STRONGLY OPPOSE Gender Guidance document

Schools will be permitted to help a student explore, facilitate and make decisions regarding their gender expression of sexual identity while at school, without a parent even knowing! So the school will be raising our children now? How dare they propose to keep parents out of the loop of such an important aspect of a child's life. And then if the parent tries to guide the child in the correct way,, they face action from social services?? And to top it off, these children make up an extremely small minority of youth. Bringing such attention and fuss to transgenderism will confuse and cause all the other children to question the way they have lived their entire life. We are slowly encouraging children to mutilate and be unhappy with their God-given body and lie to their parents. We are allowing adolescents with brains that are not fully developed to make decisions that should only be made by a fully mature adult with the tools to navigate such a huge decision and the repercussions of that decision. Teach children to love and be kind to all, but do not force them to use made up pronouns and act like they agree with the choices of these few children. School is for education. Please provide a multisex/multigender restroom/locker room so those that are confused can be confused together and do not subject girls to the possible abuse of these proposed rules by allowing any biologically male student to go into their locker rooms and restrooms without question, and vice versa. How about allllll the other students who may feel uncomfortable having someone of the opposite sex watch them change in the locker room? There are ample policies in place to avoid the bullying. Small changes are necessary, but not a "no questions asked, no parents involved" policy.


Support

I support the draft guidance provided by the VDOE. I would like my elementary age children to grow up in an environment, including the Virginia public school system, where there is equality for all.


Strongly opposed to transgender policies proposed for K-12

I believe that giving children under age 18 a "choice" about what their gender is would be a mistake.   In elementary school  they are still trying to learn how to fit into the world and  in adolescence they are experiencing stong emotions impacted by homones and feelings of self-doubt and insecurity.  Sharing physical education activities, locker rooms, rest rooms and showers in middle school and high school violates the privacy of both genders and should not be mandated by government policy.


Strongly opposed to transgender guidelines presented. What happens to the rights of all the other students? Why subject them to being in the same locker room, bathroom, of the opposite sex? Maybe make a seperate locker room and bathroom for transgender students.


STRONGLY DISAGREE w gender articles

I’m disgusted that these would even be considered.  OUR job is to protect the children.  YOUR job is to protect the children.  YOUR JOB IS NOT TO  INDOCTRINATE OTHER PEOPLE’S CHILDREN WITH YOUR LEFT WING IDEALS.   There is FAR TOO MUCH ROOM FOR ABUSE in the propositions and you risk our children’s innocence and safety.


support Model Policies for Treatment of Transgender Students

As a mother, grandmother, and a person of faith, I strongly support these model policies for the treatment of transgender students in public schools. This guidance will equip school districts, schools, and staff with the policies and procedures they need to confidently provide a safe, respectful, and inclusive educational experience for all students.  As the saying goes, when we know better, we do better. These thoughtful policies will help schools across Virginia do better.


Patty Lister, Fairfax Co. Public Schools

I strongly SUPPORT this measure

I have been teaching for more than 30 years In Virginia public schools. In that time I've taught several transgender students, and at the point at which they could openly be who they have felt they really are, I witnessed an amazing ease and happiness in them.  Without a doubt they have been the most gentle and kind of students, and the thought that they could be thought of as a danger to other students is ridiculous to anyone who knows them. Anyone who continues to oppose this is going to end up looking on the wrong side of history, just like the screaming White people in Alabama who tried to keep the little Black girls out of their school are rightly abhorred almost universally.  I assure you that students are much more open and accepting if transgender people than you probably realize, and more so than many of their parents. And even if there are schools with students who are opposed, they are the ones that have to learn to be more accepting. Transgender students are no threat to anyone except tragically sometimes to themselves when they are bullied and harassed, and not supported by the very people in the schools who are supposed to protect them. Do the right thing.


Dept of Education is overstepping their purpose and boundaries and jeopardizing safety.

The purpose of the Dept of Education and educational facilities is to educate our children first and foremost. Their second consideration is for the safety of our children. This bill proposes that my child, who I gave birth to and then raised for 12, 14, 17 years, who I  know, love, and care for, can have a conversation with a school personnel whose sole responsibility is to educate my child for the 9 months or less they have them in class can have a conversation, knowing my child 9 months or less, and help then make a life altering decision without me knowing? Where is the logic?  Then send them home and I and their family will be the one who will walk along side their life changing journey and the school personnel will be long gone but I will still be there? Or you will have me arrested if I disagree in anyway? This is WAY overstepping the boundaries of government. All children are trying to find themselves in their developing years. You are saying someone who knows my child 9 months or less is better equipped to help them make these kinds of decisions? Educators study education and the subjects they teach please stick to what they have studied and are hired to do, it’s plenty. Secondly this bill jeopardizes the safety of my child. Not questioning a student before walking into the bathroom of their opposite biological sex puts our children’s safety at risk. In the workplace of adults if you look inappropriately at a co-worker, comment inappropriately, or make any innuendoes it is considered sexual harassment or worse. However you are suggesting it is ok for a biological male to walk into a girls bathroom or locker room during the scientifically prove “hormonal years” without question? You are jeopardizing the safety of our daughters and I will personally sue if something happens to my child as a result of this law. The department of education and educational facilities need to stick to the focus of education and safety and leave life altering decisions to the families who raised the children and truly know the children. You are stepping way over the boundaries of government. This is truly not your place and not what you were trained or established to do.


Transgender Policies

I am opposed to these policies.


Lost your minds

You people need to go back to teaching reading, writing, and arithmetic and leave this social brainwashing alone. Your job is to educate, not indoctrinate.


Great for Private Schools & Homeschooling

Go ahead!  Adopt these measures that are so politically correct but radically counter to the design of the created order.  Then watch as many more right-thinking parents who can afford alternatives to government education/indoctrination flee to private schools and home education.  The state will then be left to educate/indoctrinate a higher percentage of lower income and single-parents families who cannot afford alternatives but wish they could.  What?  They didn't teach you the law of unintended consequences in state-sponsored graduate schools?  What do you think this will do to your beloved test scores?


Government officials do not have a public mandate

Elected government officials do not have a public mandate to enforce gender promotion on we the people in our tax funded public schools.


Rainbow

Lets all take back the rainbow. When I see a rainbow flag, rainbow crosswalk or anything the lbgtqqfag community sets as a rainbow ID I think about this Bible Verse: Genesis 9:13 "13 I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. 14 Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, 15 I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. 16 Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.”


Strongly Oppose

Dear Virginia Department of Education, I’m writing today to OPPOSE the “Model Policies for the Treatment of Transgender Students in Virginia’s Public Schools”. Every single child—including and especially those struggling with sexual confusion—should be protected from harm and harassment. There is no question of that. And Virginia already has a good anti-bullying law. But this new, proposed policy goes way beyond prevention and crosses the line into mandatory promotion of politicized, sexualized ideology. Below are ten reasons why this should not be adopted: 1. Failure to use a student’s new “preferred pronouns” – which can change from day to day and even defy basic rules of grammar (“ze/hir/hirs”, “they/them/their”) – would be “harassment” and “discrimination”, for which both faculty and students would be subject to disciplinary action. “For transgender students, acts of verbal harassment may include the intentional and persistent use of names and pronouns not consistent with their identity.” (Recommended Standard, p.10) “A school administrator may need to direct school staff to abide by the wishes of a student on their asserted name and pronoun. A school employee’s intentional and persistent refusal to respect a student’s asserted name and pronoun is considered discriminatory.” (Recommended Standard, p.12) “Complaints alleging discrimination, harassment, or bullying based on a student’s actual or perceived transgender status shall be handled in the same manner as other discrimination or harassment complaints.” (Draft Policy, p.10) 2. Schools will be permitted to help a student explore, facilitate and make decisions regarding their gender expression of sexual identity while at school, without a parent even knowing. “School divisions will need to consider the health and safety of the student in situations where students may not want their parents to know about their transgender status … There are no regulations requiring school staff to notify a parent or guardian of a student’s request to affirm their gender identity...” (Recommended Standard, p.12) 3. The definition of “Gender identity” is completely subjective to each person claiming it, hence it cannot possibly be known by anyone except that person. Since it cannot be tested or ascertained by any objective method, nothing could prevent any student from constantly “changing” their “gender identity” to exploit many situations. “Gender Identity: A person’s internal sense of their own identity as a boy/man, girl/woman, something in between, or outside the male/female binary. Gender identity is an innate part of a person’s identity and can be the same or different from the sex assigned at birth.” (Definitions, p.6) 4. Parents who encourage their children to embrace their God-given sex would be at risk of being reported for child abuse or neglect by the school. “School staff should be prepared to support the safety and welfare of transgender students when their families are not affirming. … Whenever school personnel suspects or becomes aware that a student is being abused, neglected, or at risk of abuse or neglect by their parent due to their transgender identity, they should report those concerns to Child Protective Services immediately.” (Recommended Standard, p.13) 5. Students will be allowed to claim to be either a biological male or female (or both, neither, or something else entirely) for any duration of time, without providing any evidence to a teacher or administrator, making it impossible for teachers to comply with these policies. “A student is considered transgender if, at school, the student consistently asserts a gender identity different from the sex assigned at birth… it does not necessarily require any substantiating evidence nor any required minimum duration of expressed gender identity ...” (Recommended Standard, p.12) “Schools shall allow students to assert a name and gender pronouns that reflect their gender identity without any substantiating evidence.” (Draft Policy, p.13) 6. Schools would be prohibited from notifying parents if a biological male is using the same changing facility as their daughter that was designated for girls. “In addition to adhering to all legal standards of confidentiality, school personnel shall treat information relating to a student’s transgender status as being particularly sensitive, shall not disclose it to other students and parents, and shall only disclose to other school personnel with a legitimate educational interest.” (Draft Policy, p.12) 7. All students will be allowed to use any bathroom or locker room they choose, without being questioned by any school administrator or faculty, eliminating privacy and safety of students in states of undress. “Access to facilities such as restrooms and locker rooms that correspond to a student’s gender identity shall be available to all students.” (Draft Policy, p.18) “School staff should not confront students about their gender identity upon entry into the restroom.” (Recommended Standard, p.18) 8. The requirements for schools to maintain gender-neutral dress code standards will cause disruptions and distractions, permitting boys to wear skirts and girls to go topless in activities where boys can – such as swimming activities or teams. “Students have a right to dress in a manner consistent with their gender identity or gender expression. Schools shall administer and enforce dress and grooming codes consistently across the student body, regardless of actual or perceived gender identity or gender expression. Requirements for attire for school-related programs, activities, and events shall be gender-neutral.” (Draft Policy, p.16) 9. Parents will not be notified that their child is being interrogated by school officials for allegedly violating these policies, or have the opportunity to intervene on their child’s behalf, UNLESS the complaints are not resolved “at the school level.” “Any incident or complaint of discrimination, harassment, or bullying shall be given prompt attention, including investigating the incident and taking appropriate corrective action, by the school administrator. …The [School Division’s Designated Contact] shall be available to hear concerns from students or parents when complaints are not resolved at the school level.” (Draft Policy, p.10) 10. The policies provide absolutely no exceptions or accommodations for a student or teacher whose religious faith, conscience, or understanding of biology and sociology prevents them from being able to go along with the “transgender” ideology and policies. These troubling policies proposed by VDOE are not only unworkable, but will force all students, faculty and administrators to comply with an empirically false view of sex and gender, even if it directly conflicts with their own fundamental beliefs. Please do NOT adopt the “Model Policies for the Treatment of Transgender Students in Virginia’s Public Schools”. Sincerely,


Strongly oppose

I strongly oppose this action


Strongly opposed

You were not given a mandate to do anything about transgender children.


Strongly oppose this social experiment on our children

Schools should be focused on teaching basic education.  They should not be a laboratory for misguided social experiments.  Get back to the basics and stop this nonsense.


Father of 6 in public schools

Opposed! I have 1 girl and 5 boys. They dont get to choose no matter what they are 1 girl and 5 boys. I teach my chilfren not to hate on anyone as should every parent but this is the wrong way to handle this situation. Back to the drawing board my friends.


Strongly Support the Guidance

Schools need to be safe, inclusive, and  engaged to be effective educational forums. This guidance provides methods, information, and resources for teachers and staff to educate themselves on transgender issues and gives them parameters for defining their responsibilities towards all students. I strongly support the guidance and its codification of equal treatment of students and acknowledgment that transgender students are simply students and should not harassed or denied equal access to education.


Strongly Support

Please support requiring policies of all VA school districts to support the human rights of transgender and other LGBTQ students without bias or questioning of their dignity, respect for their gender or sexual orientation for these students to have equal access to education as well as their mental health and wellness.


I support the guidance.

I support the guidance.


Correct this one-sided ideological driven document

It is without question that every single child, including and especially those struggling with sexual confusion, should be protected from harm and harassment. Virginia has a good anti-bullying law that addresses this. This new, proposed policy goes well beyond that. Yes, it is nominally about respect and safety, but it is disrespectful, not recognizing the validity of differing viewpoints. It crosses the line into mandatory promotion of only one viewpoint or ideology. The policy needs to guarantee the rights of parents and school employees whose beliefs differ regarding transgenderism (based on natural law, religious beliefs), and therefore allow for exceptions from the mandates outlined in the policy. The policy needs to recognize the fundamental rights of parents over their children and their education; therefore any discussion on these matters must include the parents. 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 parents have the right to determine what is best for their children, not the schools. The schools must not deceive parents. Also, the policy must respect and protect the privacy of boys and girls who do not want to expose themselves in a restroom or change clothes in the presence of the opposite sex. Furthermore, scientific studies and medical experts make clear the majority of children outgrow gender confusion by the time they reach puberty. It’s therefore irresponsible to push involuntary promotion of gender confusion in a public education setting, and it can be damaging to kids who are still developing.


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

I am in support of the guidance document.


STRONGLY SUPPORT

As a Fairfax County Public Schools parent, I strongly support this guidance which will protect transgender and non-binary students from bullying, harassment, and discrimination.  From the negative comments on this site, it's evident this guidance is sorely needed.  Thank you.


STRONGLY OPPOSE these irrational policies

These policies cannot be enforced in any rational way. This document states, “A student is considered transgender if, at school, the student consistently asserts a gender identity different from the sex assigned at birth.  This should involve more than a casual declaration of gender identity, but it does not necessarily require any substantiating evidence nor any required minimum duration of expressed gender identity, and expression of gender identity can present differently from student to student.”  What articulable threshold lies between “more than a casual declaration” and “[no] substantiating evidence?”  This document requires a transgender student to “consistently assert” their identity, but does not require that to be done for any “minimum duration” of time.  That attempt at logic flies in the face of the very definition of “consistent” (in this context, “acting or done in the same way over time,” from Oxford Languages).  What if a student genuinely changes their mind on several occasions about whether they are transgender?  How and how often will that be accommodated? This document states, “Students should be allowed to use the [restroom, locker room or changing] facility that corresponds to their consistently asserted gender identity.”  Does this mean that a fourteen-year-old girl might be put in a position in which she must undress or shower in the company of an eighteen-year-old “biological” male?  Since the document only requires single-user restrooms and private changing areas “when schools have [them] available” and “taking into account existing school facilities,” there is no guarantee that “cisgender” students’ privacy will be protected.  What if twenty or thirty students express a religious objection to undressing in front of one transgender student?  How will those objections be accommodated, given “existing school facilities?” This document states, “School staff should not confront students about their gender identity upon entry into the restroom.”  Especially since the document has already established that transgender assertion need not have been made for any period of time, nor be accompanied by any supporting evidence, any male student will be able to walk into any girl’s locker room or restroom (or vice versa) unchallenged. This document states, “For overnight field trips, the school should not force the [transgender] student into single-occupancy accommodations that are not required for other students; however, such alternative accommodations should be made available to any student requesting them.”  If a student requests they NOT be assigned a hotel room with a transgender student, will that request be honored?  Will that student be disciplined for “sex-stereotyping” or creating a “hostile environment?”  At the very least, such a request is likely to subject the requesting student to negative peer pressure from more “affirming” students. This document states, “Whenever school personnel suspects or becomes aware that a student is being abused, neglected, or at risk of abuse or neglect by their parents due to their transgender identity, they should report those concerns to Child Protective Services immediately.”  The document does not make clear whether “gender-based harassment” constitutes abuse or neglect, but will a school employee have the authority or requirement to report a parent to CPS if that parent does not accept and fully support the student’s transgender assertion?  At the very least, these policies require school staff to hide a student’s transgender assertion from his or her parents, if that student so requests. If we abandon objective reality, we will forfeit our ability to set clear standards for behavior and morality.  Rather than protecting our children’s privacy and providing them “a safe and supportive environment,” these policies will do exactly the opposite.  They will also violate the First Amendment rights of students and school staff.  I STRONGLY OPPOSE the implementation of these policies.


Strongly support

I strongly support any guidelines that treat transgendered students fairly and with respect. Transgendered people are people and everyone deserves to be treated equitably.


Strongly Support

As a Fairfax County Public Schools parent, I strongly support this guidance which will protect transgender and non-binary students from bullying, harassment, and discrimination and allow them to participate in an educational system that supports them in a safe environment.


Everyone deserves dignity

We strongly support the rights of transgender people.  Everyone deserves to feel valued and no one should be made to feel out of place.


Strongly Support Transgender Student Safety and Equality

As the parent of a two students who recently graduated from Fairfax City schools, I saw the emotional energy and resources that both cis- and transgender students spent supporting each other on transgender issues.  Policies that provide a safe space for trans students create a safe space for all students to learn and study and develop as well.


I support the guidance

I support these protections: House Bill 145 and Senate Bill 161 , passed into law in 2020, codify protections for transgender and non-binary students in Virginia public schools. The bills instruct the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) to draft model policies on the treatment of transgender (trans) and non-binary youth in schools by the end of 2020. School Boards then have until the start of the 2021-2022 school year to adopt policies consistent with, or even more comprehensive than, the VDOE model policy.


Support trans students

Virginia schools must do everything they can to ensure students can be who they are at school.  Students cannot learn if they feel unsafe or anxious.


Long time coming - proud Fairfax Co alum

I live in NY now but I grew up in the Virginia school system, in Fairfax County (Mantua Elementary, Frost Middle and Woodson High). Provisions like the ones proposed for trans, gender neutral and/or non comforming were not even concepts at that time, but I knew friends who’s lives it would have completely changed then - their daily lives. School is meant to be a place where every child feels accepted, loved and safe- and what better way than to evolve to ensure they feel this way. The fears that some opposition have are not to be disregarded, but I find it most appropriate to understand the feelings and opinions of those directly impacted, the students themselves in this proposal, and I think you would find that there would be overwhelming support. This change is a long time coming, and while as students nearly 20 years ago, we did not have the option, I am grateful to see change in policy proposals now. I completely support this bill.


Strongly Oppose

Our schools have no business discussing sexuality and transgenderism with our children. Teaching the biological process is one thing, but leave your political agendas out of our schools.  You are harming our children with this garbage and causing unnecessary confusion


Strongly support trans protections for students

Strongly support the guidance for protection for trans students in va schools


House Bill 145 and Senate Bill 161

I strongly support House Bill 145 and Senate Bill 161. Having taught for over 20 years, I know how important it is to provide students a safe, welcoming, and inclusive environment. ALL students benefit from engaging with a wide variety of people, and we all benefit when our students have positive experiences.


Strongly support

there is no reason we should not support all people no matter their gender.


Strongly support the safe and equal treatment of transgender students

I strongly support the draft guidance provided by the VDOE for safe and equal treatment of transgender students.


NO! Stop the indoctrination

Stop indoctrinating our young children in the new woke philosophy.


OPPOSE!

This bill must be stopped.  It clearly would infringe upon the rights of children who embrace their original, at birth, God-given gender.  No girls should be forced to share a bathroom or shower with a boy, even if that boy wants to say he wants to be a girl. This bill could  bring great civil unrest, parents withdrawing children from schools, and further divide our state and country. As a grandparent I oppose such insanity.


Oppose the Transgender Policy

Stop this bill!  While it looks like it's trying to not to offend a small group of children, it's actually offending a much larger group of children.  No child should be forced to share a bathroom or shower with a child of the opposite born sex.


Strongly oppose transgender in schools!!

No transgender in our school system!!  Our children are sexed by God.  Not by what they think they are each day!!!  Their minds are impressionable, stop conforming to this worlds standards and go back to what the Bible says!


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

I fully OPPOSE the Model Policies for the Treatment of Transgender Students in Virginia’s Public Schools. It's wrong to impose these political views on our children.  And that's what this is. Our children deserve to live under their Constitutional rights - freedom of speech and freedom of religion.


Protect transgender  students!

I was never against rights for transgender students, but am now firmly vocal regarding their rights since my son l came out” a year ago. WHO recognizes gender dysphasia as a medical problem,with the treatment being allowing the person to live the gender they identify with.  Insurance generally covers some counseling and hormone treatment. People who oppose simply are uninformed and willfully ignorant.


Transgender kids

Absolutely not ...on the policy that you want to put n place. P.S.


Oppose transgender policy

I oppose transgender policy


strongly oppose transgender policy

strongly oppose transgender policy


Oppose

Oppose


I will never send my kids to public school if this agenda is adopted by Virginia.

If this dangerous and progressive agenda is adopted by Virginia public schools, I will never send my 3 girls to public schools. It is not safe, and I will not risk their safety.


Strongly oppose

As a concerned citizen for the health and well-being of all children, I strongly oppose these guidelines.  There are so many things wrong with this suggested policy, but I will list only a few. To begin, the Recommended Standard listed on page 12, not requiring "school staff to notify parents or guardians of a students request to affirm their identity" not only goes against every principle and standard that we as parents are held to, but is also in opposition to the Virginia Parental Rights Code listed under Virginia code 1-240.1 Rights of Parents. Withholding information from parents pertaining to their own child is counterproductive in allowing the parent or guardian to effectively "make decisions concerning the upbringing, education, and care of their child," as stated in Virginia 1-240.1.  The school system should not be burdened with, nor be given that much power and control over children that are not their own. Secondly, allowing a student to claim to be either a biological male or female (or both, neither, or something else entirely) for any duration of time, without providing any evidence to a teacher or administrator, makes it impossible for teacher to comply with these policies. Teachers and staff cannot effectively do their job of protecting all children given these standards. In fact, according to these standards, any student, whether transgender or not, could walk into the restroom or locker room of the opposite sex without question. You are giving too much control to the students to make decisions that they should not be given authority to make. We cannot assume that all children will make good decisions, which is why they have adult oversight. By enabling any child to make these type of decisions for themselves, you are endangering all children.  Children will be running the school system, not adults. There has to be a better way forward than these Model Policies.


Strongly Oppose

There are a lot of ways to prevent discrimination of transgendered people without violating the civil rights of others.  This policy appears to violate the US Constitution's Bill of Rights and the Constitution of Virginia.  Denying parents their rights, allowing biological males into the female locker room, or the reverse, removing children from a home because a school does not like a parents perspective, letting children explore their sexuality on school time is not what we pay teachers for.  This policy will be costly for the Commonwealth in ways you have not considered.  If you are really worried about transgender bullying don't discriminate against non-transgendered people instead consider rules that exist at many federal facilities e.g.,  use of private unisex bathrooms for the transgendered.  Stop this policy now and rethink it.


Transgender Policy

Protect our Precious children. Provide separate facilities for transgender students.


Transgender Policies

I am disgusted with this proposal and the fact that government thinks they can take away the rights of parents !!!!!!   We must not allow this to happen to our children or our families ...This has very little  to do with supporting transgender youth and everything to do with the gov. Wanting to raise our children !~~~~


I strongly oppose this proposed policy

I strongly oppose the proposed policy. I am disturbed how about how the state wants to take away parents’ authority over their children and claim it for themselves. Calling failure to use a student’s preferred pronouns discrimination and harassment is ludicrous. It is arrogant of the state to claim they know better. It sets a dangerous precedent to turn parenting discretion into something akin to physical or verbal abuse. Also, forcing this policy is against the freedom of religion and against science. How do we solve gender identity issues by lying to our children that they aren’t the sex they were born with? It is as false as the former President’s claims of having won the election. Moreover, telling children they can choose whatever gender they want does not help children; it only causes confusion. We know by science that the brain is not fully formed until the age of 25, Then of course there is the grave physical danger of mixing up same sex restrooms. Many people with means will take their children out of the public schools because of this policy. But what of those who can’t afford it? I am saddened that it is mostly the poorer families who don’t have a choice of schools by this misguidance by the VDOE.


Transgender Policy

Absolutely not.  Whoever proposed this asinine idea clearly doesn’t have children of their own to raise.  One of our many responsibilities as parents is to protect the innocence of our children, this policy would cut our legs right out from under us.  I whole-heartedly disagree with this policy and ask our leaders to really consider the enormity of the situation to remove rights from parents.


In support

As an educational psychologist, it is indisputable that students learn best when their social/emotional needs are met, when they are free from bullying, and when their authentic selves are acknowledged and celebrated. All students deserve to be able to go to school in an environment where they feel safe and honored. Schools should be guided by policies that honor all children and not be guided by religious intolerance. I support this set of guidelines as a way to move Virginia toward being a state that more fully supports each of our students.


STRONLY OPPOSE

This is an abominable, abhorrent policy that could potentially tear families apart. Who do you think will be there for the child in the long run - the school or their parent? Who cares about the future well-being of the child - the school or their parent? Schools AND THE GOVERNMENT need to STAY OUT OF families. Educate children ---- teach them history, teach them to think critically, teach them to ask questions, teach them to write and to communicate effectively and efficiently, teach them to work hard; let families manage the rest.


Transgender policy--strongly oppose

As a parents of 2 elementary school kids, this has me very concerned for the well being of my own kids. No other student of the opposite sex should be sharing locker rooms. My children fully understand their God given parts for themselves and should not have to deal with this. Parents should have the right to know what the schools are teaching our children and information needs to be supplied and with permission slips. This is outrageous and very concerning for many parents. I pray for my childrens sake that this gets denyed.


Proposal for transgender

Begin typing to enter your comments. are limited to approximately 3000 words.Strongly opposed to this proposal.  What a shame to even be a consideration for students..this has absolutely nothing to do with educating children. Setting children up for nothing but trouble


Strongly Support

I support the Virginia Department of Education’s guidance on creating inclusive learning environments for transgender and non-binary youth.  People should be free to express themselves and society should support them.


Strongly Oppose

My family strongly OPPOSES the proposed policy changes. The parameters for teacher and students who are not transgender is left wide open for abuse of the policy.  A transgender student can (and they do) change from what sexual orientation they are identifying as on a day to day basis.  If students and teachers are not aware of what this is each day, the transgender student is easily offended leaving the teacher subject to disciplinary action on their job and another student who is unaware also subject to expulsion.  This will drive more teachers away.  We feel like VDOE should focus on the education of our students and these measures and many before this are overstepping the boundaries of an education system.  I do feel like transgender students should be protected from any form of bullying just as ANY student should but I feel like that's where VDOE needs to draw the line.  It is not up to our school systems to educate our children on sexual identification.  Perhaps you could focus on giving them resources of trained individuals.  If you so choose to adopt this policy then I suggest you provide adequate facilities within each school to allow transgender students to have their own restrooms, locker rooms, etc.  VDOE, I plead to you to stop the nonsense and better educate our children as the majority of them are not being educated and prepared for life after graduation.


Support for HB145/SB161

As a professor of Social Work I know the harm faced by transgender students.  I have supported and advocated for policies that ensure all students in our public schools have access to equal education.  This means supporting students in ways that prevent harm no matter their identity.  These policies will allow trans and non-binary youth to be safer from bulllying, harassment, and discrimination at the hands of their peers, teachers, and school staff and administrators. It will also guarantee that supports are in place to allow all youth, including trans and non-binary youth, to have access to an equal educational experience. Thank you, Deanna F. Durham, MSW


Transgender policy

I am opposed to any policy that promotes and encourages children to share restrooms and changing facilities in public schools.  As a parent,  it outages me that the school would hide and even deceive parents from knowing that their child may be confused about their gender. I will not vote or support lawmakers that advocate policies that take parental rights away from parents.


Strongly Opposed

I am not for this at all, this is ridiculous and needs to be voted against. I will pull my children from public school and homeschool them if this gets passed. This is crazy to think it's even an thought for our school systems. It's a disgrace.


Absolutely OPPOSE the Model Policies for the Treatment of Transgender Students in Public Schools

I absolutely and vehemently oppose this!! You are not only infringing on the GOD given rights of parents to raise their children as they are fit but you are proposing to groom our children without our consent or knowledge in  a way that is, to many, immoral. You are also opening a door to allow all sorts of child abuse in various capacities! Our children, all children, are young and impressionable and need to be molded not by the school of public education, whose standards are government imposed and less than moral in principal, but by their parents who love them and want what is best them and know who they are as individuals and see them as just a number in a system of numbers. Parents of their own children have the best ability, insight and knowledge of what their children truly need to be the best person they can be and for you, the public school system, to think you know better is not only extremely offensive but absolutely un-condonable! You want to know why our school system is failing, it’s because the schools are trying to be parents to our children and teach them things that are the parents job. Quit trying to interfere into our family lives and remove parental authority from parents, to whom it was rightful given! And for once quit trying to be “politically correct” in a society of people , that has been raised by the government public school system, and that has no idea which end is up! There are two GOD ordained genders and anyone who says differently is selling something. No matter how you twist it, look at it, manipulate it, and distort it there will only ever be two genders on this earth! And to teach in schools  that this is not the case is politicizing our school system even more than it already is and over stepping the bounds of the separation of the church and state.  I absolutely oppose this model of policies for the treatment of transgender students in VA public schools. And as a final not the f this is somehow implemented be ready to have lawsuit brought against you for failure to maintain the separation of church and state in our public schools!


Disagree

As a retired teacher, I disagree with with policy.  Teachers can’t do or say or teach many things but teaching transgender children without parent’s knowledge is not acceptable.  I realize things may be different now, but girls go to girls bathrooms/locker rooms and boys go to boys bathrooms/ locker rooms. Topless sports are out of the question too for girls. I know transgender’s have issues to deal with but if this is allowed, there will be more problems


Disagree


Strongly Oppose

We need to step back from and ultimately abandon this radical ideology as a society before it is too late. Transgender theory contradicts science and reason. It is tragic that persons, including children, may question or even revile their gender- however, we should seek to heal these people, not drive them deeper into delusion. Just as we should not advocate for a girl suffering from anorexia who truly believes she is obese and requires liposuction to have this procedure, or convince a person suffering from schizophrenia and believes s/he hears voices to actually listen to those voices, we should help persons experiencing gender dysphoria deal with the underlying causes. The guidance document seeks to undermine much in our society, including (1) science (gender is more than what the guidance document suggests is just seemingly arbitrary physical or anatomical characteristics- every cell in a person's body says something about who they are, independent of whether that person attempts to cosmetically change appearance), (2) language (the terms "male" and "female" are poorly defined in the guidance document, which is ironic because they are the undefined standards upon which gender identity theory rests and to which persons compare themselves), and (3) privacy/safety (opening up bathrooms and locker rooms is a terrible idea, and I cannot believe I even have to advocate against it). I hope more logical, prudent heads will prevail and we will turn away from this.


Amanda Burton, parent and public educator

Strongly Oppose

I strongly oppose the proposed transgender policy the VDOE has put forth. This proposal makes me question the moral compass of our leaders, and it makes me question my desire to be a public servant in VA. I have spent 19 years educating our youth. During my service I have only had one transgender student. I don't want to imagine the tax payer money that has been spent on this progressive topic!  I expect for our policy makers to do what is right and educate and protect our youth and teachers.


Not happening with my child....

My child will not participate in this false world these ill people are trying to create for kids. Absolutely not, you are by nature, a boy or girl and will use restrooms as such. You allow either gender to be exposed to any wrong doing the opposite gender can impose. My child will not use the same bathroom as a boy and feel uncomfortable when doing so. This will allow predatory responses to happen easily to our kids. We don't give participation trophies and you are either a boy or girl. This is strange to even be a thought, religion aside for all of this. My child is a boy or a girl, and my child will not grow up confused knowing that. How soft of a country have we become.... disappointed.


Strongly oppose!

Strongly oppose


Strongly support!

It saddens me that we have to pass a law so that all students are free from discrimination and harassment in schools. This should be an automatic right for everyone. Please support and pass.


New policy

These policy changes are unfair to students and will create unending problems for teachers and administrators. Whoever came up with this has a "consequences be damned" attitude. Please do not implement this policy.


Transgender policy

I absolutely strongly oppose this measure. It ruins Title 9 for girls . You are encouraging rape in bathrooms and will be legally responsible. You have a millstone


Fully support

I am concerned with the amount of transphobia I have read in these comments.  Transgender students deserve equal rights, they deserve not to experience fear and bigotry while in school. In addition, religion & school need to be kept separate.


Strongly Appose!

What are you thinking?  This will cause nothing but headace and discrimination for everyone!  This issue has become a fad for a lot of children who have no idea what they are truly getting into.  It's not even science.  There seems to be an agenda and it's not a good one.  Does anyone in government have common sense?  You have to vote no.  You are going to have to live with these "rules" as well as constituents you are inflicting this nonsence on!


Extremely opposed

Has anyone seriously thought this thru?!  Look at the burden that is being put on the students and faculty... and parents!  There is no set of rules for the kids that have been confused about who they are, I.e., they can change their minds from moment to moment how they want to be addressed, but the requirements for the rest of the world will cause fear and intimidation and an unhealthy and hostile learning environment.  This is the TYRANNY OF THE MINORITY in action.  A small percentage of the population demanding sweeping changes for the greater majority of the population.  This is WRONG!!!


Ashley Phillips, parent & public educator

Strongly oppose

I strongly oppose these policies by VDOE. These policies strip parents and teachers of all rights and gives them to children, who can't even decide if they like PB&J one day versus the next, yet they are allowed to determine their gender moment by moment. This would require that teachers can't inform a parent that an opposite sex is using the same locker room as their child (possible abuse), BUT they would be required to report a parent for child abuse if they do not fully support the student's gender whims. Anyone who has taught kids, knows how easily they change their minds based on circumstances. Insane. As a parent of 4, I will NEVER enroll my kids in public school in this state with these policies. As a teacher, I can't imagine the critical funding wasted on this agenda and the endless lawsuits it will create. Good teachers will leave public education forever if this is enacted. Stop the insanity. Focus on supporting teachers. Allow parents to be parents.


I oppose- Let's protect all children

I oppose this bill as it is protecting a very small portion of the population of children. I feel they need protection, but also the children that do not fall into this classification also need protected. By allowing transgender children to change/dress/use restroom with other children of the opposite sex is putting the non-transgender children into mental or physical danger. Let's protect all children, not just transgender children. I feel this should be rewritten somehow to protect all children.


Totally disagree

This policy has no place in the public school arena or in any public arena for that matter. As a father of four kids I stand against any policy that supports and promotes a marxist ideology that had nothing to do with the safety and acceptance of all but quite the opposite, it is dangerous and totally unscientific.


Transgender legislation

STRONGLY OPPOSE.


Strongly Oppose

I strongly opposed these transgender policies that seek to take instruction and control from parents in a grave matter where they should be involved, not the school system. While I understand that we live in a culture where many children have falsely been persuaded that they are gender-confused, and I sympathize for them. Their need of structure, counseling and spiritual guidance should come from the home, not our schools. Teachers, parents and students should not have to sacrifice their spiritual ideologies to cater to the transgender community. And, last, it is unacceptable that boy and girls who identify otherwise would be able to dress as they want and use whatever restroom or locker room they choose! I have raised strong young men and a young lady who will not be exposed to the theatrics that this would entail if allowed to go on in the school system. It is unacceptable, and I strongly oppose!


Fully support

Fully Support


OPPOSE

As a parent of a 3rd grade girl... and a former teacher, this is beyond concerning. Division and standards set for both boys and girls is critical in keeping our children SAFE. From one another. From adults (topless swim team?? Come on). Our job as adults is to protect those in our population who can't protect themselves fully. We are dropping the responsibility by doing this, and are acting with negligence.


against transphobia - in support of the bill

This bill addresses discrimination against a portion of the student body.  I supported it even before reading all of the transphobic commentary here. All students' needs should receive best practice guidance from the state.


You are worthy!

I would like to publicly remind trans youth and ANY trans person that you are enough, you are worthy and you are exactly as you should be! You are supported, and loved and I know the rudest people are usually the loudest out of insecurity but know that they are the minority and we will support and protect you at all costs! ??


Strongly oppose

For the protection of my children, I do not agree with this. I love everyone and their choices are their own but we should not impose such actions on everyone!  What about protecting all children not just the minority?


Transgender Legislation

I oppose this legislation in the strongest of terms.


I support the bill.

We must support all students, and that includes Trans students.


Stick To Education

You are the Department of Education, not the Health Department. This is a Mental Health Issue. You are neither qualified nor warranted to make Health decisions for the children of parents. Stay in your lane. Your job is to help children think for themselves. You have absolutely no place deciding how parents will raise their children, any more than a doctor has the job to tell a child and parent which type of math or science to focus on for a career in aeronautics or electrical engineering. STAY IN YOUR LANE


Strongly apposed

This goes beyond Transgender students.  In my opinion, you will be opening the door for a lot of bad and terrible things to happen because people will abuse the 'identifies' as.  If my 14yr is in the bathroom and an 18yr old says he 'identifies' as a women so he can be in there and basically have free rein to do whatever he wants...because who is going to stop him right...you can't ask why he walking in there. This could happen the other way around also...a 18yr old girl who 'identifies' as a boy and could harm a younger boy.  Unfortunately, there are people boys/girls , men/women who are just evil and will harm others.  If you think that will not happen in schools, you are delusional. This is not keeping any of the children safe....I truly believe it will cause more harm.  If something were to happen to my child because you move forward with this policy, you can bet you will be held accountable.


Support of trans & non-binary students

Strongly Support. This is good for all children, regardless of their gender or sexuality.


OPPOSE - THIS SHOULD NOT BE PART OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM

I strongly oppose this.  Transgender politics do not belong in the schools!!  First you take God out of the classroom and then you take the Pledge of Allegiance.  Then our children are indoctrinated with a political view of liberalism.  They are no longer taught history and now are being taught that we are a racist country.  And now, they are being allowed to declare themselves to be a transgender.  And if parents disagree, their rights are taken away.   A child is declared a child until the age of 18.  Until then, he or she should be treated as such.  There is a reason that we wait until they turn at least 18 to declare them as as adult.  Parents are there to provide guidance. Let the parent do their job and schools should stay out of parenting rights. I talked to my grandchildren who are teens in high school.  They are against having boys dressed as girls using the girls restrooms. They are against girls dressed as boys using the boys restrooms.  Have a "Transgender Restroom" available for use.  Don't force our children and grandchildren to be subjected to something that could result in abuse of the situation. Let the majority speak.


School policy

I strongly oppose.


Strongly opposed

As a mother of 2 daughters and 2 step sons I strongly oppose this. This is appalling. These are children. Why should a boy be in the bathroom or Locker room with girls? And girls being able go topless in sports?!?! Really. You are going to sejd me to jail for teaching my children Gods way?! For child abuse?! Ridiculous. If this is proposed my children will be homeschooled.


Strongly support this guidance

As someone born and raised in Virginia Beach and as an LGBTQ+ educator in Hampton Roads, I strongly support this guidance. I've been heartened to see the progress that Virginia is making toward inclusivity and this guidance furthers that goal. It's vital that all students in our schools feel safe and supported, and implementing these policies will help work toward that, particularly in our support of LGBTQ+ students.


Oppose change for transgender policies

I do not approve of the proposed guidelines based on radical theories that eradicate all distinctions between male and female and indoctrinate our school children.


YES YES - how can we be anything but anti-discrimination?

I fully support legislation needed to promote the health and well-being of trans youth. How can we be anything but anti-discrimination? Trans-children and trans-people are at higher risk for a myriad of health challenges, including experienced harassment, violence, and suicide, due to the intense discriminations they face. We have to do what we can to protect our children.


Transgender Education

STRONGLY OPPOSE!!!


Totally against this

Short answer: I am totally opposed to this proposed legislation.  Forget thousands of years of social norms.  Forget parental rights.  Forget the spiritual convictions of millions of people.  Forget struggling schools who have another “job” placed on teachers that has nothing to do with educating students.  Forget “following the science”.  Don’t forget that the government get’s its authority from the consent of the governed.  Lawmakers who forget this should be voted out.


Strongly oppose this!!!

The fact that I tell my children to embrace how God made them is MY business! Not anyone else's!!! I don't look down or think any different of people for however and whomever they choose to be. I sure don't want it to happen to me and my children!!! God is very REAL to us and we are proud to say it!! Don't go threatening parents that believe a different way! That is absolutely disgusting to think that it would be considered abuse if a parent tells THEIR children to embrace how God made them. I have never in my life heard such dumbness!!! How about you all worry about the kids that are living a life of real abuse!!! Like being beat, drugged, etc. How pitiful that our world has came to this!! I have always taught my children that you don't have to answer how other people live, but you do have to answer for how you treat them! I'll be praying for y'all!!!


This would cause psychological pain for any other children

I strongly oppose this being brought up as an option.  For elementary school, children lack sense of discretion on this, and to have someone guide them in a direction, or counsel them to try something instead of teaching them right and wrong at an early age is absolutely nuts.  My girl has wanted to be a boy on several occasions, but normally it was because boys get to do this, or boys get to do that.  I believe probably every little kid has had these questions, I thought I wanted to be a girl when I was younger because girls had way cooler hiking boots.  I don't think these urges are wrong, I think they are natural, but I think that is for the parents to work with their children on.  NOT THE STATE SCHOOL. High school it will cause way more problems/concerns.  What if my daughter was using the restroom and a boy came in because he was trying something out?  I'm not ok with this.  Sports teams, locker rooms, and other areas would be of extreme concern as well. All students will be allowed to use any bathroom or locker room they choose (Draft Policy, p.18) I can't imagine if the guys in my gym class growing up had a female in the locker room.  Would that really be better?  I think it would lead to all kinds of problems, both physically and emotionally.


STRONGLY OPPOSE!!!

OPPOSE


Your choice violates my consequence

I strongly oppose these policies that are supposedly intended to protect the rights of transgender. This is not a role our education system should be taking on. If it is really about protecting rights, then let them work it out with the parents, that's THEIR right. Why is it that the higher percentage who are not transgender will be the ones to suffer the most infringement of their rights? Why is the state demanding and legislating our  acceptance of such a serious concern from children who should be children, not some poster child for an agenda? Choices have consequences and in no sense of justice should YOUR choices legislate MY consequences. But that is exactly what is being put in motion. If you cannot vote, buy alcohol or cigarettes, or join the military until you are an "adult", then lets take this off the school systems that need to be focused on education, not social reform.  Isn't it interesting to consider that the vast majority of legal cases out there are from the female athlete perspective, trying to preserve their sport from men? I couldn't even find one case where a male athlete was suing because of suffering a loss by a transgender female athlete. As for the issues with locker rooms, sports and males competing, it is simple. If you are biologically a boy, who identifies as a girl, you shower, dress out, race or compete with the boys, as the girl you feel you are. If you are uncomfortable, remember, choices and consequences.


ABSOLUTELY OPPOSE THIS TRANSGENDER EDUCATION

I want to make a statement and have my voice be heard that I completely oppose Children being taught to go against their natural gender. I am appalled that we would even consider this. PLEASE DO NOT DO THIS!!


Strongly Oppose

Strongly Oppose There are ways to prevent discrimination of transgendered people without violating the civil rights of others or usurping parental authority.  Consider the use of private unisex bathrooms for the transgendered.  If they are being bullied then the school has a problem with it’s anti-bullying policies or implementation.  NO ONE should be bullied.  Making sure no one is harassed or bullied is where the school’s involvement should end.  The school should not be denying parents their rights and threatening action to remove children from a home because a school does not like a parents perspective.   Schools should stick to teaching the basic subjects (reading, writing, arithmetic, factual history, etc.) and leave the rest of a child’s development (including exploring their sexuality) to their parent. School vouchers and charter schools are the best way to help parents improve their child’s educational opportunities and environment.


Strongly support

No child should feel uncomfortable being who they are.  I'm surprised this was not in place before.  Education should be an inclusive place.


STRONGLY OPPOSE

This legislature is very disturbing to not only the kids but to the parents. We need to let teachers do the teaching and we need to let parents be the parents. The parents need to be involved in all aspects of what is going on with their child/children. To allow boys in girls restrooms will cause more harm than good in so many ways and so many levels. I am actually quite speechless that this is even thought of as something we should do.


Trans School Policy

I oppose this legislation in the strongest terms.  It will harm our kids emotionally and socially.  Government has no right to dictate these policies in our schools.


Oppose: infringing on many different faiths and hurtful to young children

As a teacher in the public school system this policy would go against what I know about children and my faith.  There are many faiths, not just Christianity, that this would effect. To say that you would report parents because their faith doesn’t believe in it, is against our rights as parents. I was taught to respect other religions even if they believe differently than I do and this would be going against that in so many different ways. I have read reports from psychologists that say this would be confusing to students in so many ways and be harmful. If this passes, you will have parents and possibly teachers leave the public school system in droves. I would leave and not let my girls go to a public school system. As a teacher, I believe in teaching all children regardless of their views on themselves and others. The majority of teachers would treat a transgender student with respect and try to accommodate their belief. But to make it mandatory and even include elementary schools in this, is a detriment to the mental health of all children. Again, as a teacher and a parent, I strongly oppose this policy. This would infringe on our rights as Americans.


STRONGLY OPPOSE

I strongly oppose for religious reasons and will not allow my child to share a restroom with someone who does not know what they should identify as. This will be liability issue for the school.


Fully support!

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


Strongly Oppose

I strongly oppose this!


Strongly oppose. Please protect our children.

I strongly oppose the Statewide Transgender School Policy. Please protect our children.


Strongly opposed

This is getting out of hand. Do any of you proposing these changes actually care about the safety of our children?  These changes will put all children at risk


Strongly oppose

Non-discrimination policies are currently in place to protect transgender students. The proposed model policies and guidelines infringe upon the rights of parents and have implications that could be detrimental to non-transgender students.


Opposed

This is completely crazy and uncalled for. The school should have no say in a childs gender, and to think they can do so without consulting with the parents is absurd. My child will not continue in public school if this goes through. There has to be some point when we say enough is enough. The goverment should not be controlling everything!!!


Strongly disagree

God is leaving this nation because of decisions like this. We killed millions of unborn babies because they don’t have a choice in the matter of there lives. But yet we are more concerned about what gender we are when we are either Male or Female depending


Opposed

I am opposed to this. My daughters should feel safe when changing in a locker room or using a restroom. They should not need to fear a male being able to enter without being questioned. This decreases safety in schools.


In support of discrimination-free schools

Dear Virginia Regulatory Town Hall, I briefly reviewed the guidance document, which requires the following: The Department of Education shall develop and make available to each school board model policies concerning the treatment of transgender students in public elementary and secondary schools that address common issues regarding transgender students in accordance with evidence-based best practices and include information, guidance, procedures, and standards relating to: 1.Compliance with applicable nondiscrimination laws; 2.Maintenance of a safe and supportive learning environment free from discrimination and harassment for all students; 3.Prevention of and response to bullying and harassment; 4.Maintenance of student records; 5.Identification of students; 6.Protection of student privacy and the confidentiality of sensitive information;7.Enforcement of sex-based dress codes; and 8.Student participation in sex-specific school activities, events, and use of school facilities.(Activities and events do not include athletics), and that Each school board shall adopt policies that are consistent with but may be more comprehensive than the model policies developed by the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) ... I was impressed by the diverse team of professionals who provided expertise to develop this model document including those from psychology, public policy and education. According to the document, the guiding principle of the policy to is to create schools  that are free from discrimination and harassment, schools where students are treated with dignity. As a scholar and educator committed to the promotion of equitable learning environments for all students, I support policies and standards that promote safe and supportive learning environments for everyone, including transgender students. Furthermore, as a Christian educator who teaches and works at a Christian university in southwestern Virginia, my faith, values, commitments, and public witness compel me to work for justice and equity for everyone, particularly those whom are most vulnerable to violence and injustice. Thank you for your support. Dr. Johonna Turner Eastern Mennonite University


Opposed

I oppose this policy being considered. A parent’s ability to guide and lead their child does not end at the school doorstep. The thought that school admin can ignore and willfully violate a parent’s lawful wishes to call their child by the correct name and gender is not something that should be put into practice. Certain education is and should be segregated by gender as there are two genders and they need to learn different things on certain subjects. If this policy goes in, it would be even more evidence the public school systems are radical liberal institutions that can no longer be entrusted with educating our children


Support

I am a high-school student who identifies as transgender. While this suggested policy isn't perfect, it would be a step in the right direction to protect a group of vulnerable youth who have, in my experience, been discriminated against and treated poorly in educational settings due simply to their identity.


Fully Support

I fully support legislation needed to promote the well-being of trans individuals.


Strongly oppose

This policy, intended to provide a safe and nondiscriminatory school environment goes well beyond what is practical and necessary.  First of all, if schools can't provide a safe environment for all students, regardless of who they are, then they are failing to to their job.  Is verbal harassment and bullying allowed now?  Where it does occur, do you think these policies are going to discourage or encourage harassment?  Forcing teachers to address a student with a gender-neutral pronoun?  Prohibiting teachers from questioning students about their gender identity when entering a bathroom that differs from their biological sex?  I'm not sure how much of this policy is rooted in love and respect and how much is a product of fear.  I try my best to raise my children to respect everyone to the extent possible and always assume good in people.  Of course, we adults know that it is not always possible to respect everyone and everyone is certainly not good.  Therefore caution is required and the safety of our children is paramount.  If teachers are restrained and live in fear of reprisal if they question the sexual identity and motives of a student, how does that provide a safe place for the vast majority of the student population?  I am not suggesting that we ignore the population of transgender students in the HCPS system.  I believe they can certainly be accommodated through the use of private / single-person bathrooms and allowed to dress in appropriate clothing if it is not a distraction for the other students.  Use of pronouns should also be appropriate and not be a distraction for other students.  I'm sorry, but "ze", "zir", "zem, and zeir" are distracting.  Aside from being distracting, singling out individuals by use of these pronouns is bound to increase harassment by other students.  I don't know what the population of transgender students is in HCPS, but the percentage of population in Virginia appears to be less than 0.4%.  While laws and policies should be inclusive of all people, regardless of the size of their minority, they should not be at the expense of others.  These policies by HCPS and other school systems in our country have created a thoroughly confusing and intimidating environment for all children.  We can address the needs and concerns of, maybe 150 individuals, on a case by case basis without sweeping policies that infringe on our other students right for a safe, non-intimidating educational environment.


Oppose new transgender guidelines

Mother of 4:  I oppose the new transgender guidelines.


transgender

Strongly,strongly disagree


Absolutely oppose transgender policy

This policy infringes on the rights of many more people than it protects.


transgender/strongly disagree

strongly disagree


Strongly Oppose!

I strongly oppose this legislation!  It is not good for our kids!


transgender/strongly disagree

Absolutely not biblical


Opposed

I strongly oppose this new policy. My oldest will enter Kindergarten this fall.  Policies like this will affect my decision on sending my children to a public school in Virginia. This new policy is unacceptable.


Strongly Oppose

For a teacher to discuss sexuality with a minor without the consent or knowledge of the parent should be criminal, not celebrated.


Strongly Opposed

I do NOT support the proposed changes to educational policy that disregard parental rights, students’ privacy rights, and the First Amendment rights of teachers and administrators.


Transgender school policy

I mean no harm to the LGBTQ community, but I personally oppose this policy. I do not agree with it.... however ; I could be on board with a 3rd facility made for those with the right to choose.


Strongly oppose this policy

Please, please reconsider forcing this policy on our schools.  Every student deserves to be respected and protected, not just those the state deems worthy.  This flies in the face of the anti-bullying policies, the religious freedom rights, and the parental rights.  It also harms the very ones it is slated to protect.  Reconsider these aggressive policies.


Support

Please protect our vulnerable trans students by enacting a K-12 policy. This is not the final step but it is a good start.


opposition to bill

I strongly oppose this for our school children.  This will have extremely negative consequences.  Do not vote for this!


Strongly Support

Strongly support this guidance.  We need to support all of our children.


Strongly Support this Policy

I whole-heartedly support this policy. We must support all of our children and adolescents. How are students expected to perform well in academics, or even in life, if we do not support them in the most BASIC ways? Transgender students should have access to every support that cisgender students are granted, if this includes safety nets, privacy, and gender-concordant bathrooms and locker rooms then SO BE IT! This is anti-discrimination at its most basic. If you are really afraid of YOUR child being exposed to a transgender person in the bathroom, maybe YOU should think about homeschooling YOUR child?? If you really think that YOUR child cannot accept someone as they are, maybe YOU should think about the morals that YOU have taught YOUR child? Please find it in your hearts to make one aspect of a transgender person's life easier, especially when everything else is typically hard enough.


transgender children.

I am in support of protections for transgender children.


Support Transgender students

Please support the rights and inclusion of transgender and nonbinary students.  Every student deserves to be treated fairly without regard to gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, sex, race, ethnicity, ability status, and so on.  As a religious leaders, I support transgender people, including children and adolescents.  Please let me know if I can provide you with additional information.


Oppose

I oppose.


Many people opposing this policy have come from a right-wing site telling them lies and distortions.

Please be aware that probably the vast majority of people who have come here voicing their disapproval of the policy have come from a right-wing site (Lifesite News) which makes the policy sound dangerous. It distorts and omits a LOT of details about the policy. Please be aware of this and support our transgender children. They aren't predators nor any other type of danger to other children.


Fully Support

I am in full support of this guidance.


Strongly Oppose

The Virginia Department of Education has launched a missile to kill a mouse.  The regulatory guidance is overbroad to the point of quashing constitutional rights of those who are not part of the LGBTQ+ community. I can foresee years of litigation at significant cost to our schools, which is money that should be spent educating our youth.  I support accommodation as necessary to obviate any harassment, discrimination or bullying but these guidelines trample the rights of others in the name of political correctness. Can we PLEASE use common sense to address these issues and stop making them the focus of our identity.


In strong support of support of transgender youth in Virginia public schools

Regardless of any origin or identity (ethnic, sexual, socioeconomic), no child should be discriminated against, and school administrators should construct environments where students feel safe. Reading through comments on this town hall, there are a few things I would like to address in addition to giving my full support of this legislation whose core aims to promote the safety of trans students in public schools: As a graduate student in the medical domain, I can confirm that there are, biologically, not only two biological sexes. Non XX/XY chromosome pairs are naturally found in about 1/100 births, meaning that about 1/500 children are born with a biological sex that may not genetically conform to what we may consider a "boy" or a "girl". For this irrefutable genetic proof to exist and then people to deny the evidence or even possibility of a gender spectrum (irrespective of sex determined at birth) is short-sighted and uninformed. I see the "how can we trust boys who would be going into girls' bathrooms and vice versa?" argument popping up a lot. If this is a concern, shouldn't we be equally concerned about gay, bisexual, and other queer students sharing the same bathrooms as other kids? How logistically would that work, a survey of middle schoolers responding to questions on their sexual orientation? This is evidently a fear that comes from things people do not understand, so I recommend anyone who doubts the reality of the LGBTQ+ or trans communities read up on current scientists' and psychologists' thoughts on the matter, not what was being said 30, 40, 50 years ago. The freedom of religion in the United States is one of many which allows us to express ourselves without Congress telling us what we can and cannot believe or say...within reason. A line is drawn when religiously-based actions cause harm to others. Contextualizing a bit, I'm sure there were many Virginian Christians who deeply believed that God did not want Black students in their white public schools less than a century ago, but that does not mean that injurious religious actions and motivations are legally allowed. Despite Christianity promoting support of vulnerable populations, I think prejudice often overtakes this fundamental Christian value, undermining some Christians' racist or LGBTQ+phobic thoughts and actions. To reiterate, LGBTQ+ lives matter, trans lives matter, and I hope young trans students begin to feel safer and more accepted in the public institutions which are designed to educate and protect them.


Comment

I do not approve of the proposed guidelines based on radical theories that eradicate all distinctions between male and female and indoctrinate our school children.  Parental rights are being ignored and abused.  Children need their parental input.  Religious beliefs and conscience of parents and children need to be honored.


Equal Rights for all people including LGBTQ

I support the Virginia Department of Education’s guidance on creating inclusive learning environments for transgender students in Virginia’s public schools. Education is important to dispelling myths and misinformation and encouraging fair and equal treatment for all people.


Proposed Transgender Policy

I strongly oppose the transgender policy as it is being proposed.


Strongly oppose

I strongly oppose this.


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


vehemently OPPOSE

This is absolutely unacceptable. Parents need to be involved in their children's lives. We cannot give full and complete control to the schools! This will allow schools to hide information from parents and advocate for children's decisions without parental knowledge or consent. I am fully against this. It will destroy our children, schools, families, and society.


A Step In The Right Direction

As a queer student, I believe that this proposal is a step forward towards equal, inclusive treatment of trans youth and youth of all gender identities. It is not harmful to cisgender youth to have them support their trans classmates. It is not going to "turn them trans" or anything like that. It is, however, harmful to trans youth to be discriminated against by teachers, classmates, administrators, and so on. We need legislation like this to make school safer for the next generation of trans youth and all youth. My trans and nb friends went through discrimination by teachers and students alike, and it hurt them. I stayed mostly in the closet to avoid similar treatment, and that hurt too. No kid should have face that.


Strongly Oppose!

This policy would interfere with a parent's ability to give necessary guidance to her child.  It also makes no allowance for religious considerations.  Please ensure that this policy is not issued.


NO!

Please stop this destructive nonsense. Parents need to be involved in their children's lives. We cannot allow schools to hide information from parents and advocate for children's decisions without parental knowledge or consent.It will destroy our children, schools, families, and society.


Strongly Oppose

I am the mother of 5 children and would love for public school to continue to be an option for us. Allowing mixed genders in bathrooms and locker rooms, with no control over what happens in there, is traumatic for everyone involved. There has to be a better way than this option. I have a teenage daughter and cannot imagine what she will have to process through in being required to strip down in a locker room with a male, or her seeing a male strip down in front of her. I have 4 sons as well and the thought that they would be subjected to this from a female in their locker rooms is equally as disturbing. Whether people identify as the opposite sex or not, the body parts still matter and forcing opposite sex to be together and seen inappropriately in this way with no protection for either party, is simply a chaotic and traumatic encounter waiting to happen. I’m baffled that this even needs explanation because this should be common sense. Also this leaves room for those who are opposite sex, who do not identify as opposite sex, but have bad intentions, to enter into bathrooms and locker rooms, for the “fun” of it- and the hands of authority are bound and can do nothing to protect the very children we are supposed to care for. Please consider the grand scope of what is at stake here.


Strongly ***OPPOSE!***

Do not crumple up the Constitution. This will not stand when it is challenged in the SCOTUS, and those who support it will appear foolish. Therefore, let me be clear, I do NOT support the proposed changes to educational policy that disregard parental rights, students’ privacy rights, and the First Amendment rights of teachers and administrators.


Oppose

Parents job is removed


Please REJECT Model Policies for the Treatment of Transgender Students

Since parents are the primary educators of their children, and these proposed policies include circumventing parents not only re: educating, but also by providing validation and "services."  Parents must be the ones who address their child's needs.


Transgender Guidelines

Transgender proposed guidelines....STRONGLY OPPOSE!!


sad day

All children should feel safe in school and at home.  Sadly, this is not always the case.  Every single child—including and especially those struggling with sexual confusion—should be protected from harm and harassment. There is no question of that. And Virginia has a good anti-bullying law. But this new, proposed policy goes way beyond prevention and crosses the line into mandatory promotion of politicized, sexualized ideology. Considering that scientific studies and medical experts make clear the majority of children outgrow gender confusion by the time they reach puberty—it’s, at best, irresponsible to push involuntary promotion of gender confusion in a public education setting—and, at worst, actually damaging to kids who are still developing. I do not support this.  In fact, it's enough for me to want to take my daughters out of the public education sector.


Strongly Oppose

The role of the public schools is to support parents by providing an academic education. Parents are the guardians of their children and should not be removed from discussions regarding their children's mental health and identity questions. Children who are being bullied, harassed, or discriminated against should be protected under current policies. Those policies are in place to protect ALL children. If someone is being harassed for what they believe about themself or anything else, the person doing the harassing needs to be disciplined. New policies are not required for this. It should be happening already. There are people who will take advantage of this new policy and use it to gain easier access to their potential victims of unwanted sexual behavior. My comments are submitted as anonymous because I fear that I will be bullied, harassed, or discriminated against because my views aren't the same as others'. Please remember that the more the government legislates, the more danger its citizens are in of being shut down and discriminated against.


STRONGLY DISAGREE!

STRONGLY DISAGREE!!


Support

As a transgender adult, I fully support this measure. I’ve been fortunate enough to work with trans teens and found them to be incredibly level headed and well prepared for the world. Studies show that transgender kids who are allowed to transition as kids don’t experience the same levels of depression or suicidal ideation that my generation faced. It’s hard to imagine how much time, pain, and struggle I could have escaped if I’d gone to school in a time that accepted gender non conforming students. This measure is just an over due adjustment of social values. I support any measure that moves us toward a world where gender is truly a non-issue in regards to a person’s value.


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

Strongly oppose this proposed legislation.


Alpha Omega Kappa Fraternity supports the guidance.

Alpha Omega Kappa Fraternity Incorporated is a 501c3 social service non-collegiate greek lettered organization for men of transgender experience. Our mission is to provide knowledge of existing issues and dispel misconceptions of people of transitional stages and experience. We strive to motivate and inspire individuals especially trans masculine people to enhance their quality of life by uplifting and promoting unity within the community. The Brothers of Alpha Omega Kappa Fraternity Incorporated strive to have a positive, lasting impact on society as a whole and bring visibility to our trans masculine community. We support this guidance for trans youth in Virginia as an affirming environment can save lives and increase the quality of life for our trans youth.


Oppose

You have taken prayer out of school and it is about time we put it back!!! I oppose to the schools making decisions regarding my grand childrens gender expressions without their parents knowledge.  In other words you want to change my grand childs mind as to what gender they are yourself.  This is unacceptable!  Letting boys in girls bathrooms is unacceptable.  Letting girls in boys bathrooms is unacceptable.  Letting boys or girls in the opposite sexes locker rooms to change is unacceptable.  I only hope my daughter and son pull their kids from the public school system along with many other parents.  None of this is right!!!!


Completely Opposed!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Our country was founded on religious freedoms, more specifically our forefathers were God fearing Christians.  Our country has strayed from God's word and this is why we have the mess that we do today.  In NO world should the government or education system be afforded the right to have more influence on children than the children's own parents.  Raising children starts in the home NOT the school system!  Government is SEVERELY overstepping by trying to take the place of parents and by trying to dismantle the nuclear family.  This is the way that the liberal left wants to gain more control by further brainwashing younger generations and teaching them the evil and corrupt ways...  What happened to equality and inclusion?  Oh, that's right, its only equality and inclusive if it supports the agenda and narrative of the liberal left.  This is clear discrimination against those (mainly Christians) who speak truth and God's word.


Do you really think? - I support 100%

Do you really think that being born this way was my 3 year old choice? Do you really think that she thought about all of this when she told me she was not a boy? Do you really think this is what we had in mind, us parents when we had our first born? Do you really think our world as not been turned upside down since she has transitioned? Do you really think that now, at 9 years old my daughter goes to the bathroom to "check other people's private parts"? Do you really think that she would not be crushed if she could not wear a beautiful dress at her first Prom or be part of the Girls Field Hockey team? I was once on the other side like whoever would answer Yes to any of those above - where I could not imagine life any other way but then she came along and I thank God for that everyday. Please really think about this.


Ineffably Reckless

Putting aside for the moment the essential beliefs and applications of said beliefs in this proposed change in policy, I must point out the recklessness of making such a move in the current socio-cultural climate. In going forward with this change, you are not simply making a decision many (if not the majority) disagree with, but are imposing a policy which many (again, if not most) understand as nothing short of evil. In a time of already great division and the growing belief that there will be a civil war, to make a move that just a decade ago would have been seen as absurd and nothing less than a conspiracy theory to accuse someone of wanting to impose is a level of recklessness I can only attribute to a desire for not simply creating a hardline of division - a line in the figurative sand - but of causing chaos and destruction. That is, you are either assuming that those who know this to be evil will do nothing to protect their children and their neighbor's children from it or you are assuming that they will oppose you. I firmly belief you are naive and foolhardy if you assume the former, and will find yourselves flabbergasted when this causes an escalation at the local level, even to the point of violence against state officials if they were to attempt removing a child from their parents' home. If you believe the latter, however, I can only assume you want to cause an escalation, that you have such destruction present within your hearts already - possessed, as many of you are, by an ideology of breaking down the old and re-congealing the new  - that you must manifest it into society. It is difficult to understand (hence, title of my comment) how adults can even consider such a decision unless one assumes the aforementioned former or latter. There is no situation where making this change either brings about what you desire or avoids conflict between many, if not most, counties of Virginia and Richmond. As for the essential belief of this policy: it is that people are not their bodies, but are 'minds,' 'souls,' or 'spirits' of some sort trapped within a flesh-y vehicle. This is wrong. People are their bodies. For society to permit people to act as though otherwise is itself an evil against those very people, a refusal to help them, as well as a lie told to society at large. I do not see you as a caring group, but a group of abusers who refuse to help those who are suffering on account of the beliefs in sex, humanity, and society which you yourselves have caused in the first place. You claim fear and paranoia and resulting hatred grips your opponents, but I say to you: it is a hatred of sex and society which grips you and compels you to destroy along with your own phobia: an irrational fear of submitting to reality. Needless to say at this point: I oppose this policy - it is fundamentally evil.


This is absolutely an awful idea!

This is an awful idea! It takes away the rights of everyone because there are a few people who don’t like the rules! If you have a penis you belong in a boys bathroom and if you have a vagina you belong in a girls bathroom. The Bible stated it that way and our fore fathers kept it that way! Do not change it because a few people are uncomfortable because this will in turn make everyone uncomfortable! I have no problem with gay people or transgender people I believe everyone deserves to be loved but if you are a God given boy which means you have a penis then use the Men’s/Boys restroom. If you are a God given girl which means you have a vagina then use the Woman’s/Girls restroom. Plain and simple. Thank you for your time and reading this message. Have a blessed day!


Strongly Oppose

Strongly Oppose!!


Poor Policy making - oppose

After reading the proposal, my opposition can be summarized in the following ways. First, it is unfair for schools to mandate how people should think about transgender identities in Virginia, especially teachers. Its is ironic that the first “Related Law” list is the First amendment. The actual text is conveniently left out, but what remains is just a shadow of it and what the author only wants the reader to consider. Also protected is the right to disagree with transgender accommodating policies. The author also takes the time to explain how Title IX “May be understood”  - such that it promotes their point of few. Enacting these guidelines would mandate that teachers surrender their right to speech and faith in favor of a student’s need for affirmation. This is done by not only mandating the pronouns they use, but requiring the “LGBTQ- inclusive and affirming curricula” while a very effective teacher may not wish to affirm a LGBTQ lifestyle. Finally, under “Other Considerations” these guidelines begin to address opposing viewpoints. However, this is done only to the extent to defend these guidelines, not craft an education that aligns with the values of the community. This also assumes that teachers, students, administrators, and others connected to the school are not the ones in opposition. This is suppression, not engagement. Second, this legislation empowers students over parents. The idea that a parent’s wishes for something as simple as the name of their child would not be continued in the classroom is absurd. In the event a parent is dissatisfied with that, what are they to do? Take their child out of school? It takes away the rights of parents to raise their children over an issue that is still very much up for public debate. Third, these most of these provisions do not protect transgender students but are rather just left-wing catch phrases. As someone who is not long out of high school, I can promise that very little of this addresses the root problems of being a teenager. Kids are not bullied just because “societal prejudice and lack of awareness or understanding”. They are bullied because the vast majority of kids are self-conscious, victims of poor parenting, and never taught how to behave. Even “good kids” will be sarcastic to get a quick laugh. If you want to stop bullying, the answer is for kids to have someone in their life that cares about them. A coach being excited for a kid or a teacher asking about a child’s day does far more than any sensitivity training. This will help students learn not to bully as well as how to handle hardship in a productive way. Finally, there is no attempt at bipartisanship. I am a conservative with a heart for children and young adults. I respect the need for protecting privacy and making sure counseling is available for all children – including LGBTQ students. However, what in this should make me feel that my values or opinion is even respected by my legislators or my schools? This reads more like a left wing blog post than legislation that balances the needs of all citizens. (language in quotation marks draws directly from the guidance document)


Strongly SUPPORT!

As the parent of a transgender child I strongly support the bill.  Our children deserve the right to feel safe, respected, and supported at school and beyond.  Those that disagree, need to do their research and see that a fully supportive environment leads to better mental health outcomes.  The suicide rate amongst transgender teens is staggering and heart breaking.  We fully support our child, as does his peers, community, and school.  This is undoubtedly why he is happy and thriving.  We need more communities and schools like ours so that other transgender children can have the same outcomes.


Strongly oppose transgender school policy - Genesis 1:27

Genesis 1:27 , NKJV: So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.


No

Not biblical. I do not support.


Support trans students!

As the parent of a non binary child, I strongly support the creation of standards that will equip Virginia's schools with the policies, procedures, training, and tools required to create a safe and inclusive educational experience for transgender and non-binary students. This strong action will not only help enrich the educational experience for non binary and transgender students, but also for children who identify as neurodiverse "outside the box thinkers", differently-abled students, and ultimately, for all students. If one door is opened to inclusivity, it will lead to many more opening. My dearest hope is that this will lead to inclusive sex education that is based on current evidence based research and to a non male-centric view of female anatomy as wrong or distracting.


STRONGLY OPPOSE

This completely goes against women’s rights for safety.


Support

I support the guidance


100% Opposed

I thought the Virginia public school system was out of touch with reality when I was a student. Kids showed up to school hungry, classrooms were understaffed, and the quality of education declined every year. All admin was worried about was if someone got called gay on the bus. I thought that was a low point. Wrong. My kids will obtain an education in a state that recognizes biology and doesn’t spit in the face of every organized religion in America. Whether that state will be Virginia will depend on if our Enlightened Educators put my tax dollars into education quality instead of programs intent on sexually confusing a generation of children.


No morals in Virginia

God my us either a boy or a girl. I do not wants anyone “brainwashing” my grandchildren or any other child trying to convince them as to wether they are a  different sex than what they were born.  I also do not want the fear of a boy going into a locker room with my granddaughters.  This whole thing makes no sense.  If you want to accommodate transgenders then you have a whole different locker room for this group of kids.   We need to bring the Bible back in school and we wouldn’t even be discussing this matter.  If this goes through, there will be a lot of homeschool and private school children.  This is a sad dad for Virginia!!!


Strongly support.

Trans rights are human rights. It's that simple.


Gender