Strongly Oppose policies further attacking an already attacked minority population

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I'm a parent of two children who both graduated from Virginia Public Schools in the last few years. I have been so proud, not only of my children, but of the high calibre of educators in Virginia's public schools. These fine educators have worked so hard to help our children become educated and part of our community.

As my children are older, let me say that I never heard of grooming or indoctrination from teachers against children, either by gender or orientation. What I have heard is that these children often have harder lives, because of non-acceptance. This new policy attempts to formalize and otherize those children who aren't identical to what is perceived to be acceptable - i.e., the nuclear family.

Not all children are from two parent families. not all children are lucky enough to get the support they need. Sometimes, they get lucky to get that from their educators. Why, oh why, are we otherizing them. Why are we putting targets on the backs of LGBTQ children.

PLEASE, if you want strong, mature adults, let them decide who and what they are, without interference. Children go through many phases, but most of them decide who they are without input from anyone.

STOP interfering in schools, people's private lives, all becuase of some conservative agenda. It won't make them less gay, less trans, or less whatever it is you don't approve of. All it will do is otherize them and make them miserable.


Strongly SUPPORT new policy

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<p>A child's wellbeing should be in the parents hands, not in the government. I greatly appreciate and support the Governor and this policy. </p>


Strongly Agree & Thank you.

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Strongly Agree.  Keep up the good work!


Oppose the Governor's model policy

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<p>I am writing to oppose these model policies.  They are inhumane, likely illegal,  and constitute state-sanctioned discrimination.  The mere fact of introducing anti-trans policies has had deleterious effects on the health and well-being of transgender individuals in other states.  All students deserve to be safe and respected.  We don't require parental permission to call a cis-gendered student by a nickname or preferred name.  It is even more imporant to use the preferred name of transgender students.  Using a chosen name for trans students is associated with improved mental health and lower rates of suicide.  Encouraging parental involvement in children's education and overall development is generally preferred.  As a nurse, however, I know that some children and teens do not feel safe with their parents, or need to time before they feel able to communicate with their parents about charged topics.  Outing children without their consent can result in serious harm to children's life and well-being.  This proposed model policy is simply not based on the evidence, the law, or respect for human rights.  </p>


oppose changing to the updated 2022 policy guidelines

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As a parent of three young adult children who attended public school in Albemarle County, it saddens me to see how we are shaming our LGBTQ+ students by supporting these new guidelines. I am opposed to the adoption of the 2022 guidelines. Each person has innate worth and value, even if they have different viewpoints than ours.

We sent our three children to public schools as we wanted them to grow up to be independent thinkers and to be around a diverse group of students. My children have helped challenge me in my thinking about many different issues and have informed me about some of the hurtful things that have happened to their friends who are transgender and gay in the public school system over the years.  I feel that the 2021 guidelines were a step in the right direction to protect the dignity of our students. I ask that you think long and hard about what harmful effect the 2022 guidelines will have on the mental health of vulnerable students.


School Responsibility to Protect From and Report Child Abuse and Neglect

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In 2019 a study was conducted regarding an increase in child abuse cases following the release of report cards.  It was noted that there was a substantial increase over weekends with less of an increase during the week - however there were increases of child abuse cases following reports from a school. (Bright et al., 2019)

As a former special education paraprofessional, I received extensive child abuse recognition, prevention, and reporting procedures - key among them were to include the parent's historical demeanor and determining the best approach of parental notification that had even the slightest potential of abuse or neglect related to the report.  Put simply, if we as the educational staff had even the slightest concern, we were mandated to abide by suspected child abuse policies and laws affecting mandatory reporting personnel.

Again, data shows an increased risk of minority sexual orientation children (Corliss et al., 2002) and transgender adolescents (Thoma et al., 2021) by parents or caregivers when compared against non-minority sexual orientation or transgender children.

Respecting the rights of parental rearing is important, critically so, yet we know that there are parents whose definition of appropriate rearing includes severe corporal punishment, emotional abuse, withholding of meals, excessive labor bordering on abuse or neglect, and a litany of other types of abuses to include, most disgustingly sexual abuse. (Tobin & Delaney, 2019)

LGBTQ+ youth are at a higher risk of mental health illness, self-harm, and suicide (Rimes et al., 2017).  In many cases due to ostracism at school and at home, even if it were only one child in all of Virginia this policy affected, the question is are we as adults ok with condemning that child to death in support of satisfying the whims of others for their “sincerely held beliefs”?

There is data that show the disparities between families who accept their gender-differing child vice those who do not (Ryan et al., 2010).

Regarding names and nicknames determined by the parent to be used by the school regardless of the student’s wishes – how would guidance respond to a child who’s name elicits mocking by the student body, so the student chooses to go by a different name – if the parents desire to keep the mocked name, will the child be forced to endure mockery without regard to the socio-emotional impact such mockery would bring?  As the proposed 2022 Model Policies under review states many times, each person is protected by the First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States, by denying a student’s request to, under their First Amendment right, use the names and gender identities the Virginia DoE is in fact acting against said constitution by promoting the desires of one over the other in establishing this policy.  It matters not if, (according to the policy and lacking any objective evidence or data made available to the public) the supposed “majority of Virginians rejecting the belief that gender is a matter of personal choice.  With such a baseless claim, I assert that Virginians overwhelmingly support the belief that someone else’s gender identity is only the business of the person and those they choose to disclose to, or in the matter of children, that child and child’s parents or guardians disclosed by that child to said parents or guardians without public involvement in a private and sensitive family topic.  Deputizing school staff, that is those not certified and licensed mental health providers, to declare themselves as such an expert and, without regard to potential harm to the child, disclose to a parent a child’s personally and sincerely held belief without the direct and immediate support of a mental health provider is innately dangerous – as stated above there is overwhelming evidence of abuse and neglect by caregivers, severe mental-health ailments coupled with self-harm and suicide to allow such a matter to be disclosed by anyone other than a certified and licensed mental health provider – as this policy would be mandated by the Commonwealth, such a provider must then be furnished by the Commonwealth and subject to the standard review process regarding any provider whose primary focus are children.

Regarding the ideological “sincerely held beliefs” of others the First Amendment makes no mention of such a requirement, in fact it forbids the government from any action respecting any religion – thus if an Commonwealth employee holds a sincere and true belief, said belief is required by the US Constitution to be ignored during the performance of their duties they are employed for.  Say there is a teacher who sincerely believes that gender and sex are far more complicated than the proposed biological model in this proposal – you are in fact violating your own policy with said policy by disregarding the sincerely held “ideological beliefs” by imposing other ideological beliefs upon them.

Still with the First Amendment, we are guaranteed the right of freedom of expression – a faculty member holding sincerely that gender/sex are defined biologically at birth is entitled to refuse to refer to a student by their preferred name and pronouns – in such a case of conflicting freedoms of expression as guaranteed by the First Amendment should a student refuse to acknowledge said faculty member, what would be the appropriate course of action?  Simply asserting that as the individual is a faculty member therefore the student is required to obey is in direct violation of the First Amendment as the freedoms of speech – or in the case of this policy ideology are actively violated by the Commonwealth and in violation of this policy.

How would such a faculty member be directed to respond should parental consent be granted for school personnel to use the pronouns, gender identity, and name desired by their child?  If they are required to, then the Commonwealth is in violation of its own policy and the First Amendment of the US Constitution, yet if they allow the faculty to adhere to their belief and refer to the student as they desire, then they are in direct defiance of the caregiver of the child and this policy.

Finally, has the Commonwealth conducted an analysis of families with gender-differing children and solicited their desires in this policy?  If not, then simply by enacting this policy, the Commonwealth would be in direct violation of the First Amendment of the US Constitution by espousing the beliefs of others on the beliefs of such families.  This policy only lightly touches on the mental, physical, and social well-being of children affected by the policy and in some cases abandoning the child’s safety and well-being in lieu of supporting the sincere beliefs of others.

Within the sample policy, Section A can be considered already in violation in the enforcement of this policy, specifically subsection 1) discrimination – by refusing gender-differing students’ participation in certain school activities violates Code of Virginia Chapter 39 (§ 2.2-3900) – The Virginia Human Rights Act.  This policy subverts this Code’s definition of gender identity in lieu of a non-Code supported definition – specifically the Virginia Human Rights Act states “Women affected by pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions shall be treated the same for all purposes as persons not so affected but similar in their abilities or disabilities.”  The key being as persons not so affected but similar in their abilities or disabilities, they shall be treated the same.  In arbitrarily defining sex as that assigned at birth, this policy stands to cause conflict with the Virginia Human Rights Act.

Section B item 1 refers to anti-bullying citing the Code of Virginia, however in said code it states “ (ii) respect, including the precepts of the Golden Rule, tolerance, and courtesy” and “ (iv) fairness, including justice, consequences of bad behavior, principles of nondiscrimination, and freedom from prejudice; (v) caring, including kindness, empathy, compassion, consideration, generosity, and charity.” This policy, once again, violates the Commonwealth’s own established Codes and Laws by refusing to respect a student’s self-identification.

Section D item 2 permits discrimination and violates this policy’s stance on bulling, and the Freedom of Expression as guaranteed by the First Amendment of the US Constitution by directing staff to use the name in the school record OR only common associated names, the question lies in who makes the determination of a common associated name?  Is this yet another intentionally vague statement to allow the faculty, and thus the Commonwealth, to determine on a person-by-person basis how they will recognize an individual?  Moreover, if the student holds a sincere belief their name differs from their legal name and refuses to use it (oft referred to as a dead name) thus refuses to respond when referred to by said legal name aren’t they simply expressing their Constitutionally guaranteed right of Freedom of Expression?  Wouldn’t this policy, yet again, presume that the US Constitution applies only to those who the Commonwealth deems worthy while ignoring those they disagree with?

What in the case, again, if a faculty member sincerely holds the belief that a gender-different child is whatever sex the faculty member desires and violates this policy by using names and terms counter to the parentally provided or eligible student’s demand of their preferred name and pronouns?  Again, wouldn’t the First Amendment protect the faculty member from any disciplinary actions?  Wouldn’t the First Amendment protect other students from being directed to refer to another student should the meet the requirements laid out in D.4.?  D.6 addresses this directly by stating that the school shall not require faculty to comply with this Policy regardless of parental demand thereby rising to active discrimination, harassment, and bullying of the student?

This policy is little more than a wolf in sheep’s clothing – an unenforceable document where, regardless of parental involvement, it actively seeks to harm transgender youth, subjecting them to a variety of psychosocial abuses, putting religious ideals over student safety.

Bright, M. A., Lynne, S. D., Masyn, K. E., Waldman, M. R., Graber, J., & Alexander, R. (2019). Association of Friday School Report Card release with Saturday incidence rates of agency-verified physical child abuse. JAMA Pediatrics, 173(2), 176. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2018.4346

Corliss, H. L., Cochran, S. D., & Mays, V. M. (2002). Reports of parental maltreatment during childhood in a United States population-based survey of homosexual, bisexual, and heterosexual adults. Child Abuse & Neglect, 26(11), 1165–1178. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0145-2134(02)00385-x

Rimes, K. A., Goodship, N., Ussher, G., Baker, D., & West, E. (2017). Non-binary and binary transgender youth: Comparison of Mental Health, self-harm, suicidality, substance use and victimization experiences. International Journal of Transgenderism, 20(2-3), 230–240. https://doi.org/10.1080/15532739.2017.1370627

Ryan, C., Huebner, D., Diaz, R. M., & Sanchez, J. (2009). Family rejection as a predictor of negative health outcomes in white and Latino Lesbian, gay, and bisexual young adults. Pediatrics, 123(1), 346–352. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2007-3524

Ryan, C., Russell, S. T., Huebner, D., Diaz, R., & Sanchez, J. (2010). Family acceptance in adolescence and the health of LGBT Young Adults. Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Nursing, 23(4), 205–213. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1744-6171.2010.00246.x

Thoma, B. C., Rezeppa, T. L., Choukas-Bradley, S., Salk, R. H., & Marshal, M. P. (2021). Disparities in childhood abuse between transgender and cisgender adolescents. Pediatrics, 148(2). https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2020-016907

Tobin, V., & Delaney, K. R. (2019). Child abuse victimization among transgender and gender nonconforming people: A systematic review. Perspectives in Psychiatric Care, 55(4), 576–583. https://doi.org/10.1111/ppc.12398


Thank you

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Thank you for updating these policies to restore protections for basic parental rights and ensuring that parents are no longer cut out of the process—especially when it concerns how gender and sexuality issues are handled with our kids at school.

• I support the new policies’ removal of language that encouraged school officials to follow procedures to essentially deceive parents when their children are making potentially life-altering decisions regarding their gender identity in a school setting.

• I support the updated language that empowers schools and parents to make their own decisions on how to best protect kids—especially when it comes to protecting vulnerable students in a state of undress in locker rooms or overnight sleeping quarters for school field trips.

This guidance in no way discriminates against trans children or eliminates any guidance or help they might need.  What it does do, is to protect the rights and safety of all children and the rights of parents to be involved with the education and upbringing of their own children.  Thank you again for this very necessary correction to these policies.


Support, But More Is Needed

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<p>I support the new mandates. Not perfect in the view of some, but the social engineering  present TODAY in our school districts is worse than unconscionable. I find no provision  punishment/consequences for teachers, principals, school boards, and politicians that violate the new mandates. Specific consequences should be specified in the new mandates. Example: after thorough review of an investigation into complaints related to a teacher, principal, board member, or elected official, meaningful punishment must be administered - meaningful enough to remind others who might ignore the mandates that consequences are severe. For teachers, principals, and administrators, void their certifications permanently - instantly, same day, in public, on the spot. For school board members who likewise act contrary to the new mandates, censure or fines or forced removal from their board should be instant, public, on the spot. For politicians who violate the new mandates, the most severe punishment allowed by law for public officials should be applied immediately, in public. Parents who display abhorrent, aberrant abuse of their children should be investigated by Child Protective Services officers, to face possible legal punishment. </p>


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Strongly support governor Youngkin‘s model policy 2022”


Strongly oppose

I strongly oppose the new policy regarding transgender students/people.I hope there will be action taken to overturn this unsafe policy.

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I strongly oppose the new policy regarding transgender students/people.
I hope there will be action taken to overturn this unsafe policy.


Keep Parents in the Loop

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<p>I applaud the Governor's work in keeping parents in the loop for what goes on in public schools.  Families and parents are the first line of defense in an organized society.  If parents are restricted from knowing what is going on with their children which they are morally and legally required to take care of then the world has truly become crazy.  The Governor needs to ensure that rogue school districts (e.g., Fairfax County, Loudon County) follow these policies.  </p>


Strongly Disagree

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<p>I strongly disagree </p>


Agree with the Governor

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The Governors new policy is what Virginia needs


STRONGLY DISAGREE

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Transsexuals and transgendered people deserve the same rights as any cis gendered human. I STAND BY THAT.


Strongly Support Model Guidelines on Treatment of Transgender Students


Strongly Oppose - This endangers our kids.

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Leave trans and nonbinary kids alone! I do not support any legislation that actively ostracizes, discriminates, and bullies kids based on their innate identity. We all have a duty to protect ALL kids regardless of how they identify. Mandating that teachers out their students to guardians, that they misgender and misname them, and that they deny students access to school facilities is horrifying. Do not let this happen in our state!


STRONGLY SUPPORT

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Strongly support the Governor’s new policy


Strongly oppose

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<p>The attempted reversal of these laws designed to protect students is rooted in bigotry. We are a country of diversity in race, religion, and sexual identity. Any attempt to deny the civil rights of individuals must not be tolerated. The privacy of students in regards to sexual orientation, or identity, must be preserved. </p>


Strongly support Governor Youngkin

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Children are designated minors for a reason. Parents are given to them by God to help make life decisions. Schools have plenty to do to educate and their performance in that arena has been sub-par at best.


Strongly support Governor Youngkin


Agree. "If you don't oppose this, we will kill ourselves" -LGBTQ students

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They are saying that if this policy stands then people will kill themselves. This is just plain extortion. That is their responsibility. They should take it up with a counselor. Don't put this onto other people.


Strongly Oppose new guidelines

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<p>Please get rid of these new guidelines and let kids be kids.  </p>


Thank you for Stopping the Craziness in OUR schools

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I fully support this regulation.  Teachers and Administrators should not be hiding potential mental health problems from Parents.  Likewise, Teacher and Administrators do NOT know what is best for a Parent's Child...we Parents know what is best.  Stop indoctrinating and grooming our youth with this nonsense.  Schools and this crazy ideology is destroying our youth and our country.


Hypocrisy on the parent-control question

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I write to comment on the following document:  2022 MODEL POLICIES ON THE PRIVACY, DIGNITY, AND RESPECT FOR ALL STUDENTS AND PARENTS IN VIRGINIA’S PUBLIC SCHOOLS

This is not an easy document to digest. There are some admirable elements that are non-controversial (e.g.,  bullying should not be tolerated).  And there seems to be quite a bit of material that leads nowhere in particular.  Two of its elements seem most important and distinctive:

the emphasis on parental prerogatives, primarily  in the Principles  section (II, A), and

the reliance on sex, rather than parental prerogatives, in the Model Policies section  (Appendix I, section III).,

Against the this backdrop, I see two problems with the document:

First, the document betrays an unawareness that, in many cases, teachers’ and administrators’ concerns for the best interests of the student entail concerns about how one or both parents are treating the student.  The one glimmer of awareness of this issue is in Section VI, A, 17, where the implication is that school personnel may bypass parents if the student is suicidal—especially if the suicide risk seems to arise from parental neglect or abuse.  That is a welcome exception, but it’s a ridiculously high threshold.  One would hope that school personnel would not wait until the student’s distress became that extreme before they took some steps in behalf of the student’s well-being.  The document's position is that school personnel must show absolute deference to parents, even in the face of deep, well-founded, widely-shared, unaddressed concerns about the well-being of the student.  This is unacceptable.

Second, while the foregoing involves the document’s troublesome over-emphasis on parental involvement, there is an almost total dismissal of parental involvement in Appendix I, section III.  Apart from a couple of routine confidentiality statements, in section III the word parents only appears in A3, A4, B4, C2, D4 and D7.  Of these, only C2 and  D4 mention any influence that  parents who wish to help their child transition can have, and these relate only to  name-change issues.

In short, as things are set forth in Appendix I, parents have no say at all with respect the a large number of issues of great importance, specifically those enumerated in Sections III G and III H. After all the hoopla about parental input in Section II, A, parents who support their transitioning child are largely powerless when things really matter.  So, for instance, even if the parents strongly support their trans child’s participation in an extracurricular activity that is “separated by sex”, it counts for nothing.

Keep in mind that no parent, when their child was born, dreams that at some future time the child will wish to transition.  Upon seeing that this might be where things are headed, any good parent experiences considerable anguish over how they should respond.  Parents who support their transitioning child have typically gone through a lot, and they are behaving in a very courageous fashion.  They need and deserve the support of the community.  This document promises to support parents—but only those who aim to block a transition, or even any discussion thereof, even if their real reasons are reprehensible.  Unfortunately, sometimes a parent slamming the door on a transition causes great harm to the child (as the section on suicide tacitly admits), but this document leaves little room for school personnel to intervene until things get really, really bad.

If you’re going to be so unsupportive of parents who support their transitioning children, don’t insult us by also preaching about the primacy of parents in all decision-making.

Paul H. Blaney

195 Stonewall Heights

Abingdon VA 24210


The governor’s recommendation about policy for transgender children

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I have been a mental health professional in Virginia for over 50 years.I head up a mental health practice of 20 clinicians. We have our own child and adolescents team. I’ve taught in a number of university settings. I’m strongly opposed of the governors recommendations on how to address transgender children in the schools  I feel that it would be psychologically harmful to follow his guidelines for both the children and their families. My concern is this will bring about greater trauma and shame for these families and their children. It could place many under unfair bigotry that would be harmful to them for the rest of our lives.


oppose

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I oppose because its wrong


STRONGLY OPPOSE

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<p>As a student, though not trans, I very strongly oppose this. Already as a result of this, trans children are facing discrimination and bullying. I’ve seen it myself. The cause is to “protect children” but children all over Virginia are being put at risk due to this. Please reconsider. The children of the future beg you to. </p>


I support this fully!

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Parents should have more rights over their kids than schools.


Gov's 2022 policy

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Strongly support the governor in the rights of parents.


I Strongly Oppose

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I am a cisgender white male, use he/him pronouns, and am in my mid-thirties with no children of my own. I understand that these qualifiers may diminish my opinion in the eyes of those who are parents of a child in the Virginia school system, and that's okay.

Still, I know multiple transgender people, as well as cisgender people, and so value their rights and lives that I cannot sit idly by as yet another human right is trampled by an administration that doesn't attempt to view the humanity of their constituents.

Throughout my life I have wrestled with what it means to be a man or to be "manly." Those figures around me who socially or culturally defined the term during my adolescence acted in ways that didn't match my values or my attempt at being a man. I didn't enjoy sports, shooting guns, lifting weights, or loud parties when I went to college. I didn't and still don't match with how society often defines "manhood," but I was able to try several things and decide for myself what was right for how I expressed my being.

It is important that children today feel similarly able to explore their gender identity. This is often interpreted by those who fear what they do not understand as a sexual identity. Please do not confuse the act of sex with the expression of gender. It takes time and a broad world view to come to understand the vast means of gender expression, even to understand that you ultimately can't define what they mean for an individual.

It is unconscionable to think that we could be the deciders of something so personal to an individual as how they express their selfhood, whether it is through football, reading their favorite book series, or painting their nails. Let kids be kids, and especially protect trans kids!


Strongly support. Protect every kid.

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I strongly oppose thr policies of Loudoun and Fairfax counties which in effect encourage and prote transgenderism, sexualize young children, and endanger girls. This proposed guidance will protect all children.


Strongly Oppose

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<p>As an incredibly proud mother to a out and proud lesbian daughter in a Chesterfield high school, the safety of her, and of her friends in and out of the LGBTQIA+ community is my highest priority. A child should feel safe in their school (even though most are not) and they should not feel like their lives mean less than any others. That's exactly what the "Governor" is doing. He's restricting the basics for our Trans Kids in a 'good ol boy' move. We're in 2022, not 1902. Our Trans Kids deserve to be supported, loved, uplifted, and SAFE. Not made to feel like they are less than anything. I strongly oppose the Governor's plan. </p>


Stop killing trans kids youngkin

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Transgender peoples are the single group that experiences the highest suicide rate. I don’t care if you don’t believe in transitioning, WHY ARE YOU MAKING THEIR OIVES MORE TERRIBLE CAUSING MORE TO KILL THEMSELVES. YOUNGKIN, YOU DO NOT CARE ABOUT THESE CHILDREN’S LIVES. STOP KILLING THEM. STOP! I promise you that once this passes, the suicide rates will jump up. Children will get bullied more. CALLING A STUDENT BY THE NAME THEY WANT IS NOT HURTING ANYONE IT IS NOT THAT ING HARD YOUNGKIN. STOP IT! STOP IT STOP IT! We will rise up and you will soon be sorry.


Parents Rights

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<p>Stay away from kids, let them be kids. You can’t change your gender every single day. That’s not how it works. </p>


As a former teacher, I strongly oppose these policies

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The Model Policies for the Treatment of Transgender Students in Virginia’s Public Schools, as proposed by Governor Youngkin, are not only unconstitutional but stand to cause immense amounts of harm to transgender students in Virginia if enacted.

We know these policies will harm trans youth because they tell us so. The courage of our students to speak out against these policies in massive numbers should be all the evidence you need to reject this proposal. If a child tells you something hurts and you do it anyway, then you are engaging in nothing less than child abuse.

All of the best available scientific data supports what our students are saying. Gender does not exist in nature as a binary value, but a spectrum. Gender affirming care has been shown to have substantially lower regret rates than other body altering surgeries and dramatically lowers suicide rates.  Conversely, trans-denying bathroom policies like the one proposed have been shown to increase rates of sexual assaults.

By adopting a gender-binary position that is contrary to the evidence, this model policy demonstrates clear preferential treatment towards a specific ideological subgroup. The document itself even frames gender-binary belief as a religious issue in an effort to claim First Amendment protections. The Youngkin proposal attempts to deny transgender students the full rights of personhood because a religious subset of parents consider their self-identification to be “sexually explicit content”.  Senate Bill 656 has essentially introduced malicious legal code that grants parental veto power over the entire school curriculum.

The Code of Virginia can’t assert the existence of objective standards for obscenity in § 18.2-372 while simultaneously adopting a subjective definition of sexual content in § 22.1-16.8. If schools are following the law by not providing sexually explicit material in the first place, then what material is there for parents to review? This contradiction is only resolved through an escalation of privileges that allows some parents to police the children of others.

The Youngkin proposal is unconstitutional because it cannot reasonably satisfy the First and Fourteenth Amendments simultaneously.  It can’t treat gender as subjective for First Amendment protections while also arguing gender is objective for the purposes of Fourteenth Amendment protections.

I stand with my fellow Virginians in asking you to reject these absurd model policies.

Trans rights are human rights.


REPULSIVE ANTI-TRANS POLICY

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Trans kids being forcefully outed, being disrespected in terms of name and pronouns and privacy will kill them. Trans youth have the highest rates of suicide and this will KILL THEM. Let kids live. Allow trans children the same rights that all students have. This is a deplorable model policy, strike it immediately.


Harming Trans Kids

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I do not agree with your policy at all. The GOP always refers to itself as being pro-life. This policy is the opposite of that , and is using vulnerable trans and LGBTQ children as political pawns. Rolling back protections for transgender students in public schools threatens the education and personal safety of our students. From personal experience, not all parents know what is best for their children. A friend of our son who was trans, was threatened with being sent away to boarding school if the parents ever heard anyone using incorrect pronouns to refer to their 'daughter'. This child lived in fear that they would be sent away. It was the caring community at our school that helped this child by giving him the support, love and acceptance he needed.

Please protect these vulnerable children and keep the current protections in place.

Respectfully,

Mindi Maline


Opposed

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Trans kids deserve better. A trans child committed suicide last weekend because their parents didn't support them. How many more kids will die to suicide if you out them to their parents? Parents don't always know best, and many are more willing to choose a church over their children.


Strongly support!!

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I strongly support these new policies!


Strongly Support

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<p>Thank you, Governor Youngkin, for bringing common sense back to Virginia.  Parents rights should not be diminished.  These children and young adults are not old enough to drink, smoke, rent a car, vote or go to war.  We are their parents with all associated duties and rights, through thick and thin, until they "fledge" as adults.  </p>


I strongly support our governor's new policies to protect our children

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Thank you, Governor, for overriding Northam's dangerous policies and replacing them with ones that will protect our children and give parents their rights back!


Strongly oppose

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this is transphobic and you are putting these children’s well-being in danger.


Younkins policy is incredibly harmful

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<p>The new proposed policy by governor Younkin is a direct attack to queer/LGBTQIA+ youth. An alarming rate of childhood/teenage suicide is due to disapproving families and bullying by peers. There is no harm to allowing children to be their most authentic selves in the case of gender and sexuality. There is No harm in educating children about kindness and equality and equity. There is No harm in educating children in gender being a spectrum. Nothing in this world is simply black and white and these aren’t “new woke” things. Non-Binary and Trans people have been around since humans have been and in many other cultures we are seen as the people who are meant to bridge male and female. Close the divide. This is a harmful and disappointing step back in history that we are about to make if these new policies come to life. And as a first responder who has to be there to do chest compressions on a young trans kid for ending it all due to lack of acceptance, I am begging, we can do better than this. Do not allow these policies. </p>


Stop Indoctrinating Kids

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<p>Stop indoctrinating children with your gender ideology. </p>


Oppose so strongly

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<p>Trans students deserve privacy, they deserve care, love, and respect just like all students do. This is a disgusting policy and should absolutely not be implemented. This will kill students. Trans students already have the highest rate of suicide amongst youth, and with this policy, Youngkin, you will blood on your hands. OPPOSED to this policy. </p>


Strongly oppose!

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This cruel proposal targets young people with odious consequences for expressing their growing self-awareness.


STRONGLY SUPPORT !!

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The best way to support ALL students is through cooperation between the school and the parents. That means COMMUNICATION, COMMUNICATION,COMMUNICATION with the parents, who birthed and raised their children and whose values should be respected by the school system. The children belong to the parents, not the government.  Respect, love, and kindness can be shown to all students without putting the silent majority of students at risk with open bathrooms or getting in trouble for mistakenly using the wrong pronoun or name for a fellow student. The name and pronoun issue puts teachers in a stressful situation, as well. I strongly urge the adoption of this policy for all Virginia public schools.


I support it


Strongly oppose

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Respect the rights and gender identities of all individuals. In this day and age, your attempts to set us backwards on social justice is shameful.


Vehemently Oppose These Changes!

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I am a Mom AGAINST the proposed changes to the Department of Education 2022 Policy regarding Trans students!!

The Policy states “All children in Virginia have a right to learn, free from unlawful discrimination and harassment.” Well, that includes Trans students who are clearly being singled out and discriminated against in the changes to this Policy! ANY bias just puts those students in increased harm's way, despite the bullying clause.

Further, not all students feel comfortable with, safe with, or have a good rapport with their parent(s) to be able to talk with them about their gender identity. But they may feel comfortable speaking to a teacher or a guidance counselor. However, what happens when those adults betray the trust of a student by involving their parent(s) automatically AND require the student to get their parent's permission to be called by their preferred pronouns? What about the potential danger you could be creating in some of these students' homes because of this Policy? The physical & emotional harm? You think the suicide rate is high in Trans & LGBTQ+ students now?! Just wait! These Policy changes WILL endanger Trans lives!

By the way, using ANYONE’S preferred pronouns is just a matter of respect, no matter their age!! And while you say “many Virginians reject that belief” due to their religion, I am adding my voice to those who DO NOT!!

These students deserve respect & the right to live their lives as their authentic selves. Just like any other student. Let them!!


Strongly Support the Policy and it is Long Overdue

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Governor Youngkin's policy is fair and reasonable. Schools are undermining parental rights and authority and parents have every right to be involved in decisions affecting their children.


teacher who support the governor

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I have been teaching for 25 years and I am so tired of politicians wanting us to do everything BUT teach.  I don't see what the big problem is.  These are MINORS which means, under the law, their parents or legal guardians are responsible for them so they should make the informed decisions that are best for their child.  If they can't, then the state will step in for the best interest of the child.  Why can't you just let the teachers teach and the parents parent?  I have kept politics, among other things, out of my classroom as I am here to teach these children the subject matter that I was hired to teach, not to parent them and be their guidance counselor, best friend, or even doctor.  I pride myself in just teaching the material and the facts and keeping opinions and politics out of my classroom.


teacher who support the governor


Partially support

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<p>So Forcing someone to come out is just dumb and not very thoughtful but the 2nd part makes sense because why would you let someone with a D*** into the women's bathroom </p>


VERY STRONGLY OPPOSE!  YOU ARE PUTTING THESE KIDS LIVES IN DANGER!!

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<p>It is incomprehensible to me that this Governor wants to push LGBTQ rights backwards when they had to fight for so long & so hard for them.  You are seriously putting their lives in danger.  </p>


Totally agree with the model.

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Parents should be included within all aspects of their children's education. This is especially true when there are major life decisions being made.  The schools and other institutions should not assume the right to educate our children.  These people work for us. We pay their salaries. When the child behaves in a negative way, the parent is immediately informed.  Why should their be limitations on other aspects of parental involvement?


Trans Kids Deserve Respect

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This policy pretends to be about respect in schools, but that could not be farther from the truth. Youngkin wants transgender students to be misgendered, deadnamed, and perhaps most dangerously, outed to their parents. Students will experience more gender dysphoria and discrimination as a result of this policy, likely contributing to an increased rate of suicide among transgender K-12 students. Forced outing will result in trans kids being kicked out and left on the streets, which harms the children with bigoted parents as well as the community at large who is affected by anyone’s homelessness. Politicians are lying to you to pass their bigotry off as a defense of parents’ rights, but they don’t care about parents. They care about hurting trans children, and this policy will certainly accomplish that disgusting goal.


Pastor

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I support Governor Youngkin.  I like his stand on trans and schools.  It just makes sense.


Parental Rights are Paramount

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Parents have a legal and moral right to be involved in all school decisions regarding their children. Schools should not be socially transitioning students without parental notification or consent, except in cases where there is a credibly fear of immediate physical harm or actual abuse. If this is the case, the school should involve children's welfare agencies.


Strongly support Governor Youngkin’s model policy

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<p>Thank you, Governor Youngkin, for having the courage to stand up for actually protecting children and for giving parents decision-making control over that of the schools in their children’s welfare. There is a lot of peer pressure, as has always been the case, and educators have no right to make decisions for our children based on their own political and social agendas. A lot of the transgender movement is a fad based on false science and is politically motivated. We need to protect our children from this political bias and overstepping of parental rights. This is protecting our children, contrary to what s being touted by the left. We need to bring education back to its main purpose- EDUCATING our children, NOT using our children as political pawns for teacher and school board personal woke agendas. Schools should be for teaching our children, not dumbing them down and getting them involved in propaganda. </p>


Strongly Opposed (Trans rights are human rights)

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Youngkin's bill is anti-trans and anti-children.

Although it may seem fine, further look into the bill reveals that it would limit a child's ability to be called their prefered name, even if they aren't trans. This especially disadvantages trans kids, but also disadvantages cis kids who has a nickname different from their birth name. Younkin is an evil piece of trash and should not be in office he just wants to make children suffer because he despices trans people and wants to make them suffer.


OPPOSE

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<p>strongly oppose this absurd legislation </p>


STRONGLY OPPOSE

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<p>This policy will literally kill children. Trans students deserve safety, protection, and equal rights just like all students do. </p>


Oppose - gender affirmation improves mental health outcomes

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The school has duties to the child before the parent.  This has always been the case in counseling, where issues at the home will often need to be addressed.  The school must always side with the child in cases of conflict.

Proponents of this regulation have been misled in several ways.  Firstly, the incident at Loudoun County did not involve a trans youth.  Secondly, outrage against trans acceptance and outrage against supposed 'CRT' are both a Red Scare tactic.  It's false labeling drummed up by conservatives to poison the well and promote candidates with no other positions.


Strongly In Favor of- Right to know until they are 18

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<p>I am strongly in favor of these new adoptions to the Model Policy, or should I say, needed corrections. Parents have every right to know what is going on in the lives of their children while they are at school. Most against this see this new policy as some form of hatred, even hosting school walkouts, but nowhere in the proposal is it restricting the students from doing anything, it is merely informing the parents. Be who you want to be, you do you. Until you are 18 and a legal adult your parents/guardians have a say in your education and have the right to communicate with the school.  I do understand that in some household circumstances some parents may be quite against things a student wants to do. The students should still have the ability to converse with their school counselors regarding this to chart a path forward for everyone's interests. </p>


2022 Model Policies - Transgender rules

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Strongly disagree. Parents should resolve any issue they may have with responsible individuals in schools their student attends. All students should be respected and treated equally. Government time and funding would be better spent on higher pay for quality teachers, maintaining school buildings,  technical supplies, and adding an optional program that provides certifications/licenses for high paying trades in high school as in the past. Thank you for the opportunity to comment.


Strongly Oppose

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My children attend public high school in Shenandoah county and are seriously concerned for the well-being of their trans friends. They have told me that their friends have experienced abuse at home and will experience further abuse if the school reports to their parents their desire to identify as a different gender. They're not wrong. The previous policy existed to protect vulnerable children and teenagers from abuse at home and harassment at school. I feel a parent's "right to know" is less important than a child's right not to be beaten.

To quote my oldest child "Governor Younkin must support abuse!"


Supporting the 2022 Model Policy.

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I am a senior in High School (public school), I’m 18 years old, and I support Governor Youngkin’s 2022 Model Policy.


Strongly support

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In the interest of brevity:  I strongly support the proposed parental rights policy.

If you want details, I will be glad to write more.


Strongly Support - Parental Rights

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As mentioned in the Guidance Document, the Constitution of the United States gives the right and responsibility of raising children to their parents. The schools job is to teach academics, not ideology.

The proper response when any student has a question regarding gender or sexuality is, "go ask your parents." Outside of biology class, where true, scientific, biological facts should be taught regarding gender as binary at the X and Y chromosome level, there is no reason for educators to address these types of questions.

There is absolutely no reason to affirm and support a child's "gender identity" when they can't even stick to a favorite color on a daily basis.

Thank you, Governor Youngkin, for protecting the rights of parents in Virginia.


The parents of VA kids thank you!

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Thank you.

enough is enough. You can ignore all the fake complaints here.


In Support of the Guidance Document

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This document supports the majority of parents and students who are not trans. Though my heart goes out to those who are, we must be respectful to them and those who aren't.


Strongly Oppose

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I strongly oppose this shift in how we treat transgender students. Students need school to be a safe space and should be supported at school as individuals, without necessarily involving parents in something as innocuous as a nickname or pronoun usage. This hurts no one and is a way to build trust between schools and students. I don't believe a teacher's right to not like the idea of a student being transgender should trump a student's right to be transgender and choose their own pronouns. Teachers should be required to use a student's preferred pronouns and name.

The biggest concern for me is bathroom and locker room usage. Especially for bathrooms, there are not always single usage bathrooms available where they are needed. Our schools were simply not created with that in mind. Transgender students should be able to use their bathroom of choice and the one that aligns with their preferred gender. I would support involving parents in this decision, simply to provide a layer of protection for all students.

The most important thing is to support and value this very small minority of students and their well-being. This is not a pervasive issue and it is petty and small-minded to blow it out of proportion. Please reverse this decision and continue to support transgender students. We were moving in the right direction in 2021 and this would be a huge step backward.


Oppose any changed to the current policy

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No need to change current policy.

If parents want a voice, go vote and change the school board.


This is laughable

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“Treat all students with dignity and respect-“ by treating them like literal property to terrible parents. If your kid doesn’t want to tell you they’re trans, take a good long look at yourself. What this really means is: “Treat all NORMAL kids with dignity and respect and out those trans kids to their abusive home life. While you’re at it, no nicknames or preferred names. Because respect means literally disrespecting the child.”

Wake up and smell the tyranny.


Parents Know Best Keep Kids Safe

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Excellent legal references. Protects all kids, including dysphoric students.


Support!! Suicides Are Because These Troubled Kids Are Misled By Groomers

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These kids have terrible home lives, or other issues, and these predators promise them peace and contentment from mutilating their bodies. They soon learn that they have been lied to, and have done irreparable damage to themselves. They lose all hope then.

Only Jesus can give that peace and contentment! FACT!


STRONGLY OPPOSE


Re: Anti-Trans Policies

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While this is a comment on this specific policy, it also applies to all similar policies - whether they be those that have been passed elsewhere, or others that the government of Virginia may attempt to pass.

I'm not going to explain all of the inconsistencies in this sort of legislature. Sure, even under the guise of "parents' rights," this policy is redundant - as any transitioning a child may attempt beyond purely social already requires a parent's permission. But those who want to pass this bill already know that.

I'm not going to explain the harm this would do to children (both those this would directly affect, and their friends and peers). Sure, there's overwhelming evidence of the negative consequences the effects of this policy would have, especially for trans children being outed to unsupportive parents. But those who want to pass this bill already know that.

I'm not even going to explain about how pointlessly cruel this legislature is - how it is incapable of doing any good, and only serves to punish an already vulnerable facet of our population that our governor has found politically expedient to scapegoat. Because those who want to pass this bill already know that, and aside from using this as a distraction from how they are failing to improve the lives of Virginians, the cruelty is the point.

But because the only purpose of this bill is to throw children under the bus to feed into some parents' fears and ensure they have more control over their children at the cost of that child's agency, happiness, and security, I will explain one thing:

If this bill is passed, the children it hurts will remember it, and their friends and family will remember it. Any political capital this secures from those whose fear this feeds off of will be short-lived, because sooner than you'd expect, these children will be of voting age.

And, if you don't use your office and the power you've been given in order to serve and protect those children as you are duty-bound to do, they will seize that power and give it to someone who will.


Stop endangering children!!!

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<p>This policy would put thousands of kids in physical and psychological danger. It is common sense that not every home is a safe home and this policy would leave these child with no safety, no protection. The VDOE is supposed to care about the well being of Va youth. This policy does not care about our youth and is not a representation of the opinions wants or needs of Va residents. </p>


this will kill children

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this policy will in no way help our schools or students, this will only allow children to be abused and killed. glen youngkin is in support of this, glen youngkin has no empathy nor care. This is only in place to keep parents at bay and out of his face, glen youngkin cares more about his time than the life of thousands of at risk children.


I STRONGLY OPPOSE

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I strongly oppose this proposed policy.  This proposal would create a hostile and potentially dangerous school environment for our VA transgender and nonbinary youth, requiring teachers and staff to forcibly “out” students, prohibit staff from supporting trans and nonbinary students such as using a students affirming name and pronouns, and prohibit access or participation in activities consistent with their gender identity.  All our students deserve a supportive and affirming school environment, especially our vulnerable and marginalized populations like our transgender and nonbinary youth.


Strongly oppose

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Strongly oppose. Bad and harmful policy.


Strongly opposed

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We say don’t tread on me?  But will define a person’s sexuality for them!  Have some compassion and how does this harm you…


I DO NOT AGREE

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<p>I fully believe that trans students (like myself) deserve to be themselves. We should not have to go through hell and back to just have basic human rights. If we get something as small as being able to be ourselves at school taken away then it is going to have so many horrible consequences. LGBTQIA+ student death rates will most likely rise and most of their deaths will be by their own hands. We are PEOPLE we deserve to have basic human rights and we deserve to be happy. If you fully believe that this should happen you are a horrible person and you truly need to rethink your pathetic life. </p>


Strongly Oppose

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<p>This will do a great deal of harm. Many of my students have come to me crying that they will be kicked out of their house if these policies go into affect. One student said he fears his father will kill him if the school outs him. Children's’ lives are on the line. </p>


Strongly Oppose

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STRONGLY OPPOSE (Please hear what the students have to say, not some person who has no children.)


treatment of transgender students


Save our children

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<p>Stop attacking My Family .. Parents have authority over  Their children ..wake up America </p>


I strongly oppose - let our schools support kids

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Our schools are doing a fantastic job supporting our youth by honoring their identities and providing a supportive environment. The trans and nonbinary kids in our our district are treated with respect AND are treated liked all other children - their preferred names and pronouns are used, and they are allow to use the facilities that feel most comfortable. This is true equality! Teachers have the tools they need to ensure a positive classroom environment and support for their students. The law passed in 2020 was thoughtful and inclusive. Children need space to explore their identities, not just gender identities, and the guidance in previous years helped that happen. Restricting support and activities based on children's genitals is intrusive, abusive, and something adults should NEVER be part of. I strongly oppose this proposed 2022 rule. Trans kids are being used as a tool by those who seek power through oppression, not those who seek to govern to enhance the lives of our state and country's citizens.

Let kids grow and live! They will become healthy adults! I'm so proud of our school system and our teachers. I love the kids in my life who are strong enough to honor their identities. We should learn from them and listen to the majority of Virginians who are on the side of basic humanity.


Strongly oppose

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I very strongly oppose these policies. I fear for both cisgender and transgender children


Support - Parents care for their children!

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<p>I support Governor Youngkin's efforts to support parents rights as they care for their children. </p>


Strongly Opposed

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Governor Youngkin said he couldn't imagine there are families and households in Virginia with unsupportive parents. Clearly Governor Youngkin has never asked a transgender student what their experience is. Many students are only safe to express their gender identity at school. Their homes may not be a safe places. The Governor's proposal would further ostracize and repress trans students, leading to long-term issues. Strongly opposed!


STRONGLY OPPOSE THIS POLICY

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At least 1 young person who identifies as LGBTQ+ attempts suicide every 45 seconds. And the stats are even more shocking for trans and non-binary youth, in particular. These changes, you are gambling with the lives of children and youth. Keep schools safe for kids and teens—for many, it is a lifeline.


Strongly oppose. Youngkin has the blood of children on his hands.

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Strongly oppose. Younkin has the blood of children on his hands.


STRONGLY SUPPORT

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<p>Thank you, Gov. Youngkin, for being a man of your word.  You ran on this platform and you are delivering as promised.  It is a breath of fresh air to have a politician actually keep his promises.  Thank you for fighting for parents.  Keep up the great work!  I fully support ALL of the revisions that were made.  </p>


STRONGLY OPPOSE

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This policy will kill children and harm families


Strongly support Youngkin transgender policy

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<p>I strongly support Governor Youngkin‘s transgender policy that would limit the participation of biological males on female teams. I also support any other provisions that you Duncan is including in his measure. Is a retired teacher I recognize the dangers and not in for keeping parents informed of critical issues in their child’s development and in protecting students in compromising situations. This measure supports the rights of all children and it enables the parents to assume their constitutional role in raising their children. Thank you </p>


STRONGLY OPPOSE this policy change

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Pretending trans people do not exist doesn’t make it so- parents who wish to “protect” their children from the mere concept of transgender identities can choose to homeschool their children. Openly discussing trans issues and actively working to protecting them against discrimination and harassment is paramount to keeping ALL children protected. This policy change will do nothing but do actual mental, emotional and undoubtedly physical harm to children, not this imagined “harm” that the extremists believe simply knowing that trans kids exist will do to non-trans children. Absolutely ridiculous.


Strongly oppose

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<p>I am a Christian Chaplain who believes God calls us to love and nurture life. Everytime a trans kid gets the message that they don't belong, aren't loved, and that something is wrong or unacceptable about them, we are increasing their risk of depression and suicide. I oppose this measure on behalf of every kid who needs to know their difference doesn't make them an outcast, but mostly on behalf of the trans kids who do not have a safe home. </p>


Strongly Support

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Parents know what is best for their children. Taking that right away and keeping parents in the dark on important changes in the child’s life is not in the best interest of the child or parent. When did government start knowing more about a child then their own parents.


Protect Trans Kids

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<p>Trans children are just trying to live their lives. We should support and protect them, not "other" them or punish them for who they are. </p>


SUPPORT!!

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I support Youngkins policy! Thank you Governor!


Whether fascist or cynically political, this will lead to torture, torment, and death of children

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But you know that already, don't you?


Youngkin’s transgender  rule

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I strongly disagree with this policy proposal. It adds more stress for kids in an already stressful situation. It does not support them. As for “parental right”— that’s just a political dodge. .Children have the right to be who they are and not every child becomes exactly who their parents might want them to be. At the very least, kids have the right to be called by the names and pronouns they prefer without needing parental permission or legal papers.Please, don’t levy this policy on kids.v


Strongly Support

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Thank you for attempting to make Virginia’s schools a better and safer place for the children. Everyone here, whether they oppose or support, will thank you in the end for trying to put a stop to sexual assault in our bathrooms and unequal sports teams!

Don’t listen to the trolls; if they hate it, then it’s the right thing to do!


I support Youngkin's transgender policy

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<p>We need a policy that does not ostracize parents from their children.  Schools cannot replace parents.  High school students are not adults yet and can make rash decisions based on cultural pressures or the tides of the times.  Making decisions in regards to sexuality by a simple name change or by life changing surgery should always involve parents.  No one will love a child as much as the parent of that child.  The morals of a school administration should not trump that of parents and the family unit.    </p>


These Propositions will Kill Children

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Parents shouldn't be so controlling of their kids. I understand that parents want to know what their kid is up to and they want to protect their kids, but they shouldn't be controlling everything in their child's life, whether the child is trans or not. If they have a hand in everything their child does, how is their child ever supposed to grow as an independent person? Children don't belong to their parents, and parents can't shape a child into who they want them to be, or copies of themselves. Children are people. Children need to have the option to grow and express themselves apart from their parents whether they are trans or not.

If you as a parent are worried that your child is keeping something from you in respect to their gender, or for any other reason, think about why they don't want to tell you. Think about how you would react. If your child doesn't want you to know something because they are afraid of your hatred and anger and afraid for their safety, then you really need to reflect on how you are treating your child. If your child is doing something that is genuinely hurting someone then you are justified in any anger and punishments you give, but going by a different name or different pronouns doesn't hurt anyone and there is no justification for punishing them for feeling the way they do. No child chooses to be trans, and you can be sure they wouldn't choose to be part of a group you've spent their whole life rejecting and hurting and hating. The only choice trans people have in relation to their gender is how to express it and who to tell, and these guidelines take that away and put kids in danger.

Depression and suicide are already disproportionately high in trans students, and taking away  a safe accepting place at school, and exposing them to increased hatred and punishment from family for something they can’t control will kill children. Kids don't tell their parents these things for a reason. Kids are genuinely and justifiable afraid. No parent should ever treat their kid in such a way, but some still do, and kids are trying their best to stay out of it, and they deserve to not have to deal with hate from yet another angle. These guidelines if passed will hurt and kill children. Please understand that.

You aren't helping the kids. Isn't it a common phrase, “Won't someone think of the kids?” This is a situation that can seriously hurt the kids. It's like you didn't consider or didnt care what the consequences would be for us. You are only using us to gain favour for yourself, and you are going to kill us in the process. I want you to remember that.

Are you ok with using children, hurting and killing them? How can you let that happen? You always seemed to be against us, but this proves you don't just  not care, but you want to hurt us. What are you gaining through this?  Votes? Think of how selfish that is.

What are you so afraid of? Why are you so afraid of trans people and having a trans child? All we want is to be accepted then to move on and live our lives. Why are you trying to take that away from us? Why do you care what we want to be called? It doesn't hurt anyone to let us be ourselves, but to deny that hurts us deeply. To deny that, kills children. Listen to us. I know children are still growing and all, but we are still people, so why don't you listen to us? Why can you not find any empathy to imagine how we feel and at least try to understand us? You never try to understand us, you get scared and try to get us to stop existing, and deny that we are here. Like if you can shut us up and you don't have to look at us anymore then we aren't here.  Who are you helping by doing that?

Why does it matter to anyone other than the individual, what name or pronouns someone uses? Why do you care so much, what difference does it make? Non trans kids also go by different names, potentially without their parents knowledge. It's a way of expressing yourself and being yourself, and it isn't hurting anyone. We are constantly told to be ourselves in this world, so why are you making that so hard for us? We will still be trans whether we are able to tell anyone or not. The only difference this makes is by taking away our safety and making our lives miserable.

We aren't doing this just to mess up the perfect world you apparently think we should be living in. This has nothing to do with you. It's about saving our lives, and we aren't touching yours. By extending rights and protections to us, you aren't taking them away from anyone else. Do you not understand or do you not care? I'm not exaggerating as I write this, and Im truly scared for any children whose parents will react badly if you force schools to tell that they are trans. Parents who will shower them with hate and even kick them to the streets. Do you really want that? Are you really ok with being responsible for that? Or do you still not care about us, and even want us gone, taking it out on children who have never done anything wrong and deserve so much better than the way you treat them.

Find some empathy and think about the damage you are doing. Are you ok with killing children with these guidelines? If you continue to push these guidelines, you'll be telling us that you are. Think of someone other than yourself. Listen to us.


Parental Notification

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<p>I strongly support Governor Youngkin’s proposals for parental notifications, transgender policies, name change and pronoun notifications to parents, removing materials from classrooms and libraries that deal with sexual perversion, curriculum for students that are age inappropriate for young children.  </p>


Strongly support this plan!!!

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<p>I strongly support this plan.  Parents’ rights become more vulnerable each day.  </p>


Support for Gov. Youngkin Model Guidelines for Transgender Students

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<p>I am in support of the model guidelines proposed by Gov. Youngkin.  If anyone takes the time to read the proposed guidelines, you will see references to treating ALL students with “dignity” and “respect”.  What it does include is bringing parents into the discussion.  Schools have no right to exclude parents from such a consequential decision on behalf of a minor student. </p>


Strongly Oppose Proposed Model Guidelines

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Dear Governor Youngkin,

I recently learned of your administration’s proposal to remove important protections for LBTQIA+ students as outlined in the new Virginia Department of Education “Model Policies for the Treatment of Transgender Students in Virginia’s Public Schools.”

In spite of the case law justifications provided, these guidelines ignore limits of parent rights (e.g. outlined in assenting and dissenting arguments for Yoder, as well as other case law) and the rights of children who need protection from harm by parents who do not have their best interests at heart. The doctrine of parens patriae gives states the right to protect children who cannot protect themselves, particularly when a parent’s religious or health care action is harmful. Your guidelines ignore this responsibility.

These guidelines do not provide the flexibility for schools, administrators and teachers to address the individual needs of students who may be confronted with unsupportive parents when the student in question exercises their constitutionally protected right to self-determination. One’s identity is fundamental and expressing that identity is supportive of good mental health and productivity.

These new policies effectively revoke the established rights of LGBTQIA+ students, one of the most vulnerable and at -risk groups. More than half of transgender and nonbinary youth have seriously considered self-harm and suicide. To ignore and exacerbate their needs amid a broader mental health crisis will only pour fuel on an ongoing crisis in communities throughout Virginia.

These proposed changes are not just bad policy, they are also cruel. Among other things, they would prohibit students from being addressed by their real names and pronouns, deny students access to facilities that align with their gender identity, and potentially force schools to out LGBTQIA+ students.

These guidelines read more like a dog whistle to a minority of voters who use parent rights to push a religious agenda. It is important to remember that while religious belief is insured by the Constitution, the free exercise clause does not protect religious action from regulation (Reynolds v US).

For a better approach to model guidelines, I recommend you follow Montgomery County Public School’s guidelines. The U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, Judge Paul W. Grimm recently ruled in the school system’s favor when it was challenged. This case has the potential to set precedent on these issues. Something you may want to consider to avoid the impending lawsuits that will inevitably come if you implement your guidelines as presented.

When looking back on the painful history of the struggle for civil rights in Virginia, it is important to remember that future generations will not look kindly on leaders who fail to stand up for the basic civil and human rights of their fellow Virginians.

As Governor, I hope you will consider the importance of representing and standing up for all communities – especially the most vulnerable among us – and reject these detrimental policy changes.

Sincerely,

Sheri Rhodes


Strongly oppose

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I strongly oppose Model Policies for the Treatment of Transgender Students in Virginia’s Public Schools. I support the LGBTQ+ community and this new policy would cause great harm.


OPPOSE. You have blood on your hands

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This policy goes against recommended treatment of trans individuals. You have no idea what it is like for transgender students.

This policy will lead to trans suicides. And that blood is on your hands.

I hope you never have to experience the suffering that you will be putting these children through.


Follow the science not harmful ideology

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In considering a policy regarding transgender individuals, the government of the Commonwealth of Virginia should follow the recommendations of experts who regularly work with transgender youth and who know and follow the science to create best practices to promote the mental and physical health of transgender individuals.

The American Academy of Pediatrics has said, "Transgender children are already at increased risk for violence, bullying, harassment and suicide. They may be more prone to depression and engaging in self-harm. These children need acceptance and affirmation, not stigmatization..."

The draft policy recently released by Governor Youngkin would require schools to categorize transgender children by their “biological sex” when it comes to using the bathroom, locker room and other facilities and participating in activities. They also bar students from adopting a new name or pronouns without parental permission.

These proposed policies are harmful to the mental health of transgender youth and should not be implemented.

Moreover, the Virginia Human Rights Act that bars discrimination in schools based on gender identity.

Youth should be able to use the pronouns that they desire; and respect requires that those who interact with these youth, including teachers and others in schools, use the pronouns chosen by the these youth. Transgender youth should use the bathroom that conforms with their gender identity. Transgender youth must be protected from harassment, bullying and other negative behaviors on the part of other youth or adults.

Because this policy proposal is not science based and will harm the mental health of transgender youth it should not be implemented.

Jerome A. Paulson, MD, FAAP

Professor Emeritus of Pediatrics

George Washington University School of Medicine & Health Sciences


These new restrictions

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These new restrictions help parents who are hurting their children more than the children that hurt each day from feeling so deeply that they are in the wrong body. Do you know what you get when you force teachers to further alienate trans children? You get children hurting themselves. I’d like to see the scientists reports that said this was a good idea. I very much doubt that any doctor or scientist had anything to do with this useless, harmful trash.

OPPOSED


Model Policies on the Privacy et al / Bigotry Couched in Meaningless Words

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The proposed policy removes any safeguards for the wellbeing of transgender youth, 52% of whom considered suicide according to a 2021 national survey.  Plain and simple the proposed policy puts them at risk and in constant fear of those around them in school, both staff and fellow students.  Give the current 2021 guidelines a chance to work.


Strongly Oppose

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<p>To protect students and provide a safe environment where they can learn, students need to be free to express themselves for who they are as individuals and such is there right as a person. This document contradicts itself by claiming to strive for a safe and equitable environment free from discrimination by taking away the rights of a student to express themselves under the guise of “parents rights” and prioritizes the religious values of one group over another’s.  Trans rights are human rights and trans students should be allowed to be their authentic and wholly formed selves. If you want to make schools safer, focus on gun control measures instead. </p>


Strongly Oppose

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<p>I strongly oppose the proposed policy. Support the rights and wellbeing of trans students! </p>


SUPPORT-  as per CASS Report UK multi discipline team should include parents

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Please read Dr Cass Report in the UK.

Parents should always be part of a multi discipline team.

Social transition is not passive. Also read the UK Attorney General speech on this and learn lessons from the failure of UK Tavistock Clinic.


Focus on catching up our students and leave the protections in place!

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I am regularly in the school setting as a parent and obviously, regularly part of conversations with my children about what is happening at school.  I am not connected personally, in a direct way to the LGBTQ youth, outside of close acquaintances, however even in my very limited scope, my kids and I know that this proposed change makes school less safe and less inclusive to their fellow LGBTQ community.  The 2021 policies allow trans and non-binary youth to be safer from bullying, harassment, and discrimination at the hands of their peers, teachers, and school staff and administrators. It also guarantees that supports are in place to allow all youth, including trans and non-binary youth, to have access to an equal educational experience.

Pronouns have never hurt anybody, and these bathroom policies do not create victims. Talk to the youth of today, they do not care who uses what bathroom and what pronouns their peers are using. Why do people love these false scenarios of perverts lurking in bathrooms? This is not happening! There is no data to support this. Boys who want to go into the girls bathroom criminally are doing just that, without "pretending" to be transgender. Take a look at the assault statistics. All of this disengenious concern is distracting to real matters at hand and a clear, divisive, political step for Youngkin. Sadly, there will be victims as a fallout.

Our kids just want everyone to feel safe. Even they, know that uncompassionate thinking, judgement by others and exclusivity is what is actually hurting people. Please just leave the protections that last year's policies provided to this small sector of already marginalized youth and focus on addressing the larger issues of what is happening in K-12 academia.


Strongly Support

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I agree with this decision, boys/men should not be able to go into girls/womens restrooms, locker rooms, and sports, and vice versa. The school should also not keep a disorder with a 40% suicide rate secret from the parents of that student. As a college student I always fear that I'm going to say something "transphobic" and get ostracized by the college and fellow students, and this revision will make that less likely to happen, at least by the college. I shouldn't have to follow a lie so I don't get in trouble.


Strongly oppose

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<p>trans rights are human rights! everyone should feel safe and comfortable in school. </p>


Deeply oppose this policy

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<p>I completely disapprove of the policy constraining an individuals right to safely identify with themselves. Teachers and students shouldn’t have to weigh the costs of being themselves with the law. Schools are safe places for children regardless of their home life, but especially for students with unsupportive parents. This policy will cause HARM to students and teachers. </p>


Names and pronouns must be inviolate

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It would be harassment to call a teacher by the wrong surname or title because of your religious beliefs.

For instance, Mrs. Apple used to go by Ms Baker. Every decent person would be call her Mrs. Apple. It doesn't matter whether she took her husband's name or her wife's name, whether she was married in a church or a courthouse. Calling her by her old name or title deliberately and repeatedly is harassment.

All I'm asking is transgender students get the same respect. Calling someone by a name, title, or pronoun that isn't their is not a "first amendment issue".


Identity Crisis: Daisy's Story

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After ‘Top Surgery’ & Hormones, Female Detransitioner Decided She Wanted to Be A Mom


Gov Youngkin on transgystudents:

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<p>We firmly disagree with Gov Youngkin on his marginalization of LGBTQ public school children. I’m ashamed to be in Virginia because of him. </p>


Support these changes

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<p>It is important that a clear line of communication be maintained between parents and school personnel. School personnel should not be interfering in the child / parent relationship. They are there to support both parties, children and parents. If the school personnel feel that they have to hide anything from a child's parent, then there is something very wrong. </p>


Strongly Disagree with LGBTQ+ Guidance

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<p>I strongly oppose this new “guidance”. It contradicts itself by saying that “All students have the right to attend school in an environment free from discrimination, harassment, or bullying.” This new guidance will promote these types of environments. No loving parent could possibly want that for their child. Parents were already empowered. They just had to pay attention to their own children. </p>


Transgender Rights

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Transgender students should be allowed to attend/participate in school as the person they feel they are on the inside not the sex they were assigned at birth.


Strongly Oppose

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This is governmental overreach


STOP

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Strongly oppose. Disgraceful to human rights


STRONGLY OPPOSE THIS DANGEROUS ACT

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Trans rights are human rights.  This proposal will endanger the lives of trans youths.  Stop this madness.  People have the right to be who they are and not who they are told they are.


Strongly Oppose!

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<p>This proposal will endanger countless vulnerable children - why would any elected official - and especially a governor - do that? Unforgiveable . . . </p>


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<p>As an educator in VA - This will cause a sharp spike in suicides and self-harm of children that are non-binary. This is a monstrous proposal and should be opposed at all costs. </p>


Protect LGBTQ children, do not support this proposal

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Yes, it would be fine and dandy if every LGBTQ student in the state had the support of their parents, but that is not always the case.  Youngkin's go-to "parents rights" is a cudgel to expose these children to taunting and discrimination.  These children have a high likelihood of suicide when not supported.  This proposal takes away that support.  If parents rights were the goal of the Youngkin administration, then when the parents approve of the children's choice of gender, the school and teacher should be required to use the child's choice, but the Youngkin plan does not do this.  This plan is a bald-faced effort to make Youngkin's base comfortable in a false shell of a world with only cisgender children.


Strongly Oppose

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<p>Protect the freedoms of children just trying to be themselves. This policy is massive government overreach and dangerous for trans youth. Absolutely disgusting and terrifying how much power the government is trying to exert over something as basic as a chosen identity. </p>


Strongly oppose

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This takes anyway any child’s right to safety


STRONGLY oppose

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<p>This proposed model is a blatant violation of Virginia state code. It is not evidence-based, does not uphold the integrity and dignity of students in VA, and does not create a safe environment for all students to thrive as the law requires. </p>


Youngkin cares for no child in Virginia.

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As both a retired middle school educator, and the parent of twin children, one of whom is non-binary, this bill you have put forward falls nothing short of child abuse. If you're really interested in improving education, I could spend decades outlining everything that is broken within our current system, based solely on the shared experiences of me and my colleagues, but that's not what this is about.

This is about a homophobic, bigoted tyrant, riding the coattails of another tyrant, hell-bent on this new brand of McCarthyistic behavior; that somehow, "weeding out undesirables" is anything we haven't seen before. Scapegoats, Youngkin? I know a little about scapegoating. You're invited to sit down with any of my relatives who survived the Holocaust, with numbers still tattooed on their forearms. In the meantime, I will fight you tooth and nail to defend my child's rights as a human being, as an American citizen, and as the future for our country. Shame on you, claiming that your bill promotes parents being more involved in education. What you've proposed could not be further from the truth. Had you one iota of an idea about anything related to K-12 education, you'd have a degree in such, or have had real classroom experience as an educator.

You hide behind these proposals, a coward, a dupe, a snake-oil salesman, who will fail. I, along with tens of thousands of other involved parents, will do everything within our legal power to fight you on this, and make sure it's defeated. Mark my words, we have not yet begun to defend our children.


Opposed to Governor Younkin's "Model Policies for the Treatment of Transgender Students in Virginia’

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I oppose Governor Younkin's "Model Policies for the Treatment of Transgender Students in Virginia’s Public Schools".

This is not 'science based' teaching guidance. Science has something to say about trans people. This new policy does not reflect it.

I stand opposed to all attempts to discriminate and bully trans people wherever it occurs.


Support Governor Youngkin.

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We believe that parents are their child’s best advocate. They are responsible for their children until they reach adulthood. Thank you Governor Youngkin!


Strongly oppose!


Oppose

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Students, regardless of age do not

 need parental consent to use a pronoun of their choice.


Strongly Oppose

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Keep individuals safe in school, not every parent or guardian is accepting


Strongly Support the New Policy

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It is critical that parents have the final say in their children's upbringing, not the government.  The new policy allows parents to control how their children are treated in this extremely important social and psychological area.


Strongly agree! Thank you!

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<p>First of all thank you Glenn Youngkin for standing up for the rights of the parents to know the in’s and out’s of our Children’s education! Which includes what they are telling of what they believe to identify as. It should always be know to the parents what is going on with their children no matter the circumstances. God gave us male and female and determined our gender before we were born and that is our right as parents to teach our children that! </p>


Strongly Oppose [trans rights are human rights]

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Youngkin's bill is anti-trans and anti-children.

Although it may seem fine, further look into the bill reveals that it would limit a child's ability to be called their prefered name, even if they aren't trans. This especially disadvantages trans kids, but also disadvantages cis kids who has a nickname different from their birth/full name.

I cannot support this bill when it is anti-trans.


Guidance document

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<p>STRONGLY OPPOSE </p>


Abhorrent and Unjustified

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<p>Strongly opposed. Youngkin's beliefs are not based on constitutionality, they are based on religious fundamentalism. </p>


Fully support our Governor!

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Thank you Governor Youngkin for re-engaging the parents in these important decisions. Families first!


I support the new policy.

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I support the new policy. It is a common sense approach. The previous policy elevated one group of students over another. Honestly, the focus needs to be on teaching. The SOL scores are falling and our students are failing.


Schools are safe spaces, not every child has good parents!

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I have spent over 20 years working with children of all ages and backgrounds, and I have seen how important it is for schools to be safe spaces. I have taught children of community leaders and ones from "great families" that were treated HORRIBLY by their parents for being different. Many sadly end their lives or go down a bad path because they have no one to support them. It may seem like "just being weird" to some people, but something as simple as honoring a request to be called a certain name or pronoun can give these kids that validation they need to keep going.

To those "disgusted" by supporting these students: how is it harming YOU? We dont ban LGBT students from bathrooms, how is this different? If you are so worried about "saving them", then you need to worry about giving them the support to keep them living.


Sponsors and supporters of this change are beholden to religion and are descpicable

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There is nothing but hate in this change, no facts, no tolerance, just pandering to the religious extremists.


Support

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<p>Thank you Governor for recognizing parents as the primary educators of their children.  </p>


Strongly support Youngkin and Parental Rights

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I am in favor of a policy that keeps parents fully informed and involved in their child’s uprbringing.
Parents are not a “danger” to their own children. They know them best and have their best interest at heart. Taking away their involvement makes children essentially a ward of the state. This is unacceptable.


Support Youngkin and parental rights

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Children are considered children until they are 18 for a reason. They need love, guidance and direction. We as parents are here to provide that for our children. We love them so much and are invested in their success in life and to become amazing, well-rounded adults. Glen Youngkin understands that, and this policy gives parents the most important right to help in this endeavor!  I appreciate his ability to stand up for children and their parents!


Against Regulation; Support Trans Youth

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This regulation will negatively affect the health and safety of Trans students and it puts educators and students in the position of being disrespectful to Trans students and not affording Trans youth the dignity of honor and respect that all humans deserve. When my Trans college age child came out to me, one of the first things she said was difficult was her inability to urinate on campus anywhere. She wasn't able to use the women's room since she was biologically born a male, and she couldn't use the men's room because she is, identifies, and appears to be a woman. As a result, she was frequently dehydrated or dealing with urinary tract infections because she couldn't relieve herself anywhere that was safe. The lack of dignity caused her to feel marginalized, subhuman, and unsafe. If you meet her on the street or in school, you'd meet a considerate, caring, gentle, young woman and you'd not realize she was assigned to be a boy at birth. Regulating against treating her with human dignity will have a devastating effect on her psychological health and well being. It serves as an encouragement others to commit assault and battery against her and other Trans students. For what? Her legal name is changed. Her identity is different than what we originally believed. She's still a beautiful human being with tremendous potential and you're asking others to treat her as if her life, health, and wishes are irrelevant. If you believe that Trans students won't drop out and cease their education in such unwelcoming places, you're incorrect. If you think this won't have a long term social, mental, and economic impact on her life and the health and lives of others like her and around her, you're incorrect. Will she be a productive member of society if state institutions force others to treat her as a pariah? Of course not. This is a shameful act of state sponsored bullying and discrimination. Why not just turn a fire hose and dogs on these young people to keep them down? Instead you cleanly and neatly do it by regulation. Disgusting.


In Support of Gov. Youngkin

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It's time to stop the madness. Gender dysphoria should be treated -- not fed.


STRONGLY OPPOSE

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<p>I strongly oppose this - Students should be allowed on their own to determine their pronouns, identity, likes, and dislikes. If we allow students to choose an elective (ie. chorus) as interest and study without parental approval, why would parental approval be necessary to determine what you identify as? </p>


Strongly Oppose - Dangerous Policy

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This new model and Glenn Youngkin’s thirst for inflicting pain on vulnerable communities is dangerous and irresponsible. This will cause nothing but years of long lasting trauma on children and students. We have seen from an outpouring of student-led support that young people do not want this. Countless parents, teachers and administrators do not want this. The right wants this because it is easier to attack children than craft real, effective policy that serves any real purpose. Enact this policy and history will remember you all in the same light as it views others who have dealt in hate and fearmongering.

Say no to Glenn Youngkin’s horrible education policy.


This is flat out bigotry

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<p>This policy is completely unacceptable. What is going to happen here (which is clearly youngkins goal) is that bigoted parents are going to be informed that their children are trans and kick them out on the street, beat them, harass them, send them to a conversion camp, or possibly all of these things. If VA democrats do not stop this, I will not be voting in the next star election. I hate all politicians and will hate them even more if this goes into effect. Do something useful for once in your extremely privileged lives and stop this from happening </p>


strongly oppose

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<p>trans rights are human rights, students deserve the right to have a say in how they are spoken to. this policy will endanger MANY children and students </p>


trans policy

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I oppose Youngkins trans policy ! Very simple trans rights are human rights!


Strongly opppse

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The high suicide rate of the group you're targeting makes this not just bad policy, but immoral.

Be honest. This effort is NOT to support children or parents. This is not based in science, education, sociology - it is all the opinion of a minority, foisted on the rest of us. And no, my child is not in the groups you are targeting.

Back off and pursue your Presidential ambitions in another way Governor. What you are doing here will literally hurt innocents. Shame on you.


In Support of Gov. Youngkin

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<p>Parents do NOT give up their parental rights when they send their children to school.  Teach them math, English, science, etc. Stop pushing the trans movement on children. </p>


Trans rights are human rights

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<p style="text-align: left;">After the considerable progress the commonwealth has made on behalf of marginalized populations in the last ten years, the governor’s proposed changes to guidance for kids of varying gender identifications not only amounts to a step back; it qualifies as an abrogation of human rights. The commonwealth should reject this modification with due haste. </p>


Oppose Youngkin's policy

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In regard to Youngkins' model policies that require schools to categorize transgender children by their “biological sex” when it comes to using the bathroom, locker room and other facilities and participating in activities, I am opposed.

By singling out trans gender kids, these policies can put them in danger and schools are supposed to be safe space for all kids.

There is a question as to the motivation for these policies outside of the fact it contradicts recent court rulings.  Who is being harmed by trans kids just trying to exist like every other kid in school?

Being part of an underrepresented community myself, I know there have been laws in the past to restrict the movement of people of color(i.e. whites only/ blacks only bathrooms, water fountains, entrances, etc).  How can this policy be seen as anything different than the discrimination that it is??


Strongly oppose - stop bullying trans kids NOW

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FCPS parent here. In all your concern with parents’ and teachers’ rights and free speech, you forgot about the most vulnerable people in the equation - the kids. They are who we should be centering. I guess their voice and wishes don’t matter to you. Your cruelty is the point. Disgusted with your bullying and child abuse administration. All of you who support this should be deeply ashamed of yourselves. This is pure evil.


Opposed, let's not pretend

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<p>Let's not pretend that this is for the betterment of anyone. Teachers are not responsible for outing your child. If your child does not include you in their decision there may be a reason why. If parents feel so strongly that they need to protect their children from trans people and other ideologies they can send their child to private school or homeschool them. Public school is for children of all faiths, abilities, sexual orientations, and gender expressions. </p>