parents are in charge of what they teach their children not the government


STRONGLY OPPOSE

I strongly oppose


Strongly Oppose

This is BAD idea. Nothing good will come of putting men and women in the same bathroom/changing rooms/showers. Privacy, modesty, respecting one’s own body and safety are still ideals we should be instilling in our children and society as a whole. This breakdown of fundamental principles like modesty ,privacy , and decency should not be shoved down People’s throats...especially our most impressionable and often vulnerable! Why would ANYONE  want to designate  a place and provide an opportunity for dangerous situations to occur. At a time when rape, child trafficking, pornography, sex trafficking, and other crimes against children and women are rising, would you suggest such a blatantly stupid idea. Clearly, accommodations  can be made for the VERY small minority( for example...unisex one stall bathrooms with showers)  this mental illness effects without inflicting this dangerous practice on the masses.


Strongly opposed

I am strongly opposed to forcing LGBTIA+ ideology on school students, especially during the time in their lives where they are learning about their place in the world, accepting of themselves, and becoming young men and women.  With the transgender ideology especially, it has been shown that girls are especially hurt, whether it's losing a race, match, etc. to a biological male pretending to be a female, or a potential male predator seeking victims in the girls' locker room.   I strongly encourage the state of VA to oppose these policies and protect the students under their tutelage.


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

I am writing to express my strong support for the Model Policies for the Treatment of Transgender Students in Virginia Public Schools. I believe they will provide excellent education and guidance to localities in Virginia, which in turn ensures appropriate and supportive responses to students identifying as transgender. As a parent of a student entering public school within the next year, I believe these policies are essential to ensuring that all children have a right to learn, free from discrimination and harassment. These policies also uphold the values and behaviors that I would want modeled for my child by adults that are leaders and authority figures in their school community.


Strongly Oppose!

Strongly Oppose!


Strongly Oppose

I cannot find words strong enough to express how fiercely I oppose this idea... It saddens me that this is even a reality - to hide something so significant from a child’s family... to fully disregard the peace and comfort of so many for the sake of a few, instead of making finding a compromise that caters to both... Oh, how I wish I had words worthy of such a significant issue...


Transgender bathroom

Strongly oppose


Strongly oppose

Strongly oppose


Oppose

I strongly oppose these model policies. While transgender children need to be treated with respect, you cannot ask all children to live by these policies. And there is NO consideration given to those who might take advantage of these policies (boys saying they're transgender just to get into the girls locker room) or for other students to complain (or be heard) in any manner. These policies also cut out parents to a crazy degree. Parents have every right to know what their children are learning and what is going on in the school. I strongly oppose these policies. If these policies are instituted, my children will no longer attend public school. I will not subject them to this stuff.


I DO NOT SUPPORT THIS

This is not something that I will support. Since forever and the beginning of time all you have ever known or seen was male or female, boy or girl. There are only two options to choose from why do things need to change now. You have to wonder where this notion came from and the effects that it is having on people. God, yes GOD created man and woman, nothing else. Why must we allow our minds to be conformed to a world that have not respect for humanity. The children are seeds from God, allow them to grow up and defend who they want to be, a doctor a lawyer, their was never an option or thought of transgender, so why now. Children are sent to schools to learn and grow up to be the next leaders in the world. They are faced with a number of bullying and abuse from other children why add to it. Every want a voice, but has anyone thought about the consequences that lies ahead. Children are hit with peer pressure  daily to make good grades, compete in sports, do better than you did the last time, who has the latest this or that. Why burden them with this transgender non sense to create more drama and more bullying, more peer pressure. What happen to schools being a safe place, to go and learn. We have taken the focus off learning that our children are failing in social skills, academic skills and basic skills to succeed in life. Can we just stop the madness for one second and think of the confusion, frustration, depression and pressure this will cause. I DONT WANT TO SEE MORE OF OUR CHILDREN DYING AND KILLING THEMSELVES  BECAUSE OF FOOLISHNESS LIKE THIS.


Yes to student protections

I fully support this addition. Students need to be surrounded with empathetic and intelligent staff who will look out for their growth and well-being. This is a start. Thank you to everyone who has worked on this.


oppose proposed VDOE transgender rules

It is unconscionable for the VDOE to propose rules that hide information relating to minors from parents and which will criminalize parents' religious beliefs.


Trans Rights are Human Rights

The Model Policies for the Treatment of Transgender students should not be necessary.  Objections to treating trans kids as equals comes from people claiming to be religious or claiming a 'what about me' defense.  The VDOE and those individuals and organizations contributing to the development of this Guidance recommendation have done an excellent job at creating a reasonable document.  Thank you for your work.  I support the document.


Support trans youth!

Trans students have the right to be safe and respected at school, just like everyone else. It’s not indoctrination, it’s common decency.


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

I perused the "Model Policies for the Treatment of Transgender Students in Virginia’s Public Schools" and support it.  It's about time we protect our transgender children in school.


Is this the public education system or the public indoctrination system?

Remember the good old days when students could go to learn and teachers could go to teach?  Sure you had many different personalities, race/ethnicity, various religious beliefs, taste in music, and their own passions in life; none of these impacted my personal beliefs, there was no expectation from others that I shall adopt their beliefs nor were they forced down my throat in a manner such as this  ridiculous proposed policy.  As a parent of three young children this policy is deeply concerning.  This will be another hurdle and distraction that will reduce the teaching capacity of teachers and the learning capacity of students.  I fear this will drive the good educators out because teaching false science and made up pronouns is not what they agreed to when they went into this career.  Quite frankly, I don’t want my kids subjected to this nonsense either.  I would love to see statistics on how many transgender students there are in elementary school and middle school in Virginia, because I can’t find anything under the age of 13.  If that’s the case why are we subjecting these young children to made up pronouns and forcing everyone to adhere to a policy full of lies.  I am firm believer that ALL people should be treated with dignity and respect no matter their beliefs, race, etc.  In closing, I fully support students suffering from this mental disease known as gender dysphoria and I’m in favor of those vast minority of students getting the help they need, but leave the majority of children out of this nonsense and let them focus on learning real science and truths.


SUPPORT TRANS LIVES AND SUPPORT THIS MEASURE!

SUPPORT TRANS LIVES PRIORITIZE TRANS LIVES PROTECT TRANS LIVES  PROTECT TRANS CHILDREN I don’t know how to be anymore clear. Trans lives are not going away. Stop trying to say it’s anti-science, there is new science developing all the time SUPPORTING TRANS EXISTENCE. I fully support this measure implementation.


Strongly opposed

There are a great many problems with this model policy on transgender students. 1. Biological sex is an objective reality. Requiring everyone to use opposite-sex pronouns or be judged guilty of harrassment (p. 10) is requiring everyone to lie.  2. This requires ALL facilities and activities that are sex-segregated to be based on gender identity rather than biological sex: restrooms, locker rooms, overnight accomodations on field trips (pp. 16, 17).  It is a gross violation of privacy, especially for biological girls, to require them to share intimate spaces like bathrooms and locker rooms with the opposite sex.  3.  Compounding the problem, the document advises teachers not to challenge any student entering what may appear to be the wrong restroom, etc., since being challenged may be emotionally harmful to a transgender student (p. 17).  This is an open invitation to non-trans teenage mischief-makers or predatory boys, who do actually exist.  4.  Moreover, although the document pays lip service to the idea of allowing any student who is uncomfortable to request alternate accomodations, it also specifies that transgender status is protected health information and may not be disclosed without the trans student's permission (p.11), so an objecting student may not know until after the fact.  5.  Based solely on the trans student's statement that he or she would feel unsafe, the school is not to tell his or her own parents about trangender status (p.12). Parents have the right to know what is going on with their own children.  Parents often know details about mental health, past trauma, physical problems, etc., that may be extremely relevant and the school may not know about. Teenagers do often exaggerate and sometimes are known to lie, and the majority of parents want what is best for their children. Lying to parents is a gross betrayal of trust on the part of school staff.  6.  Participation by biological boys on girls' athletic teams is unfair.  Male puberty confers a significant advantage.  As one example, in 3 years of competition two transgender athletes in Connecticut took 15 state titles that had been set over more than a decade by about 9 different actual girls. For all these reasons, and more, I oppose the model policy. There is one portion of the document that is quite reasonable, having to do with dress codes.  If it will relieve gender dysphoria, by all means allow students flexibility in what they wear.  I would also strongly support making sure there are single-user bathrooms/changing rooms available for transgender students who are not comfortable using the facilities available for their biological sex.


Don't support gender politics in schools...it undermines a child's first teachers, the parents.

This idea is ludicrous...undermine the authority of parents and hurt families to better "support" other kinds of families?  Parents have the God given right to raise their children as they see fit.  The public school system is not working with parents, but against them....and sometimes even behind their backs.  We must stand up and fight to keep our rights.


Virginia Department of Education Model Policies for Transgender Students

All too often when issues that are passionate and political enter into the domain of child/teen education, the individual(s) involved are often the first thing forgotten. It becomes more about the winning and losing and a political agenda then it is about the children or their families. I have worked professionally with children for over 35 years. I know one thing to be completely true and that is with children, generalities and agenda are not going to work. Children, ages 18 and below, need to be heard and helped by those that understand the specifics of the situation, that know the individual(s) involved, and are helped by those that know best. I have read in detail the legislation that is being put forward and a great deal of it is excellent. But there are parts of the legislation that harm both the individual that they are trying to help and parents and other individuals that are the closest to the situation. One of my best friends is a Child Psychologist in Germany. When I asked him for his insight he sighed and commented that the problem with Americans in this context is that anything to do with psychology/psychiatry, we immediately go to extremes without consideration for science, study, and the individuals involved. He said that political implementation and demonstrative emotion is going to make the situation much worse. You have to have time to study the situation, and especially Gender dysphoria, which is so often accompanied by other factors (Depression, home life, learning disabilities etc.). In Sweden, widely known as the standard bearer for Gender Dysphoria treatment, Gender Change assignment, and any therapy relating to this subject, they would look at the rules you are planning as being abusive and harmful. Giving an individual with a serious psychological burden and who is also dealing with the huge difficulties of adolescence and peer pressure, the power of decisions that they are not able to understand or handle will potentially cripple them and greatly impair decision making. Potentially separating them from the help, insight, and guidance of their parents only adds to the danger. In simple terms, giving teenagers who are in trying circumstances the power over their situation without consideration for their immediate well being and their long term well being is dangerous. Taking away Constitutional and ethical rights of the parents to help their children, makes it worse. Now let's make it an imposition upon the student body and the staff and then you are cementing a difficult situation into a potentially dangerous situation. In any other situation, the staff of the school would never consider taking away power and information from parents and giving it to a teenager (Or younger) in any other context. Apply the same context to academics, disciplinary behavior, finances, or any other aspect of life. If a 13 year old child comes forward and says that they identify as an adult and that they are free to take tests when they want, use whatever bathroom they want, behave as they want, respect and disrespect whom they want, then instruct the staff that they are to not be disciplined and not allowed to report this to the students parents because the student is now the adult. Please take a step back and look at the situation again without the glasses of politics and passion. Take more time to study with the goal being to guide and educate the individual, whether they are a young person dealing with a difficult issue, or a classmate of someone dealing with the issue, or a parent, or a teacher. Sincerely, Edward Brown


Strongly Oppose to this Document

This is awful and disgusting to introduce this to minds of vulnerable children. It’s not right to teach this to children against many parents wishes. It’s not something that should even be part of school. You go to school to learn science math history and English. Not to learn about choosing your gender. This is sick and must be stopped now.


Strongly SUPPORT

Strongly support! Trans rights are human rights!


Supporting Trans Students Allows for Better Learning

It is imperative that we consider the core purpose of our schools- to increase the knowledge, skill set, and social intelligence of our students while preparing them for any challenge they meet later in life. This can be best accomplished by allowing each student to be as "comfortable in their own skin" as possible. When a student is able to reduce social stress (i.e. having a comfortable place to use the restroom, feeling that their name truly belongs to them, etc.) it opens the door for better focus and learning opportunities with fewer emotional and psychological distractors. The model policies put forth are a small task in exchange for even one student to be able to learn and engage more efficiently.


SUPPORT TRANS PEOPLE

SUPPORT TRANS LIVES !!!! All the time always


Oppose

For some who claim that they are biologist, as someone who works in a biology related field, we know that the kids' brains are still developing and their brains also act like sponges and could be shape drastically depending on the events that they live (nurture). Moreover, there is also evidence that the reason why we live in this period of biological sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression is because of nurture not nature that is shaping the next generation of bright minds and this could have some long lasting consequences on those kids; by continuing swaying in this direction we are in danger of having lost generation. We are not advocating of the harassment of any children but for the schools to provide a safe environment for all students based on scientific evidence. Therefore, I recommend the VDOE to look at those evidence based scientific research and make a more inform decision about this bill.


Concerned teacher

As a public school teacher in VA, I am concerned about the transgender policy proposed here. I care deeply for my students. My role is to guide students to what is true and what is good. This policy is the antithesis of truth and goodness. Instead it serves to indulge an anti-scientific, sexist transgender ideology at the expense of our students. Our students are facing a mental health crisis because they feel they have no purpose. While it may seem these policies will help our youth, they instead reinforce a lie that cannot answer the questions that plague them. Students will be forced to use the restroom with others who do not match their sex. Female athletes will be forced to compete with physically stronger male athletes. Furthermore, students can easily exploit this policy putting teachers and administration at risk of harassment or discrimination. Does this sound like a functioning school environment? Finally, not only am I a teacher, I am also a Christian. To call a student by his or her preferred pronoun acknowledges a version of reality that goes against what I believe to be true. It is dehumanizing and a lie. When I become a teacher, I was not burdened by the standards put forth here. However, if you enact these policies, you will push Christian educators outside of the public sphere leading to an absence of diversity and “unity.”


Strongly Support

Trans lives matter. We must protect trans kids in our education system. The Trevor Project's National Survey shows Transgender and nonbinary youth who reported having pronouns respected by all or most people in their lives attempted suicide at half the rate of those who did not have their pronouns respected as well as more than half of transgender and nonbinary youth having seriously considered suicide. We can prevent this.


Groovy

I agree and think it should be added as long as it’s fair for everyone and no one abuses the system


Suppor! All children deserve humane treatment

I support adopting this guidance for schools. Transgender children have always existed. We must treat children with dignity and respect.


Transgender policy & education of students

I strongly oppose any policy-making  or curriculum development re transgenderism. This is not a subject teachers should have to deal with.


Transgender School Guidelines

A thoughtful and prudent and practical set of guidelines is what is needed; unfortunately, these guidelines appear to swallow whole the one-sided, controversial, extreme LBGTQEtc. agenda on the issue.  The result is likely to be  more emotional harm and fear to many more students, particularly "straight" female students, a significant degree of new chaos in the schools, and a decline in the quality and effectiveness of the educational process.  It will not provide " a safe, nurturing environment for all." The guidelines proceed from the erroneous claim that "gender"is "assigned" at birth.  Gender is determined by the chromosomes a child has at conception or develops shortly thereafter, and is recognized at birth.  Gender is not a feeling one can change from week to week, as the guidelines seem to assume. The guidelines fail to recognize that transgenderism is a recognized pyschological disorder which research has shown that 75-90% of those experiencing it grow out of some time after puberty if they do not engage is heavy medication and/or surgery. Excessive accomodating and supporting transgenderism among young, vulnerable, confused, and emotionally sensitive  children amounts to child abuse. Failing to notify parents, or enable them to know, about these developments and actions concerning their potentially transgendering child may well violate FERPA (which I drafted). Not requiring any evidentiary substantiation of a student's transgender claim will lead to an abuse of the system and become a mockery. Requiring staff to accommodate to the potentially frequent(and perhaps bizarre)  name changes by students is unreasonalble.  Better to let them address students by their last names. There is no reasonable basis for requiring attire for all school related programs, etc. to be gender neutral.  It is not necessarily discriminatory, but practical or prudential, or even harmless "traditional" distinction. Straight students should also be protected agains harrassment or intimidaton by LGBTQEtc students. The guidelines should be rewritten by a more balanced set of draftors to b e more balanced and prudent and less ideological and doctrinaire.


Strongly disagree

I believe that kids in elementary school are much to young to be able to make decisions like this. We don’t allow kids to drink or own weapons till they are at least 18 because their brains aren’t fully developed, so why should a kid who is not even half that age be able to decide what gender they want to be. Sex based dress code has been around a long time for a reason, and if you suddenly allow girls to start walking around without shirts, and to change in the men’s locker room, it would be terrible and lead to more rape, and I thought stopping rape was a big issue to the left, so why would you promote something that would just increase the number of rapes and assaults.


SUPPORT

I support this measure. Trans people exist and sometimes those people are kids too!!!


NO!!!!!!! No!!!! No!!!! No!!!!

Children need to be children. Science is never settled — to teach children something that they are not ready to grasp and which may be considered something entirely different in the future is reckless. Let’s not forget that transgenderism was consisted body dysmorphia not too long ago. Besides, it’s not the government’s job to teach children about someone’s penis or vagina not being what they want it to be. Children are innocent and if taught to be kind to everyone, they will. They don’t need to know about genitals to do that.


What’s next

I oppose WHATS NEXT


Respect All

After reading the proposed document the single line that should be kept is “All school employees shall treat all students with respect and dignity.”  Everything else in the proposal is confusing and often illogical. We can do better at protecting children than pushing ideological agendas upon them and dividing them from their families.


support fully support trans youth

support.


Policies are short sighted: Don't incorporate parents or the thoughts/concerns of other students

I do not think this guidance and proposed policy will help out transgender youth. In fact, I believe in its current form, this guidance will do much more harm than good in regards to the wellbeing of both transgender and cisgender students. The goal of this policy is to create a safe and welcoming environment for transgender students to grow and learn in. However, the policy misses the mark on a number of critical issues. If there are students struggling with their gender identity, and the Virginia Department of Education truly cares about these students, why aren’t we investing time in having school counselors help these children figure out why they identify as transgender? Why doesn’t the VA Department of Education have school therapists counsel these young people as to how/why they feel they are not the gender that they were born as? Other questions might include: what are causing these thoughts? Are the students’ understanding about their gender being caused by influences other than their own observations and feelings? Childhood and puberty are confusing times, are we serving our children best if we don’t thoroughly investigate, question, and even challenge the reasons behind their gender identity struggles? Bullying and harassment are wrong, but there is a difference between setting up young people for success by helping them understand and make sense of their own challenges, issues, thoughts, and emotions as opposed to forcing the creation of an environment that makes them feel “safe”. Once a student graduates from high school, they may find themselves in completely different circumstances, somewhere much less supportive. If they are not comfortable with themselves and/or have not developed the skills necessary to be mindful of their emotional/mental duress then they will needlessly suffer when faced with trying times. And the environment that was created during their time in school, the one meant to help them avoid having to address these issues, will ultimately be the cause of their suffering. I believe the guidance outlined in these Model Policies for the Treatment of Transgender Students should focus more on the counseling and development of life skills for these young transgender students than creating an environment that does not challenge them nor help them grow & come to peace with their gender identity. If there is a transgender student who wants to be called by a different name or referred to by different pronouns, then they should be comfortable explaining their wishes to their fellow students and teachers on an individual basis. A transgender student’s relationships with their peers and instructors should be determined at an individual level, and the type & quality of interactions should not be mandated by the VA Department of Education nor any other governing body. Again, this suggestion is not meant to condone bullying or harassment. However, if a student can be truly hurt by the use of a wrong name or pronouns, so much so that it causes them high levels of academic or emotional duress, wouldn’t they be best served by counseling and/or mentorship which would eventually help them feel comfortable discussing their thoughts, feelings, and personal preferences with those who challenge their views? Isn’t the purpose of our academic system to help students develop the skills they need in order to succeed in life once they graduate from high school and move on to university, trade, military, or career? How is creating an environment that lacks significant growth opportunities and forces others to agree with a student’s perceptions setting the aforementioned student up for success later in life? Another worrisome decision is the lack of inclusion of parents/guardians in the discovery of gender identity by transgender students. The underlying sentiment outlined in these Model Policies seem to be that in some cases the parents/guardians of transgender students may not support, or may openly condemn, transgenderism. This lack of support or condemnation can hurt the transgender student and cause negative consequences in their academic and personal life. This policy strikes me as short sighted. Parents and guardians are responsible for their child at the very least in a legal sense. If a transgender student is under 18 years old and something happens to them due to their being transgender, and the parents/guardians are not aware of their child’s gender identity, this would cause unnecessary complications. Another and more concerning item is that if parents/guardians have a lack of empathy or acceptance for their transgender child, isn’t that a real cause for alarm and perhaps an issue that may make the child’s gender identity struggles worse? A guardian’s lack of acceptance or creation of a negative atmosphere at home is something that should be dealt with, not ignored and avoided. Indeed a negative home life could gravely impact a transgender student who is struggling with their gender identity, so why does this policy propose to avoid parent/guardian involvement? These Model Policies should strive to educate and involve the parents/guardians of transgender students. If teachers, staff, and fellow students are to follow these Model Policies and in essence play an active role in supporting transgender students, then why aren’t the transgender student’s parents/guardians (people who have known them much longer and who are closely involved with their lives) not actively involved? That lack of inclusion makes no sense. It not only creates a great potential for legal issues, but also doesn’t truly help any struggling transgender youth. What could be more helpful to someone struggling with their gender identity than the support and love, or at least acceptance, of their parents/guardians? The other issue I find with these Model Policies is the seeming lack of empathy or thought for the rest of the student population. There are numerous studies cited within the Model Policies for the Treatment of Transgender Students, but they all appear to focus on the negative effects of bullying/harassment on transgender students or the positive effects they will receive from a supportive environment. Unfortunately, there don’t appear to be any studies or thought as to the effects these proposed policies will have on the rest of the student population. Has anything as thorough and sweeping as these policies been implemented in a school system before? If so, what are the effects on non-transgender students? Were there any overall negative or positive side-effects? The Model Policies do not delve into that subject area and that is worrisome to me. It concerns me that perhaps the VA Department of Education is so enthusiastic about implementing their policies that they failed to take into account the effects these policies could have on all other students. It’s almost as if the VA Department of Education has decided to focus solely on supporting transgender students at the cost of the overall well-being of the rest of the student population. Does one group’s discomfort negate the discomfort of another group? I don’t think so, but these Model Policies speak differently about the VA Department of Education’s views. I also foresee trouble with locker rooms and restrooms being used by transgender students based upon their consistently asserted gender identity. I do not believe different locker rooms and restrooms are utilized solely based upon gender, but more so based upon genitalia or "sex" as it is defined in the Model Policies. This is more a function of utility and utilizing toilets that correspond with persons who are of the same sex, versus a matter of what gender one belongs to or identifies with. I believe the rest of the student population, and their parents/guardians, should be asked as to their comfort level with transgender students utilizing a restroom/locker room that doesn’t correspond with the transgender student’s birth gender. If the officials on the VA Department of Education are comfortable sharing restrooms and locker rooms with transgender people, that is their own choice. It would be presumptuous of the VA Department of Education to assume that the entirety of the students/guardians they are supposed to be representing share those same views. Other items I find concerning: The definitions outlined at the beginning of the Model Policies for the Treatment of Transgender Students stating that cisgender versus transgender has to do with gender identity in relation to sex “assigned” at birth. That definition makes it sound as if sex is assigned to babies by some sort of entity or organization. Sex is not “assigned”. Babies are born a specific sex due to chromosomes from their mother and father. The definition used in the VA Department of Education’s policy implies some sort of unfairness in terms of sex “assignment” when really sex is determined by the gametes from one’s parents. The word “assignment” in regards to struggles with gender identity carries connotations of victimization. As if the sex of a person at birth victimizes them if later in life they do not wish to have been born that sex. Another issue I have is with the “Related Laws” section, specifically discussion of the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States: “First Amendment: The First Amendment protects freedom of speech and expression. Schools may not prevent students from expressing their identity.” Students have the right to express their identity and this includes their gender identity. Conversely, other students are also free to express their thoughts and feelings in regards to the gender identity of others. These policies from the VA Department of Education seek to diminish that right, wherein even the “improper” use of pronouns or incorrect name can be considered bullying & harassment and thus met with some form of punishment. The VA Education system contains students form many backgrounds, cultures, and religions. They are entitled to have their own thoughts, beliefs, and opinions. They may not accept that another student is a different gender than that particular student’s birth gender and those dissenting students should not be coerced into giving up their differing viewpoints. The First Amendment grants all American citizens, including Virginian students, the freedom to express their beliefs, even those that go against the policy of governing bodies like the VA Department of Education. Granted in an academic environment the expression of this belief must be done in a tactful manner, but those students have the right to express their beliefs all the same. If the VA Department of Education, or another academic institution, seeks to overrule and undermine the expression of dissenting beliefs in regards to these Model Policies, then they are being unconstitutional. They would also be creating an academic environment in which students are not allowed to think for themselves. Acceptance and empathy come from mutual respect and understanding. They do not develop from coercion and especially not from rules forced upon others from any sort of governing body. If the VA Department of Education sincerely wants to create a safe and nurturing academic environment for transgender students, then the Department needs to allow dissenting opinions to be heard and addressed. It needs to trust students to be mature enough to work things out at an individual level and not have their interactions be overly controlled by policies from any sort of administrative department. Lastly, I am curious as to what will become of school sports, specifically female sports. The average male has 10% more muscle mass than the average female. In addition, males are typically taller and heavier than females. Greater strength, height, and weight all play a big factor in athletic success. If a transgender girl wants to play female sports, due to their XY (male) chromosomes, they would be stronger, taller, and heavier than most of their cisgender female competitors. This gives the transgender girl an unfair advantage.


Trans rights are human rights

All individuals deserve the freedom to live as they choose and to express themselves as they wish.


Support Trans Youth

As a resident of Virginia, a graduate from Virginia public schools, and a transgender non-binary individual I know how important it is to support trans youth. In our lives we face countless opposition, bigotry, prejudice, discrimination, and violence. When I was in school there was no inclusivity or even basic awareness. I didn’t encounter the word transgender until I was in high school. This erasure of our existence does irreparable harm. Having an inclusive curriculum and a learning environment safe from discrimination is a basic human right not a privilege.


100% SUPPORT this! There shouldn’t even be a debate about this. Trans children deserve protection!

This is ludicrous that this even requires discussion. Trans children, at the end of the day are still children no matter how they choose to present themselves, and they deserve protection just like any other child does. I guarantee the transphobic and homophobic people in opposition to this have never even met an actual Trans person. Because, if they had they would know that they’re not some sick or twisted individual. They are wonderful stand up people who contribute to our society just live everyone else. These people fear things that are different, and things they don’t understand. Do not let their fear put the lives of Trans children in danger!


Disgusting. Please NO!

Absolutely NOT!


OPPOSE - this is creating social pressure to BECOME trans

Hi, I'm just trying to be real here, but young children are actually starting to feel PRESSURED to act trans at school. I don't know what is going on, but children feel like they aren't enough if they are just a normal kid who's happy the way they were born. It's not right to discriminate against kids who are not trans. Look at any psychological studies and there are severe psychological consequences for what the schools are trying to do with children. The private life of a child/adult is none of the school's business and for the sake of SANITY, they should treat children biologically. There are criminal characters who will prey on this situation, and I see NO satisfactory prosecution language in the bill to discourage predatory practices that will inevitably arise from these situations.


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

Everyone enjoys the Divine Right to be treated with civility, patience, kindness and respect for we are ALL children of God. In order to live in a just society, we must give to God what is due to God, the Father and Creator of us all; we must obey His commandments. Therefore, each of us must love God with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength; and our neighbor as ourselves. While I am in favor of justice, including the right of each human being to be treated with dignity and respect, I oppose the Model Policies for the Treatment Virginia's public school because they violate my right to speak the truth when referring to the God given gender of every human being as determined by every individual's particular DNA.


Seek to support the whole child - concerns with current proposal

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the Virginia Department of Education Model Policies for Transgender Students . As a parent of two girls in the public school system, I am very concerned about these proposed model policies for two primary reasons: 1) they overlook the complexities of how children and adolescents might be experiencing life by supporting only one part of how that child expresses themselves and not seeking to support the whole child 2) they infringe on parental rights. The proposed policies put how a child under 18 might feel about themselves and their [gender] identity without acknowledging or wanting to affirm all of the other aspects that make the child unique and human. In a recent podcast, Brené Brown asked her guest for the best life advice they could give in a slogan – their response “Don’t believe everything you think or feel.”  Are these policies encouraging adults to jump to conclusions about questions children and adolescents may be having and feelings they are feeling by encouraging transgender expressions that might not be permanent? These proposed policies appear to disregard the stages of adolescent development in particular. The brain is still maturing and changing and how adolescents understand and think about gender identity is different than how adults do. (see: https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/teen/Pages/Stages-of-Adolescence.aspx ) Children – adolescents especially – are often questioning their bodies, their looks, and their abilities. They are still learning who they are and how to navigate this world, but are bombarded with conflicting messages on TV and the media about gender stereotypes, sexual harassment and any other number of issues. All of these things should be discussed with children in the context of their feelings about gender or gender dysphoria. Could these policies push children into a box and move them along a continuum of hormone therapy or permanent physical changes when for some, they just might just be trying to express themselves outside cultural stereotypes or “follow the crowd”? I urge VA DOE to consider the unintended consequences the immediate and total affirmation of a child’s transgender expression may have on a child or adolescent who cannot yet fully comprehend these feelings like adults can , and who later might feel that they want to go back to expressing themselves as the gender they were previously. Could all of this affirmation (possibly without discussing with the child’s parents) be oversimplifying the bigger identity questions at hand? 2) The proposed policies would strip the rights of parents to care for their own children who are under the age of 18. As a parent, I expect the school to let me know when my child’s behavior is different, or they are sick or they are not performing as they used to, why would a school choose to hold this information from me as a parent, when any other information that concerns my child would be shared with me (health, behavior, grades, etc.). It is my responsibility as a parent to love my children and care for them in the ways I see best to support their development, education, health and welfare according to my family’s ideals. It is also my constitutional right. The proposed policies suggest that gender is subjective to each individual  person and can be therefore only be fully known by the individual and what they choose to communicate. There is nothing that suggests that we are a product of our nurturing as well as our nature – i.e. that the school should confer with a parent when a student expresses transgenderism to understand how things are going at the home. For minor children, schools should be working with parents to help children move through childhood and adolescence, rather than suggesting that teachers or administrators hide important information, such as this, from parents.


support!!!!!! support

support trans kids making informed decisions that will benefit their wellbeing


Strongly support creating a better future for trans students

I am a nonbinary trans person, as well as an attorney and advocate, who lived for a time in Virginia and still works in the metropolitan Washington, D.C. area. I wish that policies like these had existed when I was a student, because it would have made it more possible for me to feel safe and supported. It also would have made it more possible for many of my friends - some of whom did not come out as trans until well into their twenties, thirties, or even forties - to feel safe and supported. I am particularly hopeful for trans students of color and trans students with disabilities, who face compounded marginalization, stigma, and discrimination. I am especially encouraged by the model policy's careful attention to the emotional and psychological needs of transgender students around privacy (including from families), respectful identification, nondiscriminatory policies, and protection from bullying. Because so many transgender youth do not have supportive or affirming families, it's even more important for schools to protect their privacy, respect their chosen names and pronouns (if different from those given at birth), and create a welcoming environment. This policy is not perfect, but it is an important and valuable start to creating a more equitable environment in schools. I grew up in a deeply conservative Christian church where many people and leadership believed that it is sinful to assert an LGBTQ identity, including a transgender one. I understand that there are many people who live in Virginia who share the beliefs of people in my parents' church, and who therefore feel uncomfortable (at best) with the proposed policy's adoption. While I wish this were different, respectfully, I submit that their feelings do not matter when the lives, health, and safety of vulnerable students are at stake. This policy does not force students or parents who adhere to such belief systems to adopt new belief systems; it only requires school officials to foster an environment where no matter what someone's gender is, they will be treated respectfully, and hopefully, kindly. One need not "agree" with my gender for it to be real, nor for me to deserve to be treated respectfully. I can only hope that this model policy comes into full force and effect, so that trans students in Virginia might experience even at least a slight improvement in their school climate. They deserve no less.


Strongly oppose

Strongly  oppose


The VDOE Transgender Model Policy  is required by ill-advised law, unfortunately; this policy has many serious issues that violate the rights of and discriminate against all other students and parents, remove parents from faculty decisions, and other issues. The terminology on page 6 should not be taught at the K-9 level.  At the very least the definitions for “gender identity” and “gender non-conforming” should state “sex determined at birth” NOT assigned.  The determination of the sex of the person is at genetic (DNA) and at the cellular level, as well as anatomical level.  The sex of the person is not a choice, but SCIENCE. The terminology is not based on or reference any source or legal documents.  The terms are inappropriately contrived. The proposed policy duplicates the principals and policies of Virginia Code, Title 22.1-279.6., school board policies which must include standards to discipline students and protect all students, including to prohibit discrimination, bias and harassment, bullying , intimidation, and many other social behaviors that can negatively affect transgender students. No student should be harassed, bullied or shunned, including children who have gender-identity dysphoria, questions or issues.  We must be compassionate and understanding of all people. The proposed policy wrongfully forces parents and students who do not agree with promoting and encouraging transgender behaviors to comply with pronoun use, bathroom/locker room/overnight room choices of a student or faculty proclaimed.  While page 17 states that this should be based on the “consistently asserted gender identity”, the policy discusses in the terminology on page 6 that gender identity that may, on page 6: “Gender expression may change over time and from day-to-day and is not necessarily related to the person’s gender identity.”  Also, on page 6, gender-fluid.” These definitions and elsewhere leaves open the consideration that students may change their decisions about their identity from day to day and not be questioned about that decision. Students at this age require parental supervision, and the school has no place to allow any student to use any facility without question, as stated on page 17.  This policy opens the door for singling out and punishing or abusing the childhood innocents, values, and morals, violating their privacy, causing potential embarrassment, and disrespect, which is due to those non-transgender students. If a student, under the uncertainty of the seemingly endless and “fluid” variations of gender-identity, or is confused about fluid transgender demands, they may face punitive action, without faculty notifying parents (page 17).  This is unacceptable.  This section should be changed to insist on notifying the parents, while appropriately respecting the privacy of all students.  The DOE in their model has seemingly forgotten that all children and parents have needs, rights, and respect due of their beliefs, norms, morals, and civil and Constitutional rights. The DOE has fully neglected to have fair and equal representation among the drafters of this model policy, including conservative transgender and non-transgender faculty, parents, teachers, staff, institutions (e.g. Virginia Catholic Conference), and other faith community (array of religions). Has the DOE forgotten that there is a protection of religious freedom in the Constitution? The policy violates parents’ right raise their child under threat of school faculty pursuing the removal from the home and parents through Child Protective Services, a child who is exploring their sexuality and transgender behaviors, if the parents disagree with the behavior or try to otherwise influence or discuss their opinion with their child. This policy should at least not undermine the beliefs and rights of parents to determine how to raise their children.  It should be written in a balanced approach that respects the beliefs and rights of the majority as well as those who have gender dysphoria or transgender behavior. The policy wrongfully requires school faculty to hide a child's transgender and sexual exploration from parents they or the child deem will not be fully accepting.  The policy wrongfully prohibits parents from explaining to their child their views or their religious understanding of our human status, for example, that a person’s sex is determined, not “assigned” at the cellular and DNA level as male or female and beliefs about the unity of body and soul, or risk involvement by Child Protective Services and possibly removal of the child from the home. Nowhere does the policy address the viewpoint of transgender behavior being potentially an experimental, defiant behavior, and the possibility that it is not well formed but inappropriately influenced by other students, faculty, or contacts.  To reduce a parent’s role to simply accepting the decision of the faculty and a child, under threat of removal, is nothing short of a totalitarian, authoritarian control. The policy requires schools to punish for harassment students who fail to use preferred transgender pronouns (e.g. hirs, zem, they) that are not formally set or accepted in the English language. The policy should emphasize the use of proper names instead of pronouns.  Pronouns in a scholastic environment are male, female and neuter.  The complication of endless, unofficial, whimsically determined pronouns is improper, just as incorrect use of grammar is improper. Mandating unaccepted pronouns adds stress to students/children and undermines the innocents and moral upbringing of a vast majority of children. Prohibiting any gender-specific school events and attire is wrong and hypocritical, given the huge modifications and changes being directed by this policy document to accommodate the transgender community.  There are many employers, academia, and other institutions that allow and encourage ubiquitous transgender events and fora: clubs, workshops, bathroom facilities, conferences, workgroups, etc. One can expect the same would happen at schools. Why should there not be events and fora open to all students, while some open to girls, boys, or transgender students, for example, Girl Scout or Boy Scout troop, a girls’ choir, girls cheerleading team? This policy ultimately is not about discrimination. Rather, it imposes a transgender agenda on our students and school staff. The first page of the policy lists the pro-gay and LGBT organizations that contributed to these policy standards. However, input from religious institutions appears to be completely bypassed, undermining and denying the religious beliefs and rights of a vast number of parents and student children.


Strongly oppose

But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female. Mark 10:6


SUPPORT

SUPPORTTTTTT TRANS KIDS!!!!!!!!!


Strongly support

Trans lives matter. We have to protect trans kids in our education system. The Trevor Project's National Survey shows Transgender and nonbinary youth who reported having pronouns respected by all or most people in their lives attempted suicide at half the rate of those who did not have their pronouns respected as well as more than half of transgender and nonbinary youth having seriously considered suicide. We can prevent this.


Wholeheartedly approve!

I write from the perspective of a former educator with seventeen years of teaching in primary grade classrooms, as the mother of three grown children, and five grandchildren, one of whom is transgender. These guidelines outline policies that will provide a safe, supportive, and kind school environment for all children. This type of environment is needed by all children in order to learn and grow to their potential. Someone wise once said, "I don't remember many words my teachers said, or books or things they showed me, but I do remember how they made me feel". I finished high school nearly a half-century ago, but my most vivid memories are of times when I had intense feelings: winning an award, a teacher's private and sincere compliment on my writing, classmates teasing me about my skinny legs or laughing at my failed attempts to climb the rope in gym class. The good feelings make you float on air and want to work harder; the horrible feelings blot out everything and turn your day black. These guidelines will help children have those good feelings, and minimize the horrible ones.


Support Trans Kids

I stand in support of trans kids in Virginia and strongly support this legislation.


Think of all who will be effected

Think of all that would be effected sit down and think about this from all angles sit and think of all the bad the horrible things this can bring


SUPPORT TRANS YOUTH

SUPPORT


Support trans youth

The ignorant and intensely discriminatory comments are all evidence to why such policy is needed. The proposed policy is a good start. I attended public school in Virginia from kindergarten through university and wish it could've been in place when I was growing up.


Support Freedom

Even though I identify as male from birth, there are countless other students who feel restricted by their identity. If others want to identify or change their genders they should be allowed to do so, especially the younger generation. Kids should be protected to avoid harassment for their gender or sexual identity.


Strongly Oppose the Policy Guidance

This guidance is purported to be all about transgender students and their rights and protection.  It, in fact, is more about excluding parents from the responsibility, prerogative and authority to teach THEIR children values they believe to be in the child's best interest and proper development of a value system in agreement with their religious values.  Children are being taken under the control of the school system in a fashion that excludes and possibly punishes parents.  This a violation of the family's religious freedom to teach and instill moral values in accordance with their religious faith.  This is offensive AND unconstitutional.  I am OPPOSED to the State inflicted Policy Guidance.


Strongly support trans children

Strongly support this policy.


SUPPORT SUPPORT SUPPORT

To all of the pearl clutchers, stop using children as leverage for hate-mongering because you don’t understand the complexities of modern day gender and sexual identities! Support these children who are our future. I’ve babysat trans kids. They’re some of the sweetest kids I’ve ever met and it hurts my heart and scares me to know so many people want them to have less human rights. I support this policy and VA lawmakers should too.


Reject the policy guidance document

This policy is outrageous. As a parent of an elementary-aged daughter, it is unthinkable to have a biological boy sharing a bathroom or locker room with her. Please revise the policy to provide appropriate protections for all children, including those who are not transgender.