Strongly Oppose

This document states that school should provide a safe educational environment for all students and treat all students with dignity and respect, which I agree with. Unfortunately, this documents doesn't do that. Students who identify as male and female based on birth/genetics are forced to accept restroom and locker room conditions, where a transgender can say one day they are a certain sex and enter freely, and the next day change and enter the opposite facility - how is that safe and respectful for all students. Students who identify according to birth no longer have the right to wear gender identifiable clothing for school programs (chorus, orchestra, etc.), such as males wearing ties and females wearing dresses, because transgenders may be offended - how is that fair? Isn't the school system discriminating against birth identified males and females. Will teachers and non-transgender students be disciplined when they don't call the transgender person by the correct name for that day, week, month, etc., because the transgender can select his  identified name at his/her whim. Also, you cannot deny the problem with males who identify as females competing in sports against birth females - where is the fairness and safety in that. These guidelines are discriminatory, unfair, and unsafe for the majority of birth male and female students -  Why isn't the school system standing up for them?


STRONG SUPPORT

While some who are opposed to these policies may cite their own safety as a reason to discriminate, that is UNACCEPTABLE. These policies are not promoting “gender confusion” but the basic rights and safety of transgender students. As an LGBT person who themselves went through the public school system, I am delighted to see policy change. Nobody chooses to be transgender. Nobody chooses to be bullied by their peers and “community” adults. No child WANTS to go through the struggle of coming out, being bullied, going to school everyday wondering if today is the day they are going to be the victim of a hate crime. It is VITAL to give these students school support. It’s the least schools can do.


Completely opposed

I am completely opposed to this legislation. It is damaging to children, families, and our schools.


Oppose

I am opposed coming from the safety aspect. I don’t have anything wrong with a transgender individual, but I can see this as a huge negative opportunity for men or women who have bad intentions to enter a bathroom of their opposite gender while claiming they are transgender with the intention to do harm. It would be much safer to open an additional single stall bathroom, like the family bathrooms in some locations, where a trans man or woman could enter alone, therefore protecting them and other women, men and children from being preyed upon by people with bad intentions.


Wade Banks, Farmer/Highschool track coach

Strong Support

The policies presented are the bare necessities for our future generations to succeed. Too long has Virginia been a powerhouse of discrimination. Science supports transgender identities and morally we should all support our young students. There is no reasonable objection to these policies. There is no religion that forbids its followers from calling people by their preferred pronouns. And if a teacher is fired over these policies should they have been teaching to begin with? We shouldn't subject young minds to the bigotry of Virginia's history. It is time to heal and move on from our disgusting and hate based past.


Father

You are hired to teach children not indoctrinate them..horrible  idea going against Gods beautiful creation of MAN and WOMAN from BIRTH not choice


Strongly Opposed.

Regarding Mr. Wade Banks's comment and his use of the word 'science' and the transgender community. Science shows you cannot biologically change one's gender. It goes down to the X and Y-chromosome. You can change the outside of the package, but in no way can you change inside. Also regarding his comment on religion, as a Catholic, we are taught that God-created man and woman. That's it.  God also teaches us to love and respect everyone. Perhaps Mr. Wade has heard 'love the sinner, hate the sin'. What these people are doing is considered a sin in our religion, however, we are to treat everyone with love, dignity and respect.We should be permitted to refer to transgender students by their first name. We should not be forced to use a pronoun which we know is not true. That causes us to be a part of the sin. The school board should not be inside our homes advising us how to raise our children. And before everyone jumps on my comments, notice that I stated we should treat everyone with love, dignity and respect. We can do that by referring to the transgender student using their first name. Don't tread on me.


Support!

I strongly support Virginia's guidance on transgender youth. Thank you for leading the way to ensure transgender and non-binary individuals are accepted and treated with respect and dignity. These are wonderful lessons to learn for all of our educators and children! Thank you for pioneering acceptance over fear! I hope other states will follow suit.


Transgender School Policy banner

As a Christian mother of a former student, I would like to make my voice known on the behalf of other parents and grandparents that has children in Virginia School systems. Kids have a choice to a certain point however its up to the parents to override some of there decisions and I believe this is one of them. This transgender policy will make a lot of misunderstandings with other students in the school systems. Some may not understand why some children are in the bathroom, locker room, and other areas that are already separated now. Also it will have too many sexual differences and against policies in schools. If any decision has to be made or even voted on, then it should be left as is. God didn't intend individuals to take upon themselves to change there sex from what He made them to be in the first place. They should be happy for who they actually are from birth. They are loved all the time even if others doesn't love them. This will cause plenty of confusion when it comes to what to call them as a pronoun. They are individuals that has feelings, thoughts, and may have a mental state of what may be real and people doesn't see that what is going on with them deep down. All they need is maybe someone to talk with, need help from a counselor, and also could be needing a friend that won't look at them differently as others do. This is wrong and besides there are other important things to discuss rather than this petty things like this issue. I mean why upset other students that this issue doesn't pertain to. School systems needs to also think about other students and not just the ones that are different like transgender students. The other students didn't tell them to make that choice so don't force the ones that are not transgender students to accept this because of your vote on this issue. Would you like to be forced to be faced on a daily basis on other people's decisions. If not then don't make our children do it either.


amend the policy to protect everyone

This policy is nominally about respect and safety but it is disrespectful and even tyrannical in that it does not recognize the validity of differing viewpoints. It is seems like a trap for teachers with the mandates about names.  Teacher positions on these matters must be taken into account in the policy to find solutions that respect them and ensure their safety. The policy needs to guarantee the rights of school employees whose religious beliefs differ regarding transgenderism and exceptions from the mandates outlined in the policy. The policy needs to recognize the rights of parents over their children and their education.  The policy needs to guarantee that any discussion about these matters is brought to the attention of parents.  Parents have the right to guide their children’s education.  The policy should explicitly guarantee parents have the right to opt their children out of any education about gender or sexual orientation or any sex education.  The school does not have the right to determine what is best for the children, but the parents do. Without these guarantees for the parents, it seems the schools could be encouraging the deceit of parents. The policy must respect and protect the privacy of boys and girls who do not want to change clothes in the presence of the opposite sex, nor want to be exposed to the opposite sex as might happen in a restroom.


Support the VDOE Guidance on Transgender Students

I support this comprehensive guidance and thank the individuals at the VDOE who helped to make it a reality. As a middle school teacher, I especially appreciate the sections on professional development for staff and particularly for school counselors. I know students who will benefit from access to gender neutral restrooms for the reasons stated in the guidance, which are not always related to a student's gender identity.


Oppose teaching school kids transgender propaganda

Teaching school children that changing your gender is a viable life option makes a mockery of science and sound mental health. Gender identity disorder or gender dysphoria is a mental disorder just like anorexia or bulimia and should be considered as such.  Normalizing this disorder is dangerous for youngsters who are already dealing with the normal stresses of growing up. The last thing they need to do is wonder if they are the “right gender” or if being the other gender (yes there are only 2 genders) will make them more popular, feel happier etc. kids question enough about themselves this will just make it worse make it worse. This is a really dumb idea.


Parental Authority is not Conferred to Public Servants at any Level

Schools are the place Parents entrust their sons and daughters  to uphold the Parents guidelines for raising their children. The Parental authority over their own children is neither abrogated nor conferred upon to departments of education , school boards, principal’s, teachers, staff etc., at any school; nor are the parental responsibilities, rights and natural laws that they choose for their families, diminished or to be superseded. The departments of education, school boards, principal’s, teachers, staff etc., are public servants; appointed, elected, or hired to follow the mandates of the parents in any particular city, town, county, state in which they serve. Additionally, if parents and children want to depart from the natural, created, and scientifically obvious biological order of being born male or female, then so be it; but let no public official insist or seek to legislate away this natural order of male or female over any parent. The person who wishes to change their biological gift, or those who seek to live this lifestyle are free to do so, but do not infer or insist that their right to do so should mean that other precious youth/persons must co-mingle in bathrooms, locker rooms etc..  If, indeed, public servants and others want to propagate this transgender proclivity, then let them build another bathroom or rooms for those few who are transgenders, but also maintain the status quo for those who recognize their gift of being born male, use bathrooms etc for males and for those born female, use bathrooms etc. for females. Let us not forget to have compassion for the feelings and concerns of those who wish not to participate. They have civil rights as well, not to mention the Bill of Rights, the right to privacy, and Religious rights, and above all natural, God given liberties. We will not submit to the will of the few, i.e., the public servants, corporations and others that seek to brow beat people into what they espouse. We are not going to extirpate a moral concept long established and/or free thinkers into a culture of “I am me and I am free to do as I please”. They are an injudicious minority that fiercely disregards and seeks to silence the majority of the rest of society”. Parental Authority is not Conferred to Public Servants at any level - especially in a Constitutional Republic - not any level! Compassion, logic, love and respect is a two way street and all must travel on it. David Beauregard


Strongly Support

I strongly support this as all children - no matter race, gender or sexuality - deserve the right to equality in our educational system. Teachers also deserve to be equipped with the knowledge and tools to support our children properly.


Proposed Model policies for treatment of transgender students in VA public schools

I strongly oppose these draft policies for they infringe on the first amendment rights of parents to raise and care for their children


Strongly Oppose

Please VDOE, please do not disregard the parents role in public education! This is very disturbing.


Unacceptable

Until recently, the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) correctly identified Gender Dysphoria as a mental illness. Transgender persons have a suicide rate consistent with extreme mental illness. Taking actions that normalize and require others to participate in this harmful lifestyle is causing active harm to those who suffer and extends that harm to everyone by law. It's immoral and evil to do this and will result in much harm.


Opposed to Transgender Proposal for School

I don’t believe the public schools should embrace the LGBTQ agenda for indoctrination of school students. I do not believe teachers are qualified to teach gender identity or fluidity. Biological males should not be allowed in bathrooms or locker rooms designated for females. Biological males should not be allowed to participate in female sports competitions. There are biological differences that cannot be ignored because of a biased, misinformed movement that seeks to undermine Christianity and force an ideology that contradicts the morality of our nation. In the name of equality, biological female athletes will be unable to compete against trans males in female sports. Allowing biological males to compete under the guise of being trans will take athletic scholarships away from biological females.


Totally opposed. Anti-parent, anti-child

I am totally opposed to this Guidance Document.  As a parent and grandparent, I see it as destroying my relationship with my children and grandchildren.  I am treated by school authorities as an enemy and someone who cannot be trusted to protect those whom I love and am responsible for.


No - Please, Please - No

Dept of Education, For the sake of my teen daughters and their future I strongly oppose the transgender mandates that are being voted on.  Please do NOT approve these under any circumstance.  Our country would be worse off for this in the long run and for the majority of people.  Thank you for your consideration! Kristy Rumbaugh


STRONGLY OPPOSE

STRONGLY OPPOSE !


Strongly support

I work as a nanny. Parents trust me to watch their children with care and respect. That is a given, and it should be a given while these same children are at school. Why should they be treated like less than just because they were born trans? If you claim to care about the safety of children, you can’t exclude transgender kids as well. It doesn’t cost a cent to show a bit of kindness and respect pronouns and identity. All children deserve kindness and guidance to be themselves. That is nonnegotiable.


Strongly support!!! 100%

I Strongly support this


Support

I support the guidance.


OPPOSE

I oppose this change because children and teens do not understand what is going with their bodies as it starts to change let alone understand transgender issues. How can a child/teen become transgender when they don't understand the hormones raging in their bodies as it is.  This world has changed so much and we need to teach our children what is right and wrong.  Children/teens are influenced enough as it is by our changing world and the school system has no right teaching this matter. If you want to discuss this issue in your home that is fine but the school is there to teach the basics like math, science, english, etc not sexual orientation...THAT IS THE PARENT's Job. I don't want someone telling my child WHO they are.  What happened to family discussions and family values.  If you and your family decide that your child is transgender and you work that out GREAT! but the school system/government/state have no place in this matter.  Thank you for listening.


Please, reconsider!

This policy will destroy any innocence and stability that our young children still have at school. Rather than a wholesome restraint to prevent bullying, this amendment discourages even a simple and natural view of gender. Children are so trusting, and their trust is deeply violated by authorities who refuse to call right from wrong. I am deeply concerned about the mental health of our children in the coming years. Suppressing the truth will never actually erase it, or the God who founded it. We do a great wrong to these young ones to tell them they can, or even should change their gender...and not tell parents or others who love them.


Most Strongly Oppose- Statewide Transgender Policy

There is no doubt that the vast majority of adults would agree that the brain of a minor does not have the physiological or social maturity to make decisions of lasting significance. We show our agreement with this idea by the fact that minors may not marry, purchase alcohol, vote, purchase many things, consent to medical procedures, opt out of protections, enlist, rent a car, adopt a child, or a puppy, or do hundreds of other things due to the fact that they lack the perspective necessary to make the best decision for themselves. Yet this policy would encourage adults to encourage children to make decisions that they yet lack the maturity to make. NO ONE disagrees that ALL children, regardless of orientation, race, ethnicity, etc should be treated with kindness and respect. If we think that allowing a biological male to use the private facilities of biological females (and vice versa) is protecting his or her rights, then we MUST protect the rights of a biological male or female to not have to share private facilities with the opposite biological sex. Virginia - some of the best schools in the country used to be in this state. We're becoming the laughing stock of the country as we strive to convince the world that what we think we are (a boy, a girl, a _____) is what we are. It's binary, and everyone knows it, so let's put our effort into being kind to everyone and not trashing our school system and further confusing elementary kids who don't know any better than to think they are a particular gender because they like sports or baking. I'm curious - are these being read? kldw50@gmail.com


Educator in Support

As an educator, I strongly support these model policies for the treatment of transgender students in Virginia’s public schools. I affirm the notion that the guiding principle of all policies should be that all children have a right to learn, free from discrimination and harassment. I look forward to all local school boards developing and adopting policies that ensure all students, including transgender students, have safe, supportive, and inclusive school environments. These model policies are well-researched and thoughtfully formulated. I appreciate the attention paid to the safety of transgender students in all manner of scenarios. The model policies help point the way to an education system that encourages all students to thrive, which is as it should be. Thank you for your work in this area.


Statewide Transgender policy

I strongly oppose the statewide transgender policy applied to our schools


I strongly oppose the Statewide Transgender policy


Strongly Support

Please, please pass this!  It is vital to the survival of our children!


Our current policy of respecting all students is sufficient. The proposed change hurts minors who can't yet fully understand the implications of their decision, and robs others of their privacy rights.


Transgender policies will cause chaos in schools and lives.

Bullying is wrong and should be stopped. However, making strict rules laid out to "affirm" a gender-confused young person will cause chaos and draw more attention to the young person in question. This is likely to lead to bullying outside school, where the chance of getting away with it is greater, so will be of no advantage to that student. Schoolkids have enough concerns related to growing up. Why are "wise" adults adding another one? Most kids feel inadequate, especially physically, and most have feelings of not quite fitting in. Should we burden them with the possibility that the physical equipment they were born with is somehow not appropriate, that they are not the boy or girl they have known themselves to be but rather may be one of a list of other possibilities sometimes requiring medicines, surgeries, change in names, etc.? Kids don't think up this stuff on their own...at least they didn't till our hypersexualized culture brought it up. Aside from the burden placed on teachers to keep up with the latest pronoun changes "preferred" by fickle students at the risk of their jobs, this law provides a new way for students and their parents to torment teachers or to get rid of any they dislike for other reasons. Several kids changing pronouns every few days to make the teacher stumble? Anyone who was ever a schoolkid or a teacher knows this nightmare scenario is not farfetched. Our schools will constantly be embroiled in litigation. Transgender students who look like girls are acceptable in the girls' bathroom. Transgender students who look like boys need to use the boys' bathroom. That's simple. No changing from day to day, though. Or the schools could spend money making separate mini-bathrooms, each with its own door, for anybody to use. That would work and probably help with bullying, which is rampant in school bathrooms anyway. It would be expensive, but probably not as much as hiring bathroom monitors to make sure of who's where. While ostensibly creating a policy to support the gender-confused, who would be a distinct, barely-recognizable minority if it hadn't become "cool" and "edgy", this policy tramples on the rights of people of faith, many of whom believe God makes two clearly-recognizable genders. This point of view, while not "cool" or "edgy", is well-represented in our schools. Let's not take away their right to their beliefs to trumpet the few, most of whom would probably rather not be noticed for their differences anyway. No more bullying...of the gender-confused, of people of faith, of oh, maybe redheads? Let's just treat each other kindly and not divide into categories unnecessarily with strangling legislation to support that division.


Support- Prevent Teen Suicide

More than half of transgender male teens reported attempting suicide in their lifetime, while 29.9 percent of transgender female teens said they attempted suicide. Among non-binary youth, 41.8 percent stated that they had attempted suicide at some point in their lives.


I Support Trans-Affirming Policies in Schools

I support trans-affirming policies in schools. Our students need leadership that sees them, hears them and supports them. Trans-affirming policies treats transgender students with respect which is not only required by law, but is how everyone should be treated. Transgender students are protected under Title IX and by the US Constitution and by having trans-affirming policies in schools, you are explicitly protecting transgender students from discrimination. I agree with the American Academy of Pediatrics who said "Transgender youth, like all children, flourish when they feel supported. Therefore, the [AAP] policy emphasizes a gender-affirmative model of developmentally appropriate care oriented toward understanding and appreciating the gender experience of all youths." The policy recommends "advocacy with school districts, communities, and policymakers to promote acceptance, inclusion and legal protection for all children without fear of harassment, exclusion or bullying because of gender expression." Please support transgender students with nondiscrimination policies that promote respect and equity for all.


Strongly support

This pastor strongly supports this. Trans lives deserve dignity and respect as we all do.  Thank you.


Support the guidance and protect the rights of *ALL* students, especially LGBTQ+

I am pleased to see the progress being made towards a more inclusive environment for transgender and non-binary students. My children are rather young, ages 5 and 8, and while they have not expressed any feelings of gender dysphoria, one of their best friends has. Just like any other parent, I want my children to live a safe and happy life, I want them to have access to everything they need, especially while they’re at school, and especially if they were to be struggling with their gender identity. I’m so happy to share that our experience with re-learning proper pronouns and the true name of our friend has not been as difficult or confusing for my children as I had imagined it might be - our children are capable of normalizing the “shift” towards a more inclusive future and I think we should too. I support the guidance and appreciate the attention to this matter.


Support our children - all children! Conforming and non-conforming identities are valued here.

I know firsthand the impact of supporting a young child with a non-conforming gender identity. Being able to open your heart and arms wide enough to make a circle of acceptance and love is empowering not just for the child but for the whole community. This work is important and needed. The good thought that is behind this initiative in Virginia is inspiring and is a model that others can follow. Thank you.


Strong Support

I am in strong support of these necessary policies for transgendered students and youth.  These policies are but a bare minimum for what should be expected of schools to provide inclusion and equity for all.  Students should, without question, view school as a place where they can learn and grow in a safe environment, and schools absolutely need to strive towards achieving that.


Strongly Oppose - Help Children Love and Embrace Their Bodies

I appreciate the Department of Education's efforts in researching and proposing policies on this important issue. All students, regardless of their sexual orientation, gender expression, religion, political views, etc., should be treated with dignity, kindness, love, and respect. Nevertheless, I strongly oppose this policy proposal for several reasons. One, I disagree with the document authors' definition of gender "a set of social, psychological, and emotional traits." The problem with this definition is that it leaves out genetics and biological traits. Two, the document lays out guidance for withholding information about a student's gender identity from the student's parents. I realize that the goal is to protect students in such cases who may have unsafe homes or unsupportive families. But then the solution should be to address the unsafe or unsupportive family, not to institute a policy that gives schools the power to conceal such important information from parents about their own children. Three, the proposal includes policies that would force school employees to use a student's preferred gender pronoun whether they agree with it or not. This is a violation of free speech, not to mention a potential violation of religious freedom if a school employee's religious/moral conscience directs them to speak what they believe is true---that gender, among other things, is determined by one's biology. A school employee may thus feel compelled out of love to tell the truth by using a student's original name. Four, in my reading of this document and in my own research, I do not see enough evidence to show that minors have the maturity to make lasting decisions about something so central to their identity as gender. I therefore do not think there should be policies in place that force people to go along with a student's decision, when in fact the student's decision could well change --- and when in fact a more helpful solution may be, through many patient and kind and loving conversations, to help a student love and embrace the body they were born with. Of course I recognize that there are students who feel a dysphoria between their biological sex and their gender expression. This is a painful and difficult thing, and such students should be loved, and cared for, and helped. But it does not mean that gender identity is simply what students "think" or "feel" it to be irrespective of their biology, and that we should therefore institute policies to encourage and cement this choice. To do so would be an arbitrary act of privileging the mind over the body, an act which in fact encourages a low view of one's body because it teaches children that their bodies are malleable, and thus ultimately irrelevant, to who they are. I therefore believe such policies would ultimately be harmful to students' view of themselves. The better solution for students who experience gender dysphoria is to help them love and accept their own bodies. This would require parents to teach their children who experience dysphoria that certain activities and social roles needn't be gendered, and indeed that certain gender stereotypes are false: it is perfectly acceptable, for example, for a woman to be rational, assertive, to take charge, and to love sports and outdoors. Likewise it is perfectly acceptable for a man to be gentle and emotional, and to love music and arts. We don't need new school policies on this front; we need loving and engaged parents who are committed to walking with their children when they experience gender dysphoria to help them grow into a more holistic understanding of their gender --- an understanding that respects biology and affirms that girls can have boy interests and vice versa.


Please oppose this measure

Dear Virginia Legislature, Please vote to oppose this measure as it is currently written. I understand that this is a measure that is meant to enhance the environment for public education. ALL kids DO need to receive respect and have equal opportunity for quality EDUCATION. However, this measure distracts from the task of education. That is our goal in school, correct? We are working to equip our children with foundational tools of how to learn and communicate within the fields of math, literature, writing, history, arts, and the scientific method. There is an increasing emphasis on self-expression in the educational world that, especially for younger children, can be extremely stressful and cause significant confusion. How is an individual expected to know or express their mind if all that is in it is the stuff of childhood? Children (and adults, for that matter) derive confidence from knowledge of their world. I give my child an education based on fact so that he or she is able to stand confidently on that foundation in order to then make sense of their world. I do not send my child to school so that he or she can first become enlightened of what originates from his or her mind. If a subject is too complex, we save those topics for when their minds are more mature and can better understand them. Please, be gentle. Honestly, the kids who are confused and uncertain about how to live in the skin in which they were born deserve to be treated with compassion, but with discretion. It’s akin to walking around with a bone hanging out of your arm, and, instead of seeking healing, you force everyone else to look at it and talk about it. This is not conducive to a positive learning environment. American schools are commonly known to be failing. The number one documented reason we are failing is the lack of involvement from parents. This measure states clearly that if a parent fails to follow the child’s desires regarding his/her/its gender, the parent is to be cut off from responsibility and gives the school administration power to act on behalf of the child. This is a legislative path that guarantees a further removal of parental involvement in schools, and entrusts the government to provide what the child, and thus eventually, society as a whole, needs to develop to maturity. Given the failure of the schools to ensure the majority of graduating seniors can read above a 5th grade level, and most don’t understand United States history, let alone world history and where the United States stands within it, this is not encouraging. Virginia legislature can and must do better to promote a healthy learning environment for all students and support their teachers. If a child needs private facilities while sorting through feelings, they ought to be available, as per current nondiscrimination policies. Likewise, bullying should never be tolerated for any reason under the same policies. If a child is struggling with family, the best course of action for all involved is to seek healing for that family. It is not enough just to let the child to manage these feelings alone. This will only lead to further confusion, feelings of isolation, and possibly suicide. However, the accommodations for one student cannot infringe upon the consideration of other students. Other commenters have appropriately argued against the use of toilet and locker room facilities by individuals with different genitalia. Thank you for your consideration.


Policy will increase suicide rates

Policy will increase suicide rates


Strongly oppose. Teach them absolute truth!

Teach children that they are made in the image of God, male and female. Absolute truth.


Strongly opposed to transgender policies

I am strongly opposed to these transgender policies which would further confuse and bring harm to our children.  I believe such policies are to be considered child abuse!  Teen suicide is at an all time high and it’s no wonder with policies such as these.  It is total insanity to purposely teach our children such lies.  Children will not even be safe to use the restroom at school if boys are allowed into the girls bathrooms and vice versa.  There will be no privacy or safety at school for any of our children!  I hope and pray this doesn’t pass but if it does I think every parent should take their children out of the public school system immediately!


Strongly Support!

I strongly support the compassionate treatment of all students and ask that you value the guidance and expertise of the professionals and parents who love and support their children. You will never be wrong supporting human decency and rights.


Please don't persecute children in your attempt to stop persecution of others.

These proposals would persecute children while attempting to alleviate the persecution of others. Almost everyone would agree that it is paramount that every child feels supported both at home and at school. Instead of accomplishing this, these proposals would Confuse many children that are currently not confused Result in children being removed from school systems Cause undue stress for children with their privacy violated (sharing restrooms and locker rooms with those of other anatomies. I understand the intent, but there are better ways to accomplish this. Thank you!


Oppose

Sexual orientation is determined at conception by God.  It is not taught in a classroom.  I do not approve of my tax dollars being spent on ruining children and undermining family values. Bullying is a popular topic and pushing a false ideology is a form of bullying.


SUPPORT

Equal rights for all humans. Let kids who feel transgender, non-binary or gay taught that it is ok so those who do don't get discriminated and be singled out, then stifle their feeling and become depressed and unhappy and suicidal.


This is child abuse, parental abuse, and admistraion abuse, and abuse of teachers.

Where is the wisdom of those in leadership?  Placate a tiny minority of confused children and torture everyone else.(Administration, teachers, parents, and most of all the children) You want to jeopardize the privacy and safety of my daughter in bathrooms and locker room?. This violates all reason and common sense in so many ways. The fact that it is being purposed is shameful intellectually, sociologically, psychologically, ethically, morally and spiritually. If this goes through it will not be because it is good and right for our children it will be an abuse of power to placate the perverse minority who scream the loudest. You will be held accountable.


This is Anti-Scientific and Prohibitive of the 1st Amendment

This proposal promotes the denial of science and is a violation of the First Amendment.  We should not be teaching our children to deny science nor should we be teaching them that truth is relative.  We should not wonder why our society can no longer agree as to what are facts and can be so easily misled by misinformation when we no longer consider such a basic biological fact of sex identification as absolute truth.  If a person becomes male or female based solely on how they feel, then it certainly follows that other facts become true or not true based solely on how a person feels.  It is a scientific fact that if the 23rd pair of chromosomes are XX, that person is a female while if they are XY that person is a male.  Schools should be teaching scientific facts.  Please don't produce science deniers. Additionally, this bill which is said to be aimed towards antidiscrimination and freedom of speech, actually allows for open top-down discrimination and inhibits freedom of speech. The bill cites: "First Amendment: The First Amendment protects freedom of speech and expression. Schools may not prevent students from expressing their identity." This bill does not address the first amendment rights of children who believe in science and wish to express that males and females are determined biologically and that they do not want to be in a locker room or bathroom with a person who is a different biological sex. This bill sets up a false narrative.  There are currently no laws that prohibit children who have gender dysphoria from attending school and learning in a safe environment free from harassment.  No reasonable person thinks that child should be prohibited from attending school without the school staff or other children from bullying them.  No one should be threatened.  However, this bill takes it a step too far when claiming that calling a person with XY chromosomes "he" is a form of intimidation and bullying.  If this is bullying and threatening, then it is only more logical that forcing someone who believes in biology to call a boy "she" or a girl "he" is also a form of bullying, threatening, and intimidation.  Additionally, if you tell the children that people must conform to the demands of their emotions, regardless of facts, you will be producing a generation that is no way prepared for the real world. To explicitly state that an employee who consistently refuses to deny science by using the pronouns that are biologically correct is discriminatory is a violation of that employee's First Amendment Right.  I repeat, this is a violation of a person's First Amendment Right.  People have the First Amendment Right to affirm basic biological truths and state that they do not accept the very new trend in denying this truth. This is also a violation of the First Amendment which states "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;..."  Forcing people to deny the Biblical truth as stated in Matthew 19:4  "...he which made them at the beginning made them male and female,"  is prohibiting the free exercise of religion. Another area in which this bill actually creates discrimination is in regards to bathrooms and locker rooms.  The document states: "All students are entitled to have access to restrooms, locker rooms, and changing facilities that are sanitary, safe, and adequate, so that they can comfortably and fully engage in their school programs and activities. This begs the question, what about students who do not feel comfortable changing in a locker room where there are people of the opposite biological sex?  Why is the comfort of the teenage daughter who doesn't want to change in a locker room with a biological boy less valued than the comfort of the biological boy who wants to change with the teenage girl?  The document also specifically states "It can be emotionally harmful for a transgender student to be questioned regarding the use of restrooms and facilities. School staff should not confront students about their gender identity upon entry into the restroom."  This is effectively a free for all in which everyone can use any restroom, locker room, or shower that they desire.  All reasonable persons know that this is a terrible idea that opens the door for more harassment. I will not go into all of the ways in which this is also actually harmful to those whom it is supposedly trying to help as this is covered in many other posts.


ing religious anti-LGBT bigot snowflakes everywhere

ing straight white caucasian s acting like they will be a victim of something by allowing someone to be who they are. Virginia rednecks whining that this somehow affects their "rights". People with no scientific knowledge past their redneck 5th grade education claiming to be the authority of science. Religious pieces of using their religion to oppress others. Failure to pass this kills children and ruins lives. No parents will be harmed by this. They will just whine because they are religious anti-freedom pieces of who deserve to die a painful death of cancer


Absolutely oppose this unwise craziness

This totally craziness.  Very unwise.  Bowing to perversion.  Let parents and families deal with issue. Schools should stay clear.  Separate bathrooms. As always! Enough outside influence for perversion without schools doing it too!


Strongly support!

I strongly support this document and these policies.


Opposed; Please do not allow this policy to exist

There are many reasons that this policy is inappropriate and many reasons are listed in other comments inserted here by others who do not want this policy to exist in our schools.  I will not recap all the same comments, but please know that as a Virginia resident and parent of children, this transgender policy is reckless, stifling to child development, and a clear lack of attachment to reality.  Please do not let this pass.


Strongly Support

My daughter has several gay and trans friends in school who are often bullied.  Measures need to be in place to give them support.  I strongly support this measure!


STRONGLY OPPOSE

I am a VA parent and I don't want the children who are my children's friends to be confused and misunderstanding the goodness of being a woman and a man. They are young children and the government of VA should not brainwash the children with the idea of sex confusion and misinterpretation.


Strongly Oppose

I strongly oppose this transgender policy. It is harmful to confuse children with leftist indoctrination about gender identity. It is in the best interest of children and the future leaders of the state of Virginia to celebrate and affirm their God-given biological gender as male and female.


Parents rights must be respected

It is incomprehensible to me that educated adults (e.g. our policy makers, educators, SWs, etc) believe that these policies will be for the betterment of ALL  K-12 school children.  When did our schools stray so far from their main academic purpose of teaching STEM, the arts,  and the basics of reading, composition, and math?  I fear there is an insidious agenda involved here.  90% of children with some form of gender confusion (dysphoria) grow out of it by the time they reach early adulthood if properly addressed.  The proposed policies will only lead to greater confusion and danger (primarily for young girls) especially in locker room scenarios. Leaving parents out of important information and decision-making regarding their children is absolutely wrong, and in my opinion verges on criminality. Please help confused children and don't harm others.


Absolutely Oppose is the Strongest Terms!

This is anti-science.  Pander to a very small minority of confused kids and put every child under this same confusion, only now for someone as an authority figure in the children lives promoting and giving legitimacy to this doctrine of a minority of confused adults.  You're enabling predators in locker rooms, bathrooms putting the safety and purity my grandchildren in jeopardy.  This is wrong on so many levels...This is anti-God!  This denies the plan facts of birth.


I strongly support these model policies!

I strongly support these policies. It's time to affirm transgender yout.


Strong Support

As an LGBTQ+ person, I was not comfortable coming out until I began medical school. My schools growing up provided absolutely no support for students and I witnessed first hand the daily hardships of other students, especially trans girls. Those memories still affect my ability to be myself in all settings, and I know that earlier interventions can help all students regardless of gender and sexuality. I wholeheartedly support these policies and hope children of Virginia can learn to be inclusive as part of their public education.


Oppose proposals that promote gender confusion

I recently read a study that claimed children today have more fears and anxiety than the average psychiatric patient did in the 1950s. Ours is an age of anxiety, especially for children who are among the most vulnerable in society. As a teacher with a VA teaching license for over 30 years, I am concerned about much in our schools: poor discipline, weak academics, drugs, bullying, etc. Why would we want to support gender confusion, boys in girls' locker rooms and bathrooms, etc.? Let schools be schools and teachers focus on teaching content and helping individuals. I am concerned if these extreme proposals are allowed, we will see more confusion and anxiety among our young people, plus even more qualified teachers leaving the profession if they think they are busier doing "social engineering" than actually teaching and helping students.


No- A unjust burden and irresponsible

This type of burden upon teachers and students is unjust in a republic. Parental rights are tossed away with these laws, teachers and students will be sued and penalized at the whime and unscupulious designs of those pushing this agenda. The rights of 99.9999999 percent of students will be dismissed as not important. This is only cause confusion, resentment, and loss of teachers who already are burdened with teaching during this pandemic.


Strongly oppose!  Please "follow the science" on this

I fear for my grandchildren.  Bullying not by peers, but by curricula forced upon teachers.


Prounouns

Regarding the matter of students utilizing different pronouns, the letter I received on my porch was very misleading. Students do not change pronouns daily or even weekly. The regulation changes that are being implemented is only harmful to a child whose parents want to deny that their child may not be heterosexual. It is important to listen to your child when they tell you they look one way on the outside, but feel a different way on the outside. Your child is there own person, they are not mini versions of yourself. Allow students  to their right to live their life in the manner they choose. Blocking them from being their authentic self will only help lead children to suicide because their family tells them they are not normal.....This letter is again very misleading and I believe is being used as a scare tactic for the inevitable.


Support Trans Youth/Students

As a medical professional, I urge you to please consider your support for measures that would protect transgender youth and students. Like every other human, they deserve equal access to places free from discrimination. Please do not let the hateful speech from those who would seek to subjugate and denigrate these amazing and beautiful souls to shape your decisions related to transgender and non-binary anti-discrimination legislation. They need you to go to bat for them to guarantee the equal protections they all deserve. Many thanks, JM


Transgender Indoctrination in VA Schools is a BAD IDEA !! Children and youngsters are confused enough about social ideas and experiments.  God teaches us that He created males and females for procreation.  There should not be any teachings that deviate from Creations plan. Please scrap this idea !! /s/ Wayne Sharon


Model Policies for the Treatment of Transgender Students in Virginia Schools

I support these model policies


STRONGLY SUPPORT

We need to protect all children, not just the ones that fit into cisgender boxes.  Please help us protect our kids and offer a safe place for them to learn.


Support Trans Students!

As an LGBTQ high school student, I strongly support these measures to help protect my trans brothers, sisters, and siblings in Virginia's public schools. From a teaching perspective, we know that students cannot intake information and learn in environments where they are unsafe or their needs are not met. To not implement these policies to protect trans students would be to deny them an education outright.


This protects all students!

Treating transgender students fairly is a human right. Further, ensuring fair treatment protects all students by ensuring that classrooms are not becoming detailed by personal feelings/calling out differences amongst kids and against trans students-they have every right to have equal safe access to schools. Keep VA schools safe!


Model policies for trans students

I support the model policies.  Everyone needs to be able to be sure that their identities are fully respected.


7 HOURS

7 hours is how long my transgender child held her urine during every school day. She actually changed her natural body function so that she wouldn't make other children feel uncomfortable in the school bathroom. Changing for gym was also a struggle. Imagine how difficult it is to concentrate when you have to urinate? Add on a processing disorder.... my child is my hero. Obviously, I fully support this bill. Giving schools the opportunity to truly focus on helping all children in any way they can so that they can be successful members in our communuty is positive and a win-win. Fortunately, my neighborhood schools built in concessions for my child once I was made aware of what she was doing, 2 school years later... But I think of other children in other schools that are not as progressive as mine in the commonwealth. This bill will protect them.


Strongly support

I strongly support this measure. All transgender and non binary students deserve to have policies in place that protect their rights. So many children, including children of my close friends, would benefit from this measure.


I stand with our youth

Children of all ages deserve our love ad support. Allowing all people to be who they are not only affirms that they have the right to exist but that they are seen and safe.


Support trans students!

As a trans adult who attended school in Virginia (Western Albemarle and Albemarle counties) between the ages of 9-18, (I graduated high school in 1997) I can attest to the fact that passing this guidance document is a huge step in the right direction. Trans and LGBTQIA+ kids have no reason to feel safe at school without steps like these. I was not safe at school and knew it, and although I "survived" others did not. This will save and improve lives, it is a matter of the most basic human rights. Thank you, Miller Oberman


Support Transgender Student Protection

I support the guidance.  My transgender son was bullied and physically harmed after he came out despite being in one of the most supportive schools in Fairfax County.  I do not want any other transgender child to go through this trauma. Please support the guidance and ensure emotional and physical protection for all students in the Commonwealth of VA.


Strongly Support!

All students should have equal access to safe schools.  This is an equity issue.  I strongly support best practices for school districts.  It is essential for our public school systems to teach teachers and staff ways to offer best practices for students.  Lets continue to support students and create safe schools.


Brittany Rose, parent to 3 Virginia public school students

In strong support of this guidance

I strongly support the adoption of this guidance to help protect the rights, safety, and wellbeing of our trans students here in Virginia. Protecting a vulnerable group of students comprised of young people who are too often subject to bullying at school and rejection from their family of origin is the right and just thing to do. Systemic discrimination against trans students serves the best interests of no one - not our straight kids, not our cisgender kids, not our trans kids, nor anyone else.


STRONGLY OPPOSE

I strongly oppose. Instead of enabling our children and confusing them because we don't want to hurt their feelings, it is our duty as parents and children of God to teach them what is right from wrong and tell them the truth.  It is wrong to be someone you are not, God created men and women.  This policy will confuse our children and perhaps make them think they have a choice.  The fact the schools can hide this from parents and help kids endure this behavior is mind troubling. I have known plenty of people that just go with the flow because they want to experiment, or they want to feel like they are different and special because parents are not doing their job at home.  Parents need to support our children watch over them and guide them. A lot of parents let the electronic devices and social media parent their kids because they are too tired to deal with them and that is the biggest problem. Please people lets open our eyes, if you think this policy will improve the bullying, well you have another thing coming, if anything this will intensify it. Think COVID a lot of kids are currently being abused at home mentally, physically and sexually and a lot of them suffer from anxiety, depression and anger. Take that and coming back to school and with this horrific policy and see what happens. They are trying to shove this down our throats.  They are worried about them but not thinking of how this will impact the rest of our children and that is not fair.


Support

I support the guidance and keep our schools safe for all students.


Strongly Oppose

It is downright wrong to disregard the role of parents in public education. The schools’ responsibility is to provide a quality education in a safe environment for all its students. Period. It should be irrelevant what the psycho-social issue is, as it defines policies of treatment of students. There should be a zero tolerance of bullying by or directed at ANY student. It is not the role of the school to change social structures.


100 % in favor of accommodations!

This is LONG overdue. Every child in our Commonwealth deserves and has the right to be treated with dignity and respect. And to not be subjected to treatment that interfers with their right to an education.


Support Transgender Students

I am writing in favor of the supports identified in this guidance document, such as using a student's preferred pronouns and respecting gender identity in the school building, classes, and extracurriculars. This is a forward step for our state in creating a more equitable school environment for all students.


In Support

I am in strong support. All members of the community should have reasonable expectations for a supportive learning environment away from hate and discrimination.


IN ABSOLUTE SUPPORT

This state is in dire need of ordinance that protects our trans population and members of the LGBTQ community. Trans people are human beings just like the rest of us and they need the proper protections that they are entitled to. We need to ensure they are treated fairly in the school system as well. Please pass this!


Strongly OPPOSE

These policies are an atrocious abuse of children’s rights, safety and freedoms under guise of ‘any-sex-equality’. It is a parents legal duty, and inherent right, to guard and guide their children in all matters - removing a parent from the conversation/decision-making is OVERREACH at the UTMOST and should never be considered.


Strongly Support

Virginia public schools must support and students.


Strongly Support

I strongly support the guidance!


Strongly Support!! Trans rights are human rights.

These changes are essential to protecting trans children in schools. This isn't a question of whether your religion supports transgender people or not, this is a question of whether we protect all our students from all walks of life. To oppose these implementations is to oppose protecting the mental wellbeing of our youth. Protecting trans kids does not harm your religious freedom. Refusing to protect transgender people however, strips away their human rights and means we are treating trans people as lesser.


Treatment of Transgender Students and Spaces

As I read the proposed agenda for public school treatment of Transgender students, I am saddened by the lack of safety by which these guidelines have been outlined. The term “feel safe” is just as ambiguous as the idea that the “safe” part is present. I understand the transgender idea was never meant to discriminate or paralyze the individual, but the term itself places them in a corner doing the very thing the fight is against. Back to my point, “feeling safe” because no one questions the actions of the student, only is “safe” if EACH AND EVERY student is honestly seeking their own safe space without malicious intent. Using the guise of Transgender, with these provisos, will then allow those aggressive students to mask their intent LEGALLY without being questioned by those who have been tasked to keep the safety and welfare of EACH AND EVERY student secure. If those in authority cannot ascertain reasonable safeguards by investigating issues prior to someone getting abused emotionally, sexually, or physically, there is no “safe” to feel. I also understand that Parents and Administrators all don’t have the same value systems or understanding as the transgender community espouses, and the remarks, actions and power plays by them often go overlooked and passed over as “the right way to reach these kids.” Personally, have worked closely with children and teens for over 25 years. I have seen their desires both positive and negative. One thing I do know, the parent, no matter my view of their parenting skill or lack of, needs to have a say in the child’s life, especially, when it comes to their safety (emotionally, physically and sexually). The ties to the parent cross more boundaries than idealogical ones. Working with the parent to solve the issues will bring about a better result than subverting those ties and taking a minor into the state’s care. You will find parents won’t “feel safe” in public schools because they won’t be allowed to have a hand in their child’s protection. I feel these guidelines need to be revised to provide the authorities and parents with reasonable protective powers and not have it weigh solely on the students’ “honesty” in order for there to be a true “safe space” in public school.


STRONGLY SUPPORT, trans students deserve respect

This policy change is extremely important and past overdue! No child can learn or grow in a school environment if they don't feel safe and respected, and these changes to school policy will ensure that trans students can feel just as valued as cis students, and worry about school or activities instead of their safety or rights being violated. These changes will benefit Everyone! Virginia needs to pass this and do the bare minimum when it comes to caring about our students.


Unfair to young women participating in sports.

Makes no sense whatsoever to allow a transgender person (male chromosome) participate in sporting events against young women.  Now im sure that if you were the proud parent of a young transgender that wanted to play a sport, you would want the same rights given as others.  But let me ask you this, if you were to put yourself in the shoes of the the young woman's parents.  lets say who lost her position on the track team to a transgender (male chromosome) person.  What would you tell her?  Maybe, suck it up and try harder? Or that maybe she should try out for a non school team?  And heaven forbid she's working towards a scholarship.  Just as long as you get what you want, nothing else matters right? I strongly disagree.


Support

I strongly support this guidance—it’s a necessary step at providing safe places for ALL students to learn and grow


Strongly support

I support efforts to accommodate the trans community in Virginia public schools and I believe this proposal would positively address several issues of relevance to them.


Strongly Support

I strongly support the rights of transgender students and support the lawmakers protecting their rights within the schools.


Strongly Support

All of our students need to have a safe and secure place where they feel comfortable for a learning environment.  Without this it has been shown through many studies that children (and adults for that matter) are severely limited in their ability to learn and grow.  All children deserve the right to a place where they can maximize their potential.  This benefits all of our society whether you agree with who they are.  Our society is strongest when we support one another and this model policy is a good step towards supporting all of our children.  It is not the end goal, but it gives us the opportunity to move in the right direction.  Diminishing those who are not like you does not uplift you nor our society and we should not allow that to occur in places where we nurture the next generation.


Strongly Support

I strongly support creating and executing law that protects Virginia’s transgender students in the public school setting. Every child no matter how they choose present themselves to society should have the ability to receive a public education without a fear of being intimidated or threatened.


School Transgender policies

I do not believe the "government" should usurp the rights and responsibilities of Parents! The job of the school is only to teach math, english, history etc.  Their job ends when the student leaves the school grounds.  The parents responsibilities are the rest of the day, night, weekends, teacher workdays, vacations, and summers.  If the school does not communicate their concerns about a students behavior and something happens to that student and it was found out that the school personnel knew about it, there would be real legal consequences! Students aged 0 to 18 years of age are legally considered children.  From 10 to 18+ they are going through strong hormonal changes in their lives.  I think it criminal to give them puberty blocker hormones!  They should be given psychiatric and psychological support until age 18 when they can decide which sex they choose.  Becouse it is a CHOICE if they decide to change their sex. I think the solution to this is for each school to build a transgender bathroom for each chosen sex. I think "prefered pronouns" are a distraction for school personnal that would distract from the ability for them to teach.


Strongly SUPPORT

Trans rights are human rights! All children deserve equal treatment however they choose to identify.


Support ALL Students

A debate on basic rights and acceptance in schools is not a debate. This document should not even have to be made to provide the same protections for students in school as any other student. Whether you are an educator, school counselor, parent, or administrator, you have a responsibility to protect and accept the students that come into your school and your home every day. If your love and acceptance is limited to sex and identity, you should not be an educator. Even further, you shouldn't become a parent if there are limits to who your child can be to be worthy of your acceptance and love. Education is a fundamental right that ALL children deserve to have SAFE and FAIR access to. Students who identify as transgender are no less part of their school than students that identify as the sex they were assigned at birth. Who are you to say they shouldn't have the same rights?


trans students deserve respect

trans people are real and deserve the same respect any cisgender student gets. as a trans nonbinary person, if these boundaries existed while i was in k-12 i would have felt so much safer.


Strongly oppose

I strongly oppose these policies being considered because there are absolutely no provisions for or exceptions for students, teachers and administrators whose religious faith, conscience, or understanding of biology and sociology prevents them from being able to go along with the “transgender” ideology and policies. I strongly oppose these policies based upon the fact that students accused of not aligning themselves with them can under these suggested guidelines be interrogated without the knowledge of their parents. No minor should have to undergo such an ordeal at all and certainly no minor should have to undergo it alone without parental intervention. I strongly oppose these guidelines which bully anyone who disagrees with them. Instead of seeking unity, they seek to dissolve unity more and more.


Trans Rights

Students matter regardless of gender


Oppose transgender education

Anti bullying training is already in schools. It is wrong  for school administrators to contradict the religious beliefs of thousands of families in order to curry political favor. Every family on my street I have spoken with is against this. Who is paying the taxes that support your school? I do not want my elementary school children being told that they can change their gender. Nor is it right for school officials to  undermine a child’s parents by encouraging a child in that direction, failing to inform their parents, and report the parents if they fail to be “affirming”. Children should not be forced to use new gender neutral pronouns and punished if they choose not to. This is outrageous and anti- American. If you bring this leftist nonsense to Virginia you will see many families pull their children out of public school.


Oppose Flawed Transgender Policy

I believe all children should feel safe and be treated with dignity and respect no matter what. The proposed policy on trans rights, however, is highly flawed and goes woefully beyond "human rights" to stripping away the rights of parents, creating a very confusing and potentially dangerous environment to the majority, in an effort to cater to the minority. There must be a balance and a way to protect ALL students while also respecting the parents' principle role in their child's life. Please do better lawmakers.


100% SUPPORT

i am a non binary person in their 20s and all I want is safe and inclusive schools for all current and future students in Virginia.


Strongly Oppose, Violation of Constitutional Rights

As a former student of Virginia public schools, I am strongly opposed to the policies that are trying to be passed. You are asking faculty and students to go against their own convictions and worldview in order to accommodate for certain students. That discriminates against students and teachers who don’t agree with this worldview which is what you’re “trying” to avoid. The fact that students are allowed to do all of these things without their parents’ knowledge is horrific. These are minors who are still under their parents’ roof and guardianship. The parents have every right to know what is happening in their child’s life, and purposely leaving them out is unhealthy and just wrong. Also, these policies allow students to use whatever bathroom, locker room, changing room, etc. that they want with no questions asked. This leaves room for males to take advantage of that in order to go into the girls’ bathroom. That is not okay and is completely inappropriate. Girls should be able to feel safe at school, and these policies destroy that safety. Lastly, you allow no exceptions for faith, conscience, and basic biology. All of these policies go against our first amendment rights of freedom of speech and freedom of religion. These policies are horrific, and I am strongly against every single one of them.


Support - Trans Rights are Human Rights

Trans rights are human rights. Trans youth needs to be protected at all costs. The suicide and homicide rates of trans people is frighteningly high. There is nothing taboo about discussions about gender identity, and hopefully it will help normalize the existence of trans folk enough that violence rates against them will go down. The argument that trans people violate someone else religion is nothing more than an insecurity on their part. Not only should religion be kept out of public schools, but there is nothing about a trans person’s existence that makes it impossible for someone else to practice their religion. Religion is NOT an excuse to neglect the needs of others, especially when it involves their personal safety or wellbeing.


STRONGLY OPPOSE!

This is ludicrous!


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

This is the bare minimum that should be done to provide equitable quality of education to all students of all backgrounds. This is not a matter of faith. This is not a matter of politics. This is not an aggressive push for radical change in how we approach primary and secondary education. The policies outlined in this guidance document are the bare minimum that ought to be done. Comments and general replies in opposition largely cite safety concerns for students (with the implicit addendum of "cisgender and heterosexual student safety concerns"), with fringe arguments about athletics. This leads to the traditional discussion of restrooms, changing areas, and gendered health and physical education classes, which do require more tact and structure to ensure that all students are safe and comfortable in their learning environment. However, when one reads the guidance document pertaining to this discussion (found in either Dress Code or Access to Activities and Facilities), this concern is mute. The to-be voted on policies of the Virginia Department of Education adhere to any given Virginia and federal law. They are reasonable and accommodating to transgender and cisgender students alike. Yet there is still noticeable opposition to it. I repeat again: this is the bare minimum . To concede on anything within the document is to allow emotional (and potentially physical) harassment and abuse to transgender students. It is to deny them of the most basic rights they are entitled to, as to who they are and as to who they can become. Primary and secondary education are the pillars in creating good foundational skills in communications and many other social skills that are often taken for granted. In denying any one thing on this document is to set the precedent to transgender students that they are second merit to cisgender peers right from the starting line. Instead of presenting professional development opportunities and guiding them to what they want to pursue, we are inadvertently creating and inflicting upon transgender students an environment where they constantly have to exist as another version of themselves, contrary to what they would like to be. It is the soul-crushing equivalent of telling a child who wants to be an astronaut that they must become a tax accountant instead, and if they deviate from that path any one bit, they deserve all the harassment, heckling, and pain they would receive for having "an immature and nonsensical" dream. It is worse, however, because a child will still go through the education system and mature, and they will eventually get to the point where they realize they can satisfy their own passion and throw others' suggested ideal of what they have to be to the wind. Transgender students do not have that ending. Transgender students, all too often, are sent down a self-deprecating, self-harming, and ultimately self-destructive spiral that never seems to end. Because they look in the mirror, see the environment they are in forcing an identity on them that never quite fits, and subsequently blame and hate themselves for being who they are. They look for outlets to escape the pain, both self-inflicted and by their environment, and some eventually fall onto suicide and suicidal ideation as an escape. Is that not abhorrent to imagine someone as young as twelve or thirteen years old to hate themselves that much, magnified by familial, social, and learning environments forcing them into an unfit identity? This should not be as much of a resolution needing to be passed or opposed as it should be a discussion of how do we avoid that fate for our students statewide. And this is the bare minimum to avoid such a fate. Please support the policies listed in the Guidance Document.


Strongly support!

Trans rights are human rights. I am in full support of the fair treatment of all of God's children.


Protect my children

I do not want my children in a school where they are not protected or feel safe.  It is not right to remove parental rights and I certainly do not want my three children exposed to teachings, values, hidden and blatant agendas or physical actions that go against or beliefs!


Strongly support! Trans rights are human rights!

I strongly support this legislation. Proactive action is KEY in supporting trans students and cultivating healthy, supportive, inclusive culture in and out of school.


Strongly Oppose

I personally have no problem with children or people in general wanting to go by a different gender, pronouns, or wanting to be equal. While I do not agree with it and I do not think it is right, I would never judge or want to make someone who thinks it is right to feel unequal or isolated. With that being said, I believe this new policy would isolate and discriminate against those who do not understand or support this new policy. Furthermore I believe this new policy will create problems at home and will contribute to more harassment and even possible sexual harassment and/or assault. The first part of the policy I would like to address is the first point: "Failure to use a students preferred pronouns would be harassment and discrimination, resulting in disciplinary actions." Since pronouns can change from day-to-day how are people supposed to know what pronouns to use when addressing a student or classmate? The only way to avoid anyone being disciplined would be for students to wear name tags everyday with their preferred pronouns on those name tags or always carry/display some sort of identifying paper or label to avoid any conflicts or confusion between students and teachers. This may seem like a solution to some, but looking at it from every aspect, this would cause even more isolation or could embarrass those whose pronouns change from day-to-day. While I think it's important to make everyone feel safe and included, I do not think this policy will bring the feeling of safety or inclusion to anyone especially if someone could get into trouble . The next parts I would like to address are sections 2 and 9. Section 2 states that schools will help students explore, facilitate, and make decisions regarding their gender expression without the knowledge of their parents. Section 9 states that parents will not be notified if their child is being interrogated or disciplined and will not be able to intervene on their child's behalf unless the complaints are not resolved at the school level. The school system should not be able to keep secrets from a child's parent especially when that secret could potentially be a life changing decision or could result in a child being disciplined without a parents knowledge. If the school is going to have strict rules about things such as bringing in tylenol or having strict parental permission and written notes for minor things then what makes the school think that keeping vital information from parents regarding their children is okay or helpful at all? The fact that the school system thinks it would help children to keep their parents out of the loop and in the dark about such serious matters is ridiculous and deceitful. The last two parts of this proposed policy change are sections 6 and 7. These sections state that parents will not be notified if a biological male is using the same dressing room as their daughter and that all students will be able to use any bathroom or locker room they want to without any questions from faculty. These 2 sections create some real questions and concerns for everyone involved. If a biological male were to use the women's locker room it could open up opportunity for biological males who do not identify as a woman to abuse that rule and use it for an unsavory reason that could lead to an assault upon a female. Another reason this particular part of this new policy would be a bad idea would be because if a biological female were to identify as male and decided to use the men's bathroom or locker room they could be subject to harassment and possible assault. I do not think allowing students who identify as the gender they were not assigned to at birth to use the same bathroom or locker room as the gender they identify with on any given day is a good idea in the least. It could cause people to be uncomfortable changing or using their own facilities and it could open up to opportunity for students and even teachers to be harassed or assaulted. While I do understand that everyone would like to be treated fairly and would like to be comfortable with who they are, I do not think this particular part of the policy would help anyone to feel comfortable or safe and the fact that the parents would not be notified also creates problems. After reading through this policy and taking into consideration all sides of the problem (whether or not I agreed with that side) I have decided that I do not support this proposed policy as it would take away the feeling of safety, comfort, and the parents rights to be informed. If another policy were to be proposed with other solutions to the issues and concerns raised then I would take another look at that policy and maybe agree then.


Strongly support—not only morally right but legally correct

Trans students are entitled to human rights and civil rights. Trans individuals, especially trans youth, experience frighteningly high rates of depression, suicidal thoughts, and homelessness—the last thing they need is the Commonwealth breathing down their necks. Virginia cannot by itself end transphobia or violence against trans students, but it can and must do whatever is within its power to protect the rights of trans people.


Support! Trans Students Deserve Equality in School

Thank you to the VDOE for developing this policy to protect transgender and non-binary students in VA public schools.  I fully support this policy guidance and it has been needed for a long time!  This document in it's entirety will only help school districts know how to support their students and create a more welcoming and inclusive learning environment. Every single student deserves to be treated with respect, dignity, and have access to a quality education.  Quality education begins with inclusion, safety and feeling valued in your community...and for students, that's their school. As teachers, we need to make a safe space for all students to be their authentic selves and recognize and celebrate all of our differences.  It is easy to do when you learn more and make some small adjustments in the classroom.  Representation matters, our words matter, and our students are worth it!  Thank you again!


Support strongly! A child’s right to feel safe should never be up for debate

We must must must protect a child’s right to safety at school. I really don’t understand how this is being contested. It is clear that a lot of the opposing side to this document haven’t taken the time actually read it — it’s common sense!


Christian who thinks God has the ultimate say.

I can't believe that anyone would think our schools and policies should change to cater to this belief.  As a Mom and Grandmother to children in public school I find this offensive and morally corrupt.  I will homeschool if this finds it's way in our schools.


Concerned parent - school transgender acceiptance policy

It sickens me that children will be forced to comply to such perverse standards while their innocence and Christian belief will be swept under the rug. If they even share with a friend that they don't agree with what another child is doing they could have severe disciplinary action taken out on them. If my child comes home and asks me, I will not hesitate to ensure them that their friend is confused, even if that possibly would result in a case with local CPS or DSS. I believe the government is now sticking their fingers where they do not belong and have had no business being for quite some time now. What will happen when unfavorable actions or verbal abuse takes place by the opposite gender in a bathroom not intended for their use? Will it be brushed off as "kids will be kids?" I, as a parent, will not hesitate to teach my child to stand up for themselves, their siblings or their friends, no matter how they choose to deal with the situation that arises. I considered moving my family back to VA, but we are watching closely how many lines the government is forcibly crossing into schools and family life. Keep our children innocent!


Why is this even a question?

Trans rights are human rights. Love one another. Please.


support trans students

trans students deserve the care and active safety we can provide them. rates of suicide are high amongst LGBT, and programming that incorporates trans students and makes them feel safe and wanted can help combat those rates.


Strong support!

Everyone should have the freedom to express who they truly are and feel supported in doing so. Trans rights are human rights!


Strongly Support. Keep hatred out of schools.

I strongly support this legislation. Hatred and bigotry have no place in this country's education system.


DO IIITTT

I have no idea what you're waiting for. It's clear that these policies are necessary for the emotional and physical well-being of trans and enby students and it is a social good to support students who are Figuring Out their Gender or have realized they are not in fact cis. If anything, this rulemaking would be much improved by specific language recognizing and directing support for non-trans gender nonconforming and nonbinary students. Our schools should support students in their journeys of self-discovery.


Strongly Support!

I strongly support this proposed guidance. Transgender children often face incredible hardship and the Commonwealth should do whatever it can to make sure that schools provide a safe and nurturing environment for all kids.


No! Keep boy parts out of girl restrooms at school! People need Jesus


Strongly Oppose

I strongly oppose because it's not safe for our students.


Oppose

I completely oppose this.


Comment on Transgender Policy

Thank you for your work to improve the Virginia public schools. I would like to respectfully submit my comments concerning the draft “Model Policies for the Treatment of Transgender Students in Virginia’s Public Schools”. The definitions in the terminology section use the phrase “sex assigned at birth”. This language is problematic and confusing because one’s sex is not assigned. One’s sex is biological and determined before birth. Fetal development is different between males and females. The male brain develops differently than the female brain. In later development there are very clear differences between young boys and young girls. Most parents and others who directly associate with young children understand this. These differences continue and develop as children mature. To claim that sex is assigned is to deny basic science. The policy refers to evidence based curricula, guidance, policy, etc. but ignores or even rejects the clear science of biological sex and male/female differences. The policy further complicates matters by separating biological sex and gender. A person’s gender is their sex. This is clear and undeniable. While our current social and political environment calls this into question it does so with no reliable evidence or with manufactured evidence or circular reasoning. This should not be allowed. This is to deny basic reality. Quality education should not deny basic science. Some children do experience confusion about many things. This may include their personal identity and possibly their sexual identity. While it is important to maintain a nurturing environment for all students we should not do so at the expense of denying basic reality no matter the current social and political trends. We should not tolerate bullying for any reason. We should also not manufacture an artificial environment in an attempt to accommodate a few individuals who are struggling with their identity. Human beings are male and female, men and women, boys and girls. Occasionally someone is born with ambiguous gender. That person, as with all persons, should be supported, nurtured and treated with dignity and respect. I recognize that is the intent of the policy but this policy does not accomplish that. I realize this is a complex social issue but please revise this policy to acknowledge there are two sexes and two genders, male and female. Males and females are different from each other and their differences should be celebrated, respected and protected. The relative few people who do not fit neatly into male or female should be treated with respect and compassion. Making allowances for a few people should not result in major adjustments for the rest of the student body. One example is making a building ADA compliant. We can add a wheelchair ramp without removing the staircase. Males should not be allowed in the female locker room no matter how they may choose to identify themselves. A further comparison would be how we treat people who are non-ambulatory. We provide wheelchairs, ramps and make buildings ADA compliant as much as possible. If someone is blind we offer to teach them brail and make allowances for service animals. If someone self identifies as blind or non-ambulatory even though they can see or walk unhindered we do not offer them disability protections and accommodations. If a male identifies as female or vice versa this is as if a sighted person were identifying as blind. This is so obvious that no explanation or defense should be required. Please review this policy with clear thinking about things that are obvious to most people. Virginia families are depending on you to do what is right and not bow to current social and political trends that deny basic science and human development. We want our schools to be a nurturing environment for all students but denying basic reality should not be required to accomplish this. We should be helping students learn how to live in the real world, not manufacturing an artificial environment for them. Thank you for your consideration. Respectfully submitted, Greg


Oppose

I strongly oppose this bill. This is a matter of fact not opinion. Male and female are based on DNA. As a nurse I can assure you when a baby is born it does not decide whether it is a boy or girl, it is quite obvious! This is a travesty What you are doing to these children. If one would like to transition it should be a personal and very researched decision, one that should be involved in. Teachers have the job of educating children in academics not sexual preferences! This is a disgrace to political leadership. There are more pressing topics that need to be addressed than these emotionally driven, politically correct, biased views brought forth!


Strongly Oppose

I do not even know what to say that is strong enough to show how much this policy proposal disturbs me.  As a Christian educator in the public schools, I love all of my students and look out for their best interest.  I do everything I can to help them and provide a safe and healthy environment for them.  These policy ideas are absurd.   I understand looking out for the rights of everyone, but that can not be at the expense of Christians.  These policies could be used to eliminate Christian teachers from the public schools.  These policies attempt to look like they prevent bullying but I feel very attacked just in reading them.  Please look at the strong character and quality of teachers that currently exist in Virginia and resist making these destructive changes.  They would result in the loss of some fabulous teachers.  I will gladly discuss my concerns in greater detail if you want to reach out to me.  I choose to believe that the creators of these policy ideas really want positive change in our schools and how we treat our students and each other.  However, this policy recommendation is the wrong way to make it happen.  These policies will only result in negative, divisive results.


Strongly In Support Of Trans Rights

I am in complete agreement for supporting trans rights.


Support

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


Strongly Opposed - This is crazy.

I find it very hard to believe that any citizen of this country would support any Godless legislation of this kind.  This is not showing love nor support for any child.  We are to guide out children, not to let them do whatever, that is lawlessness.  This is a path that leads to destruction.  Can’t anyone see that more that half of the boy will suddenly “feel like a girl” just to go into the girls locker room?  This not only perverted but dangerous.  Please, let us lead our children to think, do, and be what is right and true and not conform to this “new” normal.  God bless you and God bless America.


Strongly oppose - gender is God given

God made people male and female. Children or adults who think they are a different gender than God created them to be need compassion and help to see themselves as God sees them. They do not need “empowerment” to try and become someone they are not.


STRONGLY OPPOSED!

This pandemic already has children confused and battling anxiety. We do not need to further confuse them and stress them out more by adding this to the curriculum.


Oppose protect children who can't protect themselves

This is wrong on so many levels! Children need guidance in their lives. With all these people supporting this no wonder children have no idea what gender they are. People should put as much effort in raising their children as they do being SJW , then there would be no need for these policies!!! Treat boys like boys and girls like girls!


Strongly support

Strongly support guidance for inclusive learning environments that enable everyone


OPPOSE Tyrannical trans guidance document

This guidance tramples on truth, common sense, and the rights of families. These are wildly misguided policies that will hurt students and families. The ability to "switch genders" will be exploited in harmful ways. The whole thing is an affront against citizens and their rights to use the schools without having to acquiesce to ridiculously bad ideas, policies, and enforcement.


STRONGLY SUPPORT

I strongly support this! Trans students deserve respect just like any cisgender student, and it is simply factually incorrect to assert that transgender students being allowed into the bathroom of the gender with which they identify causes issues or violence--it absolutely does not. A bathroom is just a bathroom to some students, but to transgender students, this small change could mean feeling accepted and welcomed in society instead of discriminated against.


Strongly support

Strongly support protecting and expanding rights of members in the LGBTQ+ community


Opposed to Bill, Parents' Roles Should Not Be Superseded

It is a policy to attack God created male and female human beings in His likeness and image. Our children have been created in a distinct way, and it is wrong to attack the way their creator, God, has made them male and female. The family is a sphere of influence ordained by God. As such, parents have the sole responsibility to direct, lead, teach, and challenge their children and decide what is best for their welfare. This is not the state's role. Parents may delegate or allow a school to come along side, but the state should not supersede parents. This policy should be overturned and abolished. This policy is designed to desensitize children even more, forcing the introduction of gender change on children for no other reason than to attempt to make it main stream in society. It mocks and minimizes parenting, making it possible to jail, fine, and separate a child from his or her parents for them encouraging their child to enjoy being the person they were created to be. If a child expresses a desire to change and the parents disagree, this policy punishes parents for it as discrimination and harassment. It also deceives parents by not telling them what their child is being taught or exposed to. Another protest, the policy will destroy teachers and students who protest against this, clearly not supporting all students' right of free speech and having a differing point of view. It would label them harassers and discriminating individuals.


Comment on transgender policy

Strongly oppose


Strongly Oppose

I strongly oppose the Model Policies for the Treatment of Transgender Students in Virginia's Public Schools. These policies undermine parental rights by giving schools the ability to help students explore and make decisions regarding a child's sexual identity while at school without a parent even knowing. It is not the public school's job to teach sexuality to children.  It is a parent's right to guide and guard their children in all aspects of their lives. Within this policy parents who encourage their children to embrace their biological sex would be at risk of being reported to Child Protective Services by the child's school. This is an example of complete over reach by the school. I strongly oppose the eradication of all distinctions between males and females. Transgender students should not be allowed into opposite sex bathrooms and/or locker rooms just because they identify with the other gender. This especially puts biological females in an uncomfortable and potentially dangerous situation. The rights of boys and girls who identify with their biological sex are being completely ignored and pushed aside. Why are their thoughts and feelings not being taken into account as these policies turn into law? It sounds to me like these children are being discriminated against. Under this policy parents will not be notified if their child has been interrogated by school officials for allegedly violating these policies unless the complaints are not resolved. Again, an example of complete over reach by the school in an area that they have no business discussing within the school walls. My child should not be reprimanded for the sexual confusions of other students. The gender that you were born with cannot be erased --- it is biological. I am extremely concerned about the indoctrination of my children that this policy will allow to happen by school officials, administrators, and teachers. I wish that school systems would concentrate on teaching reading, writing, and arithmetic. The over reach by schools is alarming - focus on what you were hired to do.


Strongly Oppose

As a former public school educator, I am strongly opposed to these proposed policy changes. All bullying and mistreatment of any person should not be tolerated in our schools. We can teach kindness and respect without these drastic policy changes. We can disagree with the choices of another person and still treat them with the dignity that every human deserves. These policies deny the rights of parents, students' privacy rights, and the First Amendment rights of teachers and administrators who disagree with these policies. I am most concerned that this policy disregards the privacy and safety of our girls.


Strongly Support

Transgender, non-binary, and all other students part of the LGBTQ+ community should be supported and protected so their mere existence and opportunity to thrive is not threatened.


STRONGLY OPPOSE!!!

My kids know what they are. Do not introduce confusion to kids. Last thing they need in this crazy world is mental health issues caused by mismanagement in our school systems. Transgender is a DISORDER that should be dealt with on a case by case basis by that child's parents. Neutral pronouns are also not necessary. Thanks


STRONGLY Opposed

Taking a parents opportunity for guiding their child in their own identity is completely wrong the school should be supporting the family not taking it over if I had young children in school I would not be sending them to Fairfax county. In my opinion they are a disgrace. Parents should be the the source of guidance not the school. The Positivity project has been a clear example of not allowing parents to see the material that has been crammed down there Childrens’s throat’s. To not be able to view the circulium without paying for it unbelievable completely wrong on so many levels And to threaten that a child can’t graduate without it. Fairfax county should be ashamed of their treatment of the family and of parents to consider that they know better what a child needs and their parents the audacity is overwhelming. FCPS needs to stick to educating not undermining the family and parents!!!


Strongly Oppose this Policy as Harmful to Our Children

I am strongly opposed to this policy which would only further foster a dysphoric environment for boys and girls who are encouraged to ignore their own DNA and pretend that they are something they are not. Our educators should be encouraging their students to grow, develop, and refine the special talents and capacities they possess as members of their biological sex and mature into capable men and women. This policy would further what has become a culturally popular agenda that ignores the increasing data pointing to the harm of encouraging children to identify with a gender other than that of their own chromosomes. "Providers and parents who assume transition and acceptance can cure depression in children who identify as transgender risk ignoring underlying abuse, trauma, and mental health disorders." (Crossland, Kiley. "Gender Transformation at All Costs." World, 21 Sept. 2020.)