Proposed policy disrespects students and will lead to more suicide deaths

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The proposed “2022 MODEL POLICIES

ON THE PRIVACY, DIGNITY, AND RESPECT FOR ALL STUDENTS AND PARENT” start out with the statement that “The Virginia Department of Education (the “Department”) recognizes that each child is a unique individual with distinctive abilities and characteristics that should be valued and respected. All students have the right to attend school in an environment free from discrimination, harassment, or bullying.” And yet then these policies proceed to strip away these rights to respect, are written to favor those who do not respect an individual’s right to self-identify, but to respect an individual’s right to deny another person that right.

By stressing that many Virginians reject the belief that an individual has the right to choose which pronouns or name they are addressed as this policy favors those who will impose on others their beliefs on how the other should be addressed. This part of the policy also disregards the stated preferences of the parents, so that even if a parent supports their child’s chosen gender identity, any school staff member whose beliefs disagree with that can choose to disrespect these preferences.

The section on student accommodations for counseling and bathrooms, specifically is qualified by referencing resources and staffing shortages, leaving a loophole to allow schools to disregard any such accommodations, and as we all know resource and staffing shortages are a part of our reality. This policy is written to accommodate the majority at the expense of the minority.

I am especially worried about students whose parents do not support their self identity. As we all know trans students are much more likely to have mental health issues and much higher suicide rates. This change in policy will result in deaths of students. School is meant to prepare students and teach them about life: with these policies the lesson taught is that they do not have individual self autonomy, that their rights can be suppressed by others with different beliefs. Trans students rights do not harm others in a similar way: the 2021 model policies for respect of trans students did not result in an increase in suicides by those who disagreed, since people are more likely to commit suicide over their lack of autonomy over themselves than over their lack of right to disregard others rights to their chosen self identity.


You all have never played sports if you think locker rooms/showers at school are private areas.

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Leave it to a bunch of fat white liberals that have never played sports to push their bathroom, locker room, and sporting agendas on everyone else. Get a grip people.


Support policy that prevents my daughter from having to see penis and balls in her locker room

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The wackos on the left have zero boundaries. Practice your perversions at home and leave mainstream kids to grow up without your weirdness. Why are you obsessed with boys sharing bathrooms with girls. You should all be locked up.


Oppose on grounds that this still interferes with parental rights

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This change in policy does not merely prevent schools from interfering with the rights of parents to raise their children as they wish, but also prevents schools from acting in accordance with how some parents wish to raise their children. It prescribes a default treatment of children that their biological sex matches their gender, a default which may only be disposed of through extra processes on the part of both parent and child. To truly stay out of the realm of making parenting decisions, schools would default to a treatment of gender and sex that does not decide whether they are matched or not.

Furthermore, it is unclear why a child's decision to go by some name or another, or some pronouns or another, would be material information that must be reported to the child's parent. Surely teachers must be permitted to share this information with the parent, but it doesn't follow that this sharing be mandated. In terms of differential treatment between transgender and non -transgender children, this requires teachers notify parents if they believe the child is transgender, but not if the child acts in seeming accordance with their assigned sex at birth, suggesting one parenting style (that assigned sex at birth always matches gender) is more reasonable than another (that assigned sex at birth may differ from gender).

Finally, the practical effects of this policy will be that transgender children will die. The free pursuit of social transition is an essential variable in transgender children's mental health outcomes. This policy would have little effect on the medical transition steps some children may take with their parents' approval, but would have great effect on the kinds of small social changes children make when considering their gender expression. Most parents absolutely want the best for their children, but the unfortunate reality is that some don't, and even more don't know the best way to do that. Educators - and any other 3rd party to the parent-child relationship - shouldnt be barred from treating children in a way that will improve their mental health outcomes without first getting permission from the child's parent.

If a parent decides they want educators to treat their child as a certain gender - whether it match the sex on the child's birth certificate or not - they should be held to the same standard of contacting the school with this request.


Transgender policy endangers our children

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Look at what the students want!  They can decide for themselves that they can accept their classmates as valuable humans!


Support Parental rights

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I support parental rights


Applauding the Governor YES!

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<p>Yay! to Governor Youngkin for proposing a school model that is rooted in thousands of years worth of understanding -  male and female are created such at birth.   Going with the wave of new thought of the past few years and redoing society on such a whim creates great instability.  When emotions or feelings become the engine by which we live instead of truth, things can change in seconds.  Emotions and feelings change with hunger, fatigue, sickness. a bad day.  I am glad Governor Youngkin is basing his model on things that don't change period, our anatomical structure, thus allowing stability to remain in our society.  </p>


I can’t believe this

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<p>It is disgusting that people are trying to get rid of laws like this as trans youth deserve as much rights as their peers. These kids might lose the only place they feel welcomed </p>


support this policy and agree that superintendent and school board members should be held accountabl

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Do the right thing school board members.


Hispanics Support the Governor's Guidance Too

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Family First! Please support the Hispanic Community and pass this policy on October 27th.


Thank you for your support of parents.

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As parents we are best to advocate for our children. This right should always be protected. Thank you for supporting families.


All school board members in VA that reject DOE guidance will be criminally and financially negligent

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When sexual assaults happen under your watch and you rejected the DOE guidance, you will be help personally responsible both financially and criminally. Make no mistake about it. I highly suggest you consult a non-woke attorney for solid advice before casting that vote.


I support this proposal / I am against social engineering of our schoolls

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My children grew up in and graduated from Loudoun County schools. It was a very different environment back then to what is happening in these same schools today. I have grandchildren now and I worry about what will happen to them. Will my granddaughters have to share locker rooms and bathrooms with males, putting them at risk of emotional and physical harm? Will they lose opportunities in sports and stand by -- silent -- while they are passed over for biological males who are physically larger and/or stronger because they are really male and not female? Will my grandsons have to share locker rooms and bathrooms with biological girls? Will they have to 'dummy down' their strengths, their maleness, and bow to political correctness just so cosmetically modified girls are a priority to their own manhood?

When I was a little girl I benefitted from the voices of women who fought their hardest to make it an even playing field for girls in school and sports. I could finally play on a team league like my brothers and have the same opportunity in school as they had. Let's not go back 50 years... let's not take away the rights of biological girls and women. Say no to social engineering in our public schools. Teach, don't indoctrinate!


????????Oppose this policy and support furry rights! ????????

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Furries have rights too!


Let the kids be

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As a longtime high school teacher I've taught dozens (that I'm aware of) transgender students.  I'm also the parent of two gender non-binary children.  For the life of me I cannot understand why someone would attempt to tell these young people that the person they see themselves as is somehow "wrong".  Who among us has right or the power to tell someone else how they should perceive themselves?  I've been a teacher since the '90s and I've always asked each and everyone of my students what they'd like me to call them.  Many students prefer a nickname to their given name, and it's the human thing to do to call them what they want to be called.  Please, reconsider this policy and just let kids be who the want to be.  Thanks for listening.


Don't drown the parents voices - YES I SUPPORT

An Arlington mom, barely treading water here ...

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Arlington County claims to be so concerned about all children but by placing special attention on one group (trans kids), they are putting the needs of everyone else on the chopping block.  This policy won't change much of anything EXCEPT parent involvement which is the very least that SHOULD BE ASSUMED.  If you are a parent with a kid in public school please have them tell you how they really feel.  Not how socially appropriate they should feel and not the "nicey nice" answer.  not even what YOU want to hear but what they feel.  A lot of these progressive people who insult and attack those who think differently from them (1) might be suprised at today's youth's true feelings, and (2) I hope will eventually see the hypocritical way they judge others and livetheir own lives.  Wanting justice for all unless the person doesn't agree with their own views.  Then they want that person to be crucified.  I know.  I live it every day and I am silent.


Finally, some sanity comes to LCPS

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There has been a steady stream of parents pulling their children out of LCPS and enrolling them in private schools.  Enrollment at local religious schools has exploded.  This is because parents are fed up with policies that favor one protected population of the student body at the expense of the majority of students.  While all students should be loved and respected, parents have the right to teach their values to their own children, not the schools  I fully support this policy.


Save our public schools! SUPPORT this policy!

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<p>If schools continue to insist on fighting parents about the well-being of our children, everyone who can possibly afford it (myself included) will flee the public schools. Save our schools, protect parental rights. </p>


Protect Tolerance, Support this Policy

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You do not have to agree with someone else’s parenting decisions or beliefs, but none of us have the right to interfere between parents and their children, especially not the government or schools. That is why I strongly support this policy. If one of my children becomes confused about their gender, it will be up to me and my husband to guide them through it, whatever that may look like depending on the unique circumstances. Shame on any educators who would want to cut us out of our children’s lives.


I support in Arlington County

I am one who reads Transgender surgeon Dr Marci Bowers' comments

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Transgender surgeon Dr Marci Bowers inffamously conceded that of the (appx) 2000 people on whom she has operated NONE have been able to achieve sexual satisfaction.  So we are doing no favors to the child who will then grow up to be (still) unhappy.  Keep parents involved.  It is wrong to silence those who regret transitions, it is insane to remove parents from the equation.  The wokies on here who are self-righteously "DEFENDING" the rights of the poor confused and unsupported trans kid have clearly not spent any time lately in public school.  They are free to withdraw their own parental rights BUT NOT SOMEONE ELSE'S!!!


Strongly Support this Legislation

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<p>This legislation appropriately protects ALL students by ensuring that PARENTS are involved in all decisions that concern their child and his or her own well-being.  No one on earth loves a child more abundantly than that child's Mom and Dad.    The government (or school officials) have no place in those decisions.  Let's get back to EDUCATING our kids on math, science, reading, and writing so that we can compete in this world.  Keep ideologies out of school and away from children.  This is getting back to NORMAL.   Thank you Governor Youngkin and your team for focusing on what matters.  </p>


also support

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<p>"American medical organizations have gotten the science wrong in the past; there is no reason to assume that this could not happen again."  So don't keep secrets from the mom or the dad.  Even if we don't agree with our child, no one loves our child more than we do.  And it's NOT bigoted OR hateful to simply want to SLOW DOWN any PERMANENT decisions (medications, surgeries, augmentations)</p>


Protect trans kids

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<p>leave kids alone and stop using them as pawns for your political goals. You're a horrible governor and should just retire back to your gated community </p>


support

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<p>"If trans kids are coming out in droves because of warming social attitudes ... (as they seem to be) ... it cannot ALSO be the case that America is increasingly becoming (a place of trauma) for LGBTQ people."  So there is no need to leave parents out of the picture.  And that is all this policy is doing, is returning parental right/parental involvement in their own child's life/issues and choices.</p>


The Muslim Community supports bathrooms for biological sexes; We will vote for you.

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On behalf on the Muslim community, we support you Governor Youngkin. Please do not let opposite sexes in each others bathrooms. Keep our families safe. Thank you.


Governor, can you please not let the adults let boys into our locker room when we shower/change.

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Governor, we have soccer practice every Tuesday and Thursday before school. Showers are mandatory. Can you please make the adults stop letting boys into our locker room when we are showering and changing for school in the morning. It isn't right. Half of them are lying about being girls and are just creepos. It is so weird that the girls on my team don't even want to play soccer anymore. Can you please help us?

Cindy


Reject the policy! Protect trans students!

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I am trans guy in sophomore year of high school and I very much OPPOSE the proposed model policy.

For me, school has always been a safe space for me to be who I am without fear of judgement. It's a place where I can be called by my true name and pronouns. I already get misgendered a lot, but with people at least using my true name, dysphoria doesn't get too bad. If this model policy passes, I don't think I could take being deadnamed too every single day, at school. What this bill does is pass malicious deadnaming and misgendering as "free speech" An accident is one thing, but when it's done on purpose, then it is considered harrassment and abuse, both of which violate the first amendment.

There's also something else that you guys don't seem to understand. It's called gender dysphoria. It's not something that can be "cured" by forcing us to conform to the gender norms and pronouns of our assigned gender at birth. In fact, that only makes it worse. The fact that it's transitioning is what actually lessens the dysphoria is something you just can't seem to wrap your heads around. If you proceed with this model policy, then all you're doing is deteriorating the mental health of trans students all across the state. Suicide rates among the LGBTQ+ community are high enough as it is and all you're doing is fueling the fire. I, myself, experience emotional breakdowns largely because of dysphoria.

Another reason why I don't support this model policy, is how Youngkin is just saying we should just "trust parents", when a lot of us don't have supportive families. A lot of us don't know how our parents could react. Some even kick their child out after the person comes out to them. It's precisely because of this that many are terrified of coming out to their parents. Or even if they don't kick you out, they might still not respect either your name, pronouns, or both.

I want my school to continue to be a safe space for me and my friends. I want me and my friends to have an environment we can study in where we feel safe and respected. So please, if you have any shred of decency, please don't pass this model policy.


I am trans and I support this policy.

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Medical professionals manipulated my parents in their confusion and insecurity.  "Very quickly I was given what I wanted but it was far from what I needed.  Two years later I am still suffering from major complications ... because I was allowed to make adult decisions at age 13 and then again at 15.  (Don't place children in direct harm by leaving parents out of the conversation, even if they end up manipulated too.)  Children deserve better."


Strongly oppose. This is discrimination.

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I strongly oppose the proposed model policies. They model discrimination. They are harmful and illegal.

Transgender students' learning environments should not be dependent upon their gender. Their relationship to teachers and school administrators should not be dependent upon their gender. And teachers and school administrators should never do anything that would jeopardize the safety of a student.

The policies create a hostile environment that upends learning - the core purpose of school. They endanger students by outing them to their family and in classrooms over and over and over again. They say that transgender students are “other” and not deserving of equal treatment under the law.

I urge you to rescind these discriminatory policies.


Support religious freedoms: females in male bathrooms us against Muslim faith.

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Allowing males into female bathrooms and vice versa is against the Muslim religion. Please governor, do not allow our religious freedoms to be infringed on.


Adamantly OPPOSE!!!

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<p>I am a PARENT of a transgender student who attends a Virginia public school who is afraid to go to school if you change the protections that allow him to feel safe legally at school. Right now he feels attacked by your administration. He is under intense anxiety that he will be a target and his school will have to choose between what’s right for him or abiding by this policy. He is just a kid not a political pawn. The policies that were in effect under Northam made us proud to be Virginians (which we have lived here all our life) and they were what is right for All Virginians. DO NOT ROLL THEM BACK! </p>


Ignore the loudmouth lefties. They don't speak for 99.99 of Americans.

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Support the governor 100%! He's right on!


People who think it’s ok for boys to be up in the girls room be trippin

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You must not be having kids if you think it’s OK for boys to be up in girls bathrooms.


STRONGLY SUPPORT

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This document undoes the damage thrust upon our state by Governor Northam.  Parents are primary in their children's lives and this document restores that truth.

We can be empathetic to students in all circumstances but Governor Northam erroneously made the state the primary decider in matters that belong to the realm of parents.

I completely SUPPORT Governor Youngkin's efforts in this regard.  Please don't allow the loud minority to minimize parents role in their children's lives.  Please keep our daughters and sons safe from this attempt by social activists to tear down the family.


OPPOSE!!

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Republicans continue to strip away basic freedoms, and this is just another example. Think beyond white, “Christian” men, and find some compassion for all. These are bullying and hateful policies that are a disgrace to a large amount of Virginians. Cannot wait until you are out of office, and there is a return to basic human decency!


Parents are responsible for upbringing not the government

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The children are born into a family. It is the legal, moral, ethical right of a parent to make decisions for minors.

As a child I questioned my identity. I was allowed to be a "tom boy".  This did not mean I was a male but that I had develioedparticular strengths that I would make my own as a born woman.

Don't allow people to be lazy and selfish. When confused, fight the battle to be the best self that you were born with, not a mangled pretend you that relies on procedures and medications that are infinitely more dangerous and damaging than any pharmaceutical or surgical services want you to see.


Protect Emotionally Vulnerable Children and Parental Rights!

Dear Virginia Dept of Education,

Schools should never secretly socially transition students and keep the child's new name, pronouns and gender identities from parents. I am pleased and relieved that the Virginia Department of Education's revised model policies support parental rights and ensure that school employees don't cut parents out of critical decisions for their children.

The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) issued "model policies" in 2021 that encouraged every school district in Virginia to hide a child's new gender identity from parents who choose to affirm the child's biological sex. Under Governor Youngkin's leadership, the VDOE's revised policies make it clear that all children should be valued and parents' rights and beliefs should be respected. The 2022 Model Policies on the Privacy, Dignity, and Respect for all Students and Parents in Virginia's Public Schools keep parents involved in major decisions in their children's lives.

The 2021 VDOE "model policies" encouraged schools to create "a plan (that) may include addressing the student at school with their name and pronoun consistent with their gender identity while using the legal name and pronoun associated with the sex assigned at birth when communicating with parents or guardians."

I strongly support the revised policies that end this practice. Virginia schools should not drive a wedge between parents and their emotionally vulnerable children. Virginia school districts, including those who have already communicated their plans to ignore the 2022 revised model policies, should put an end to secret Gender Support Plans now.

Sincerely,
Simran Mann
2155 Saranac Ct
Charlottesville, VA 22911

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Dear Virginia Dept of Education,<br /><br />Schools should never secretly socially transition students and keep the child's new name, pronouns and gender identities from parents. I am pleased and relieved that the Virginia Department of Education's revised model policies support parental rights and ensure that school employees don't cut parents out of critical decisions for their children. <br /><br />The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) issued "model policies" in 2021 that encouraged every school district in Virginia to hide a child's new gender identity from parents who choose to affirm the child's biological sex. Under Governor Youngkin's leadership, the VDOE's revised policies make it clear that all children should be valued and parents' rights and beliefs should be respected. The 2022 Model Policies on the Privacy, Dignity, and Respect for all Students and Parents in Virginia's Public Schools keep parents involved in major decisions in their children's lives.<br /><br />The 2021 VDOE "model policies" encouraged schools to create "a plan (that) may include addressing the student at school with their name and pronoun consistent with their gender identity while using the legal name and pronoun associated with the sex assigned at birth when communicating with parents or guardians." <br /><br />I strongly support the revised policies that end this practice. Virginia schools should not drive a wedge between parents and their emotionally vulnerable children. Virginia school districts, including those who have already communicated their plans to ignore the 2022 revised model policies, should put an end to secret Gender Support Plans now.<br /><br />Sincerely,
<br />Simran Mann
<br />2155 Saranac Ct<br />Charlottesville, VA 22911<br /><img src="http://admin.phone2action.com/email/open/leg/657523/148517190" width="1" height="1" />


STRONGLY OPPOSE!!!!!

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Youngkin said during a recent interview: “We must have parents at the front of the line — not at the exclusion of a trusted teacher or counselor — but parents must be the first stop for these decisions.”

How shortsighted of you! Not all of us are so dumb to fall for this.

While this might work if the parents are loving and supportive,  but what if they aren’t? Then what? You may end up with blood on your hands.

What basis do you have to overrule all of the major psychological associations that have designed standards of care for trans minors over the last several decades?


Hateful, transphobic policies!

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These policies take away the freedoms of transgendered children, while stoking the flames of transphobia. We are not all Christian nationalists. Quit forcing your shortsighted,  bigoted policies on all of us. You are a disgrace- the worst governor ever. The only freedoms you care about are those of straight, white, “Christian” men!


I am strongly opposed to this proposed policy.

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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: medium; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; color: #000000; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-align: start;">I believe Gov. Younkin's new policy for transgender students is wrong and illegal and wish the current policy to remain in place. Gov. Younkin attempted to justify his new policy under VA code 22.1-23.3. Treatment of transgender students; policies which states that the any state policy must be "in accordance with evidence-based best practices." However, all reputable scientific and medical groups support gender affirmative care and this requires that children be able to use the bathrooms and locker rooms according to their gender identity not their sex assigned at birth. To implement these policies will do great harm to the mental health of many children in the Commonwealth of Virginia and, as this fails to be in accordance with evidence based practices, is therefore illegal. I also disagree with the requirement that parents must be informed and consent to changes of name, pronoun, gender or nickname.  This should be the choice of the student. Schools should be looking for ways to support the most vulnerable of it students, especially in a situation where students lack parental support. </p>


Quit forcing Christian nationalism on all of us!!!!!

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From WAPO:

Contrary to statements that suggest otherwise, the 2022 model policies do impose a specific ideology. Christian nationalism is not relegated to churches, extremist groups or religious-political leaders; it exerts control and fosters political violence through public policies and institutions that seek to exterminate non-White, non-Christian, and non-heteropatriarchal thought from the nation.


The Dead Kennedy said it best

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NAZI PUNKS  OFF. Stop trying to hurt trans kids for culture war  and get some real policy.


Strongly oppose this policy

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This policy seeks to replace the welcoming environment I experienced in Virginia's public schools with hostility. Forcibly outing transgender and nonbinary students and depriving them of their human rights does nothing to advance their education while causing distress for no reason other than transphobia. Over the course of 13 years in our schools, I learned to treat others as I wished to be treated, and it is shameful that we are poised to replace this lesson with outright bigotry.


Strongly Oppose

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I strongly oppose the Governor's draft policies for transgender students.  Especially egregious is the part where, even if a parent requests the school to use a different name or gender for their child, the teacher has the right not to comply based on their "personal" beliefs.  What crap.  Children need your support and understanding.  If you can't do that, you shouldn't be teaching, or in any occupation that puts you in close contact with children.


People Who Comment: "Trans Rights Are Human Rights!", Did You Actually Read The New Policies?

I am against bullying of all kinds. I am also a proponent for helping those in need, especially any kind of at risk youth. However, I greatly disagree with the 2021 Policies (aka "Northram Policies") in Regards to Transgender Students in Virginia Schools. I support the new 2022 Policies developed by Governor Youngkin and his staff.
The 2021 Policies, developed under the Northram Administration, allowed transgender students to use bathrooms and locker rooms of the gender they identified as.It also let transgender students play in sports based upon the gender they identified as.The 2021 Policies let school administration hide the transgender status of students from the students' parents.Lastly, the Policies allowed other students, faculty, staff, and teachers to be punished for using the wrong pronouns of trans students.
The 2021 Policies did not do anything to actually address deeper issues effecting trans students. It did not have any provisions for counseling or therapy to see if trans students were dealing with any emotional or psychological issues that may make their situation worse or perhaps even make them believe they aretrans or suffer from some sort of body dysmorphia, when they in fact do not. It seems that being "transgender" is a popular topic in the United States and it wouldnot surprise me to discover that many young people who identify as transgender are not truly transgender, that they are simply confused or suffering from other issues, but are drawnto the transgender title because of all the attention it receives.
I have read a number of comments that mention how transgender youth are at high risk for suicide and self harm and that if their preferred pronouns are not used or they are not allowedto use the bathroom or locker room they want, that they may hurt themselves as a consequence. I agree this is something worth preventing, but I do not think we are doing right bytrans youth by not getting to the bottom of their potential self destructive ways. How are we truly helping them if we do not give them the counseling and therapy they need to stop their self harm? Having their self worth be based upon others' use of their pronouns or basing self esteem upon what gender bathroom they use, is dangerous. If their self esteemis based solely on the acceptance of other people, and not on their own perception & notion of who they are, they are doomed to a life of unnecessary suffering and hardship. And we as a State, and a community,would be letting them down if we do not get them the real help they need. If we play into their wants for preferred use of different pronouns or different gender bathrooms, we are onlyhurting them in the long run.
The 2021 Policies also did nothing to address the potential issues that would arise from other students, faculty, staff, and teachers when interacting with trans students.If Virginians truly want to foster a sense of community and empathy, then why would the rigid 2021 Policies be necessary?Forced acceptance is not true acceptance. Forced empathy is not true empathy. Making all other students, et al. "accept" trans students under the threat ofpunishment, is not going to foster a sense of sincere understanding or respect. What are we teaching our children by forcing them to use a person's desired pronouns underthreat of punishment or use the same bathroom as someone of a different gender and suffer disciplinary action if they object? We are essentially teaching our children that the State will mandateethics and morals, and that anything less than complete obedience will get students punished.
The 2021 Policies make it seem like the rest of the student populations' thoughts and feelings do not matter on the subject of transgender students. Those Policies seemto go beyond simply protecting transgender students from bullying, to elevating their wants, and perceived "needs", over the rest of the student body.
It is not right for the rest of the student population to have to use the same locker room or bathroom as someone of the opposite gender. Are we so worried about the mental and emotionalstate of transgender student that the rest of the student population's thoughts and feelings are of no concern? Do people not remember the sexual assault that happened in a Loudon Countyschool, unwittingly facilitated by transgender policies allowing male-to-female transgender students in the female bathroom? That particular assault is an example of one of the worst case scenariosthat can occur as a side effect of the 2021 Policies, but I am confident that even before the incident, many students were uncomfortable with transgender students using the bathroomopposite of the gender that said trans students were born with.
Having trans girls/women compete in female sports is also not fair. If it was fair to have males compete against females in sports, than why do we not see more female athletes competingin the NFL, NBA, NHL, or the NSL? The US Women's Soccer Team won the Women's World Cup in 2019 and 2015. They have a history of success. The US Men's Soccer Team has never won a World Cup and does not nearly have as strong a program. If Women and Men are equal in terms of athletic prowess, why do we not have the US Women's Team play for the US Men's Team? If gender (or gender assigned at birth) does not matterin sports, surely the female players from the US Women's Soccer Team would be a real asset to the US Men's Soccer Team and most likely ensure a future World Cup Win for the US Men's SoccerTeam .
One might claim that hormone blockers can help make it fair for males (or male gender assigend at birth) to compete in female sports in high school, but how much research has been done on those blockers and theireffects in athletics? Also, who do the majority of Virginians trust to ensure male-to-female trans students are taking the correct hormone blockers at the correct level to be considered a fair participant in female sports?
I also support the 2022 Policies (aka the "Youngkin Policies") inclusion of parents in the school lives of transgender students. Parents need to play a part in their child's life, both inside and outsideof school. A parent should be knowledgeable if their child identifies as transgender if for no other reason than the fact that parents/guardians are legally responsible for the well being of theirchild. If a parent is not aware that their child is trans, how can they effectively take care of that child?
I disagree with the 2021 Policies because they put more responsibility on our teachers, effectively making them into counselors and therapists for trans students, on top of their (the teacher's) regular job. I think we are best served by letting our teachers get back to focusing on teaching our kids. Schools should be a safe place for students to learn, grow and pursue academic excellence. Schools should not be a place centered around fostering & promotingthe latest social trends.
Last thing I'll bring up:  based on the number of repetitive and simple public comments that say "do not support!" or "trans rights are human rights!”, I wonder how many public comments were made by actual citizens ofVA and not "bots" or people who live outside of VA and who should have no say in this policy.
In conclusion, I am against bullying of transgender people, whether child or adult. I also expect schools to provide a safe and effective learning environment for *all* students to learn and grow in. However, I believe Northram's 2021 Policies did much more harm than good. I fully support Governor Youngkin's 2022 Model Policies On The Privacy, Dignity,and Respect For All Students.

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I am against bullying of all kinds. I am also a proponent for helping those in need, especially any kind of at risk youth. However, I greatly disagree with the 2021 Policies (aka "Northram Policies") in Regards to
Transgender Students in Virginia Schools. I support the new 2022 Policies developed by Governor Youngkin and his staff.

The 2021 Policies, developed under the Northram Administration, allowed transgender students to use bathrooms and locker rooms of the gender they identified as.
It also let transgender students play in sports based upon the gender they identified as.
The 2021 Policies let school administration hide the transgender status of students from the students' parents.
Lastly, the Policies allowed other students, faculty, staff, and teachers to be punished for using the wrong pronouns of trans students.

The 2021 Policies did not do anything to actually address deeper issues effecting trans students. It did not have any provisions for counseling or therapy to see if
trans students were dealing with any emotional or psychological issues that may make their situation worse or perhaps even make them believe they are
trans or suffer from some sort of body dysmorphia, when they in fact do not. It seems that being "transgender" is a popular topic in the United States and it would
not surprise me to discover that many young people who identify as transgender are not truly transgender, that they are simply confused or suffering from other issues, but are drawn
to the transgender title because of all the attention it receives.

I have read a number of comments that mention how transgender youth are at high risk for suicide and self harm and that if their preferred pronouns are not used or they are not allowed
to use the bathroom or locker room they want, that they may hurt themselves as a consequence. I agree this is something worth preventing, but I do not think we are doing right by
trans youth by not getting to the bottom of their potential self destructive ways. How are we truly helping them if we do not give them the counseling and therapy they need to
stop their self harm? Having their self worth be based upon others' use of their pronouns or basing self esteem upon what gender bathroom they use, is dangerous. If their self esteem
is based solely on the acceptance of other people, and not on their own perception & notion of who they are, they are doomed to a life of unnecessary suffering and hardship. And we as a State, and a community,
would be letting them down if we do not get them the real help they need. If we play into their wants for preferred use of different pronouns or different gender bathrooms, we are only
hurting them in the long run.

The 2021 Policies also did nothing to address the potential issues that would arise from other students, faculty, staff, and teachers when interacting with trans students.
If Virginians truly want to foster a sense of community and empathy, then why would the rigid 2021 Policies be necessary?
Forced acceptance is not true acceptance. Forced empathy is not true empathy. Making all other students, et al. "accept" trans students under the threat of
punishment, is not going to foster a sense of sincere understanding or respect. What are we teaching our children by forcing them to use a person's desired pronouns under
threat of punishment or use the same bathroom as someone of a different gender and suffer disciplinary action if they object? We are essentially teaching our children that the State will mandate
ethics and morals, and that anything less than complete obedience will get students punished.

The 2021 Policies make it seem like the rest of the student populations' thoughts and feelings do not matter on the subject of transgender students. Those Policies seem
to go beyond simply protecting transgender students from bullying, to elevating their wants, and perceived "needs", over the rest of the student body.

It is not right for the rest of the student population to have to use the same locker room or bathroom as someone of the opposite gender. Are we so worried about the mental and emotional
state of transgender student that the rest of the student population's thoughts and feelings are of no concern? Do people not remember the sexual assault that happened in a Loudon County
school, unwittingly facilitated by transgender policies allowing male-to-female transgender students in the female bathroom? That particular assault is an example of one of the worst case scenarios
that can occur as a side effect of the 2021 Policies, but I am confident that even before the incident, many students were uncomfortable with transgender students using the bathroom
opposite of the gender that said trans students were born with.

Having trans girls/women compete in female sports is also not fair. If it was fair to have males compete against females in sports, than why do we not see more female athletes competing
in the NFL, NBA, NHL, or the NSL? The US Women's Soccer Team won the Women's World Cup in 2019 and 2015. They have a history of success. The US Men's Soccer Team has never won a World Cup and does not
nearly have as strong a program. If Women and Men are equal in terms of athletic prowess, why do we not have the US Women's Team play for the US Men's Team? If gender (or gender assigned at birth) does not matter
in sports, surely the female players from the US Women's Soccer Team would be a real asset to the US Men's Soccer Team and most likely ensure a future World Cup Win for the US Men's Soccer
Team .

One might claim that hormone blockers can help make it fair for males (or male gender assigend at birth) to compete in female sports in high school, but how much research has been done on those blockers and their
effects in athletics? Also, who do the majority of Virginians trust to ensure male-to-female trans students are taking the correct hormone blockers at the correct level to be considered a fair participant in female
sports?

I also support the 2022 Policies (aka the "Youngkin Policies") inclusion of parents in the school lives of transgender students. Parents need to play a part in their child's life, both inside and outside
of school. A parent should be knowledgeable if their child identifies as transgender if for no other reason than the fact that parents/guardians are legally responsible for the well being of their
child. If a parent is not aware that their child is trans, how can they effectively take care of that child?

I disagree with the 2021 Policies because they put more responsibility on our teachers, effectively making them into counselors and therapists for trans students, on top of their (the teacher's) regular
job. I think we are best served by letting our teachers get back to focusing on teaching our kids. Schools should be a safe place for students to learn, grow and pursue academic excellence. Schools should not be a place centered around fostering & promoting
the latest social trends.

Last thing I'll bring up:  based on the number of repetitive and simple public comments that say "do not support!" or "trans rights are human rights!”, I wonder how many public comments were made by actual citizens of
VA and not "bots" or people who live outside of VA and who should have no say in this policy.

In conclusion, I am against bullying of transgender people, whether child or adult. I also expect schools to provide a safe and effective learning environment for *all* students to learn and grow in. However, I believe Northram's 2021 Policies did much more harm than good. I fully support Governor Youngkin's 2022 Model Policies On The Privacy, Dignity,
and Respect For All Students.


STRONGLY AGAINST

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To echo a precious commenter who made a great point and as a former k-12 student in VA as well: I very strongly oppose this policy. As a previous K-12 student in Virginia, I am horrified to hear these policies will be directly targeting trans students in this state. Trans lives matter and deserve rights and protection. They should not be targeted for being who they are and trying to exist and learn peacefully in school. I am writing in support of trans students and against these policies!


Strongly oppose

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I oppose this as these are written in a way that specifically restricts transgender rights and exclude many of our youth from an important conversation.  Please do not couch this as a support of parental rights.  I am a parent of two students in the state of Virginia and I do not believe my rights were restricted by the language as previously written.  All parents as well as our students deserve to be heard and a part of this conversation, not just those who support this policy.


That Northern Virginia Grooming information is actually scary. Let's hope it doesn't spread.

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<p>I hope parents in southwestern Virginia are paying attention. Lets remind our school districts and school board members that we are not okay with handing control over to teachers and staff. Do not allow our school boards to remove parents from education. </p>


fully support and endorse the new model

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the parent needs to be the parent not some board telling me how to raise my child


STRONGLY support the Governor and Parents' Rights

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<p>I strongly support the Governor's efforts to restore and protect parental rights. </p>


OPPOSED to rules

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<p>This is just a not-so-veiled attempt by the governor to out Trump Trump and the religious right-wing zelots who want a WHITE, CHRISTIAN nation </p>


Fully Support New Model Policies

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<p>The new guidelines respect ALL students and parents.  Those who say this document is hateful or somehow anti-LGTBQIA have not thoroughly read the new Model Policies because there are specific provisions and protections for such students.  Paragraphs B and D to Section 2 are very clear on this.  In addition, parents have the simple and rather basic right to be involved in their child's upbringing and education.  The fact that parents pay the bills for VA schools provides even more rights for parents and their earned right to be involved.  </p>


Opposition of this bill

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Greetings. I’m a 10th grade student, and I was born with male as my assigned gender. I understand myself to be “non-binary” - someone who does not exactly fall under the category of either male or female. I prefer she/her pronouns. You may boo me all you want, but I cannot support this bill.

This bill opens the door for abuse, and may cause an increase in trans youth suicide rates. I shared this bill with lots of transgender people I know, both in real life and over the internet. Some said that if this bill passed, they’d probably kill themselves. I’m not overreacting when I say that this bill has a very high chance of killing people. I fear for the lives of those who may not be in the position that I am, having parents that respect me for my identity. This bill proves to me that we are not treated as respectable, individual people, who will grow up to change the world like every other student. In reality, we are seen by our genitals. The damage these policies would have on transgender students is far too grave to ignore, and as such, I cannot and will not support the policies.


Dept. of Education Ne Policy Guidelines

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Strongly support the new policy.


This is what happens to parents that dare defy the LCPS grooming agenda

Read this article- It’s frightening how brazen they have become


Loudoun County- Judge finds transgender teen guilty of Loudoun County bathroom sexual assaults

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There are true consequences to the Loudoun County sexual grooming agenda. Governor, please hold the leadership criminally and financially responsible.


The first rule of indoctrinating students is not to tell anyone that you are indoctrinating students

Andrea Weiskopf Latin Teacher LCPS- direct quote from her Twitter page

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<p>The staff within LCPS don't even try to hide their agenda. They are proud to be grooming your children. </p>


Ann Marie Barrett (LCPS counselor) arrested for sexually assaulting her transgender student

Let the teachers and counselors at LCPS handle our kids sexuality?????

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LCPS has created the perfect storm for sexual assaults at school. They created a fantasy land of sexuality and want to keep parents in the dark while their teachers and counselors handle it. We see how that is working out.


Summary On Why These Policies Are Horrible Ideas (2/3)

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Teachers are amazing, but they are colored by biases just like everyone else is. To allow them the power to out a student without any say from the student is horribly irresponsible at best.

My second issue is of the fact that teachers are able to misgender students according to their beliefs. While I do respect the beliefs of teachers, I find that creating a safe environment to learn is a much larger priority. A safe environment for learning creates more engagement with the students, which allows for an improved education. However, misidentification of gender can cause heavy stress among trans students, causing their engagement with the education to significantly decrease. These students can fear going to school because of this expression of negativity towards them and their kind. No person, let alone any school official, should be allowed to put their beliefs over the safety of their students.


Student who STRONGLY opposes

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I very strongly oppose this policy. As a previous K-12 student in Virginia, I am horrified to hear these policies will be directly targeting trans students in this state. Trans lives matter and deserve rights and protection. They should not be targeted for being who they are and trying to exist and learn peacefully in school. I am writing in support of trans students and against these policies!


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 u ya lil shrimp dick bitch :)


These model policies put vulnerable groups at higher risk

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I am writing to ask that representatives oppose Governor Youngkin’s model policies. These proposed policies are dangerous, and should not be allowed to pass.

Many studies have shown that transgender and gender nonconforming people face a much higher risk of violence and discrimination than the general population (summaries of these statistics can be found at many sites, such as these:

https://vawnet.org/sc/serving-trans-and-non-binary-survivors-domestic-and-sexual-violence/violence-against-trans-and

https://case.edu/lgbt/safe-zone/statistics

https://www.hrc.org/news/new-cdc-data-shows-lgbtq-youth-are-more-likely-to-be-bullied-than-straight-cisgender-youth)

Transgender and GNC youth are already at high risk for bullying, which may contribute to the disproportionately high rates of mental health struggles within the community. The teens who will be targeted by these policies are already at a high risk for suicide attempts and other risky behavior. By instituting these model policies, which will forcibly “out” trans youth to their parents and peers, our state would increase opportunities for trans youth to experience bullying and harassment. This could put an already vulnerable group at even higher risk of victimization. These statistics are anecdotally supported by all trans/GNC people I have met, who have expressed being harassed in public spaces such as restrooms. Forcing students to use public restrooms corresponding to their gender assigned at birth could put students in dangerous situations, especially for “assigned male at birth” young transgender women and non-binary students, who already face alarmingly high rates of violence.

The model policies in question are not evidence-based for supporting students’ educations or the school communities. They will not support “privacy, dignity, and respect for all students and parents in Virginia’s public schools”. Rather, they will do the opposite by forcibly requiring students to disclose private information to parents and teachers, and by putting them in dangerous situations.

To speak from personal experience, my younger cousin is trans, and attempted suicide a few years ago after experiencing an excessive amount of bullying at school. I cannot imagine how they would have coped with that situation if the additional pressures of these policies were placed upon them. To protect the lives of our state’s youth, please oppose Governor Youngkin’s model policies.


Yeah, this policy isn't cool

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I strongly oppose this policy due to being a trans student myself. There are days when I have horrible gender dysphoria and hate having to use the bathroom due to not having access to a gender-neutral bathroom. Initiating this policy will cause more trans students to have not just gender dysphoria, but higher depression as we will have to go through legal systems that can take years to get our names and pronouns changed. Also, by having to go through the legal system, trans students might further explore their identity and change their name/pronouns. This is a harmful and inhumane policy that the DOE is trying to enforce.


Youngkin's draft model policy for treatment of transgender (trans) and non-binary youth in schools

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GROW THE  UP AND GET A LIFE, YOU HOMOPHOBIC DISGUSTING EXCUSES FOR LIFE FORMS! THESE ARE KIDS, FOR CHRIST'S SAKE!


affirming care saves lives

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Good morning,

Addressing folks the way they wish to be addressed is a basic form of respect for everyone.

For gender non-conforming youth, utilizing their chosen name can drastically improve mental health symptoms. Having people who support you can decrease distress, depression and risk of suicide. Most of these children already ARE identifying as trans. They do not want to be trans, they just simply are. Ignoring this fact and not supporting children by respecting them, is harmful.

Signed - a mental health clinician


In support of the new policy

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I support this policy.  Schools have been guilty of an attempt to social engineer cultural changes through the indoctrination of our children.  Worse, they have deceived parents and withheld information crucial to the parent-child relationship, as well as to the child's physical and emotional health.  I strongly support this change in policy that acknowledges that the child belongs to the parents, not teachers or school administrators. It is the parent, not the school or the child, that should ultimately make decisions about factors that influence the child's well-being.

Please stand strong in the face of opposition. Only Virginians should have a voice in this matter.


Strongly Support the Revised Policy

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Enough of the madness and woke agenda in our schools.  Parents absolutely have the right to direct the upbringing and education of their children.


Support protecting girls sports. Thank you Governor

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It isn’t safe or competitive to allow boys to play on girls sports teams .


Strongly oppose this model policy, = the cowardly way out.  Students have rights as well!

James Miller (Parent of Virginia Students affected by this lazy policy)

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It is sad to see this lazy, sexist 1950's policy, which is taking the easy way out, of not protecting the rights of people you don't understand.

There are three ways to succeed:

The first is to be kind.  The second is to be kind. And the third is to be kind.

This backwards policy is none of those.

If you fear something, then try to learn about, and understand it, before you legislate against it.  The easy way out is to marginalize what you don't understand.

I strongly oppose this sexist policy.


Strongly Oppose


Harmful for trans youth!

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If you support this policy you clearly don't care about the well-being of students! This policy ONLY serves to other and discriminate against trans youth, this would be a massive step back, THIS POLICY WILL KILL TRANS KIDS!!


this teacher strongly opposes

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<p>I am a high school teacher in a VA school district. I've had a number of students who are trans and/or nonbinary and I have seen firsthand the stress and mental health issues that can result from them not being able to be their truest self in school (and at home). This policy would only lead to the suicide rate for trans youth increasing even further from its already high numbers. As a teacher, it is my responsibility to provide students with a safe learning environment. That cannot happen if I am unable to call them by their correct name and pronouns and treat them with the dignity they deserve. </p>


Dont Let This Pass!

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This Policy Is Illegal And Will Only Serve To Harm Trans Kids! If You REALLY Care About Your Kids You Would Oppose This Policy!!


Walter We don’t want that here in NM. Move to California where you will be happy


Stop the attack on trans people

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The new DOE model policies are detremental to transgender students health. Denying trans students the right to be accepted as who they are is actively biased. It is also very contradicary. A school would not actively target and oust cisgender students suffering from gender dismorphia and eating disorders but somehow it is okay for them to out and attack trans children.

Also to those who deem themselves fit to make rules about trans people without understanding basic lgbtq+ terms.

Cisgender: denoting or relating to a person whose sense of personal identity and gender corresponds with their birth sex.

Transgender: denoting or relating to a person whose sense of personal identity and gender does not correspond with their birth sex.

AFAB: Assigned Female at Birth

AMAB: assigned Male at Birth

Trans woman are woman

Trans men are men

Look past your own issuses people and use your brain thing.


Idiotic Policy

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I Strongly oppose this policy, this is extremely illegal and is only going to lead to more discrimination and hatred towards trans students, DO NOT LET THIS HAPPEN!


don't let this pass


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I am Walter Hartwell White. I live at 308 Negra Arroyo Lane, Albuquerque NM. I oppose this policy


Strongly Dissagree

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<p>What even is this, its absurd. Were going backwards. </p>


Protect Emotionally Vulnerable Children and Parental Rights!

Dear Virginia Dept of Education,

Schools should never secretly socially transition students and keep the child's new name, pronouns and gender identities from parents. I am pleased and relieved that the Virginia Department of Education's revised model policies support parental rights and ensure that school employees don't cut parents out of critical decisions for their children.

The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) issued "model policies" in 2021 that encouraged every school district in Virginia to hide a child's new gender identity from parents who choose to affirm the child's biological sex. Under Governor Youngkin's leadership, the VDOE's revised policies make it clear that all children should be valued and parents' rights and beliefs should be respected. The 2022 Model Policies on the Privacy, Dignity, and Respect for all Students and Parents in Virginia's Public Schools keep parents involved in major decisions in their children's lives.

The 2021 VDOE "model policies" encouraged schools to create "a plan (that) may include addressing the student at school with their name and pronoun consistent with their gender identity while using the legal name and pronoun associated with the sex assigned at birth when communicating with parents or guardians."

I strongly support the revised policies that end this practice. Virginia schools should not drive a wedge between parents and their emotionally vulnerable children. Virginia school districts, including those who have already communicated their plans to ignore the 2022 revised model policies, should put an end to secret Gender Support Plans now.

Sincerely,
Dean Xenos
12584 Misty Creek Ln
Fairfax, VA 22033

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Dear Virginia Dept of Education,<br /><br />Schools should never secretly socially transition students and keep the child's new name, pronouns and gender identities from parents. I am pleased and relieved that the Virginia Department of Education's revised model policies support parental rights and ensure that school employees don't cut parents out of critical decisions for their children. <br /><br />The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) issued "model policies" in 2021 that encouraged every school district in Virginia to hide a child's new gender identity from parents who choose to affirm the child's biological sex. Under Governor Youngkin's leadership, the VDOE's revised policies make it clear that all children should be valued and parents' rights and beliefs should be respected. The 2022 Model Policies on the Privacy, Dignity, and Respect for all Students and Parents in Virginia's Public Schools keep parents involved in major decisions in their children's lives.<br /><br />The 2021 VDOE "model policies" encouraged schools to create "a plan (that) may include addressing the student at school with their name and pronoun consistent with their gender identity while using the legal name and pronoun associated with the sex assigned at birth when communicating with parents or guardians." <br /><br />I strongly support the revised policies that end this practice. Virginia schools should not drive a wedge between parents and their emotionally vulnerable children. Virginia school districts, including those who have already communicated their plans to ignore the 2022 revised model policies, should put an end to secret Gender Support Plans now.<br /><br />Sincerely,
<br />Dean Xenos
<br />12584 Misty Creek Ln<br />Fairfax, VA 22033<br /><img src="http://admin.phone2action.com/email/open/leg/657523/148512607" width="1" height="1" />


Opposition

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This policy is not a good idea. It is harmful and discriminatory.


Strongly OPPOSE

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<p>Transgender children deserve to feel safe in schools, and this model policy will not allow for that. Strongly oppose this...leave the current policies in place. </p>


Kids are identifying as cats now in these liberal schools? SAVE US GOVERNOR!

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There is no end to their craziness. I can understand kids playing fantasy games but where in the world are the adults? These whackos have lost their minds!


Dear Virginia Dept of Education,

Schools should never secretly socially transition students and keep the child's new name, pronouns and gender identities from parents. I am pleased and relieved that the Virginia Department of Education's revised model policies support parental rights and ensure that school employees don't cut parents out of critical decisions for their children.

The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) issued "model policies" in 2021 that encouraged every school district in Virginia to hide a child's new gender identity from parents who choose to affirm the child's biological sex. Under Governor Youngkin's leadership, the VDOE's revised policies make it clear that all children should be valued and parents' rights and beliefs should be respected. The 2022 Model Policies on the Privacy, Dignity, and Respect for all Students and Parents in Virginia's Public Schools keep parents involved in major decisions in their children's lives.

The 2021 VDOE "model policies" encouraged schools to create "a plan (that) may include addressing the student at school with their name and pronoun consistent with their gender identity while using the legal name and pronoun associated with the sex assigned at birth when communicating with parents or guardians."

I strongly support the revised policies that end this practice. Virginia schools should not drive a wedge between parents and their emotionally vulnerable children. Virginia school districts, including those who have already communicated their plans to ignore the 2022 revised model policies, should put an end to secret Gender Support Plans now.

Sincerely,
Wade Wise
2307 Cornick Dr
Virginia Beach, VA 23454

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Dear Virginia Dept of Education,<br /><br />Schools should never secretly socially transition students and keep the child's new name, pronouns and gender identities from parents. I am pleased and relieved that the Virginia Department of Education's revised model policies support parental rights and ensure that school employees don't cut parents out of critical decisions for their children. <br /><br />The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) issued "model policies" in 2021 that encouraged every school district in Virginia to hide a child's new gender identity from parents who choose to affirm the child's biological sex. Under Governor Youngkin's leadership, the VDOE's revised policies make it clear that all children should be valued and parents' rights and beliefs should be respected. The 2022 Model Policies on the Privacy, Dignity, and Respect for all Students and Parents in Virginia's Public Schools keep parents involved in major decisions in their children's lives.<br /><br />The 2021 VDOE "model policies" encouraged schools to create "a plan (that) may include addressing the student at school with their name and pronoun consistent with their gender identity while using the legal name and pronoun associated with the sex assigned at birth when communicating with parents or guardians." <br /><br />I strongly support the revised policies that end this practice. Virginia schools should not drive a wedge between parents and their emotionally vulnerable children. Virginia school districts, including those who have already communicated their plans to ignore the 2022 revised model policies, should put an end to secret Gender Support Plans now.<br /><br />Sincerely,
<br />Wade Wise
<br />2307 Cornick Dr<br />Virginia Beach, VA 23454<br /><img src="http://admin.phone2action.com/email/open/leg/657523/148512283" width="1" height="1" />


Oppose Governor Youngkin’s Anti-Transgender Student Policy

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<p>I believe that Trans students should not be forced to come out to their parents if they aren't ready, especially since many parents may oppose (sometimes violently) the students’ transitioning. This is a matter between the transitioning individual and parents to choose the time and setting for coming out — schools should stay out of this, instead, schools should focus on providing information and supportive counseling for transitioning students. </p>


As a Christian, a parent of a LGBTQ+ child AND I do NOT support Youngkin’s draft model policies

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I am an devout Christian, a parent of a LGBTQ child AND I do NOT support Youngkin’s model policies.  At their heart, these policies are rooted in fear and seek to further harm trans and nonbinary kids.  These model policies will take Virginia a giant step back from equal rights and equal protection under the law that this country was founded on.  As a Christian we should be people who protect the innocent, the marginalized, and the vulnerable from oppression, not being the ones who cause it.  Frankly these policies are nothing more than Youngkin’s attempt to score political points with his base. I hope the Department of Education will see past the politics and gamesmanship here and consider the following:

These policies were created, according to Gov. Youngkin’s administration, with the intention of helping children and creating a safe space where children will not be harassed or discriminated against based on their gender. However, with the Model Policies, and with the possibility of requiring teachers to report to parents if their child is going by a name other than their legal name, the administration is doing more harm than good. “Outing” a child (exposing a child’s gender identity and/or sexuality without the child’s knowledge or consent) harms the child irreparably. It takes away the chance for a child to come out on their own terms, forces children into a label, and is a violation of privacy. Forcing teachers to do so by informing the parent about the child’s chosen identity is both uncomfortable for the teacher and damaging for the child. Chosen identities are important to a child, as it gives them the chance to grow and learn more about themselves; this is their form of self-expression. To strip that away by forcing all three parties (child, teacher and parent) into an unnecessary and uncomfortable confrontation is demeaning to the child. In a study published by the National Library of Medicine, transgender children are more at risk of child abuse, with 73 percent of respondents stating that they were abused psychologically, and 39 percent stating that they were abused physically. By forcibly outing these children, their very well-being is at risk.

Trans people already face violence. According to the most recent U.S. Transgender Survey, nearly half of the respondents reported that they have experienced verbal harassment because they are transgender, and one in 10 respondents stated that they have been physically attacked because of their identity. Additionally, according to the CDC, trans children are more at risk of violence victimization. If the Youngkin administration chooses to follow through with these policies, it is putting more trans children at risk by invalidating their experiences, forcibly outing them, and making an unsafe environment. The governor claimed in his campaign that, if elected, he would have the safest communities and have the best schools. However, that cannot happen if, as is evident with these policies, he is actively encouraging violence against trans youth. A child’s identity is something sacred, and must be disclosed on their terms and to whomever they want to tell; there is a reason why a trans child may keep their identity secret from their parent/guardian, and most likely it’s because they are not ready, or, they know harm will come to them because of their identity.

Forcing transgender kids to conform to the gender they were assigned is not only forcing these children into a box, but is also creating an environment in which students feel like their needs are not met. Forcing kids to do school activities based on their gender assigned at birth is discriminatory; in fact, it can also incite more risk of harassment and even violent behavior toward trans children in those sex-assigned spaces by other students. Imagine a child who has both physically and socially transitioned from a male to a female. If she is female-presenting, how would it look if she were to enter the men’s bathroom? There is a chance that harm could come to this person, simply because of her gender identity and the fact that she is not male-presenting in a male-dominated space. Similar situations like the one described will happen more frequently if these policies were to be put into effect. In a binary-dominated world, violence can and will happen simply because of a person’s identity; if this policy is put into effect, the rate of violence against transgender children will increase.

Speaking from a strictly legal standpoint, these policies violate Title IX. In 2021, the Department of Education stated that Title IX applies to discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. These policies are discriminatory, as they specifically target trans children; discriminating because of gender identity violates Title IX. A similar policy was passed through the legislative system of North Carolina in 2016; this policy went by the name “HB2.” HB2 was similar in the sense that both HB2 and the 2022 Model Policies restricted bathroom usage based on “biological sex,” rather than gender. Soon, North Carolina’s governor was sent a letter from the Department of Justice stating that HB2 was in violation of Title IX, and must therefore be amended. If the governor were to continue to put his policies into effect, there would be no doubt that he would receive a similar letter from the Department of Justice.

The Model Policies will not accommodate and ensure a high-quality education for all students in Virginia. These proposed policies target a marginalized group that has faced violence and harassment from many sources. It's not only their academic performance at risk, but their well-being. Parents and guardians should have some say on a child’s development, but having full control on a child’s beliefs and, most importantly, their chosen identity, should not be dictated by the parent. The 2022 Model isn’t going to protect children. The 2022 Model will harm children. Transphobic rhetoric and fear-mongering already have affected many trans individuals’ well-being.

Please take this letter seriously and listen to the people who will be impacted by the new policies. If the Youngkin administration cares about the well-being of students, then it should  reconsider these policies.


Support!  But only a start....

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As a mom of a 4th grader, I strongly support the Governor's policy.  I cannot believe that we even have to have the discussion of whether schools should be able to transition children without their parents' consent and involvement.   This policy should be finalized and enforced as soon as possible.  And followed up with action to dismantle the structures in schools and fellow-traveling transgender organizations to impose their gender ideologies on children and separate them from parents.


Strongly support Gov. & parents' rights

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As grandma of 18 young ones I strongly support our Governor and parents' rights! Get boys out of girls' bathrooms!


Suggested changes to the New Model Policy

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While I certainly agree that any changes to a student's legal name or recorded sex in official documents must be approved by the parent or guardian until the student is 18 or emancipated, and a school has no authority to request a legal recorded name change, I strongly object to the idea that the teachers, staff, and administrators can't call a child by anything but the legal name or sex.

I would suggest updating this document to:

Allow students to be called by any nickname or pronouns they ask for within reason (no obscenities or anything that would harm others) by anyone in the school without any written permission from the parents.

Encouraging counselors, staff, teachers to counsel students to talk to their parents about any issues they may be having, including mental health or gender concerns, but allowing that the student may not be ready or able to discuss with their parent, and therefore not disclosing to the parent unless there is a safety concern or other issue that falls under other parts of the school guidance (bullying, disruptive behavior, etc).

Understanding that in some cases, the disclosure of this information to the parent could be severely harmful to the student's physical or mental health and similar to the code of VA that states: However, “[i]f the student has indicated that the reason for being at imminent risk of suicide relates to parental abuse or neglect, this contact shall not be made with the parent. Instead, the person shall, as soon as practicable, notify the local department of social services of the county or city wherein the child resides or wherein the abuse or neglect is believed to have occurred or the state Department of Social Services’ toll-free child abuse and neglect hotline, as required by § 63.2-  " The school should be able to choose not to notify the parents in these cases where safety is an issue in notification.

Thank you for taking this into consideration.


I strongly oppose the proposed new transgender guidance

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As a retired teacher and grandfather of children who were forced into home schooling by gender-based bullying in Spotsylvania County schools, I strongly oppose any change in school guidance that would disrespect gay and transgender students. When I was in public school in the 1950s, children were teased and bullied to force them to conform to traditional norms of their assigned gender. Children can be cruel, and teachers need to do all they can to protect students suffering from childish cruelty and respect their identity. Children should not be publicly humiliated and stigmatized to force them into social conformity. This has been going on too long. Education officials should be old enough to know better.


pathetic policy


We must support our furry friends in Virginia. Protect furry rights!

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I am asking that we get treated as individuals with respect. We should be able to use any bathroom. No we don't need litter boxes. We should be allowed to wear tails and collars and dress up if that makes us more comfortable. We would like to be called by our feline names and that has nothing to do with our parents. Our parents need not authorize the teachers to use our feline names.


Strongly Oppose Gov. Youngkin's New Model Policies for the Treatment of Students

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These new changes to public school policies that Gov. Youngkin is implementing are misguided at best. This particular policy is stripping away the dignity of our students and teachers for the benefit of fearful parents (who have no education and experience in teaching a classroom of 20+ kids). I believe our students and teachers should be trusted, supported, praised, and empowered to make good decisions for our students.

This new policy assumes that all children come from safe, loving homes, where kids feel supported and cherished for who they are. It is a faulty and misguided assumption that could lead to disastrous effects on our youth. Suicide is the second leading cause of death among young people (CDC, 2020), with LGBTQ youth being four times more likely to commit suicide because of how they are mistreated and stigmatized in society. School policies need to uphold our intrinsic value and worth as human beings.  Please, as Virginians, let's make a conscious and loving effort to not inflict pain of our kids with this new policy.


Governor, this Democrat will support you 100% if you pass policy to protect young girls in school.

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<p>I’ve been a Democrat my whole life but I am leaving the Democratic Party. This is not the de Democratic Party that I grew up with. I believe in supporting family and family values. Please put our children first governor. </p>


Strongly oppose!

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Strongly oppose - be kinder to trans and queer kids!


Why are the ultra woke obsessed with allowing boys into girls locker rooms and shower facilities?

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Wake up and come back to reality.


Strongly oppose!

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As a social worker providing services to youth attending a Virginia public school and their families, I STRONGLY OPPOSE Governor Youngkin and the Virginia Department of Education's (VDOE) draft model policy that would remove and replace 2021's policies on the treatment of transgender and non-binary youth in schools.

VDOE should be committed to ensuring all youth, including trans and non-binary youth are treated fairly and with dignity and respect. The proposed policies should subject such youth to unlawful discrimination based on their gender identity, create a hostile and potentially dangerous school environment that fails to protect the most vulnerable from bullying, harassment, and exclusion.

VDOE should OPPOSE policies that target already marginalized trans students from participation in school activities, access to gender-affirming care, and access to school facilities. The proposed policy model is an attack on civil rights. It deprives trans youth of basic human rights, and undermines the learning environment for everyone.

It is TIME to end sex-based discrimination. It is TIME to ensure equal educational opportunities.

We MUST commit to advancing policies that support equal opportunity, protect youth mental health, and guarantee environments that give students the best chance to learn, grow, and thrive.


Strongly Oppose This Policy

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This proposed policy is catering to hate against  trans individuals. The administration is saying with this policy that they care more about appeasing Christian parents than protecting the safety of LGBTQ students in Virginia. The high suicide rate of transcended youth is often attributed to how the kids' parents react to and treat their children who come out. This is why this policy could result in more teen suicides if kids are forced to be outed to their abusive and bigoted parents. If this policy is enacted, then the administration  is prioritizing Christian votes over kids' lives. That does NOT make Virginia a great place to work, live, or raise a family


Cruel and absurd

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I've been a teacher for over 20 years, so believe me when I say that parents do not always deserve the benefit of the doubt Youngkin is extending them.

Also: why do you care? Let people be who they are and stay out of their business the way conservatives say they're supposed to.


Strongly oppose. Support furries and protect all furries rights.

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Stop discriminating against all. Make laws to protect all furries and give us equal rights.


Where is Empathy? Strongly oppose!

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As a retired English professor, I've spent years encouraging young adults to excel, to find their truth, and to live it.

Teachers in the pubic schools should not be expected to police their students' gender expression or to suppress their self discovery. Nor should teachers be required to model exclusion of nonbinary students. Not only would the proposed new policy damage trans students at a very vulnerable time in their lives but it would also disrupt the kind of trusting teacher-student relationship that best serves all of our students.

Instead of teaching our students how to mistrust, to exclude, to segregate, how about remembering the lesson we learn again and again--that our society functions best when we accept each others' differences and act with empathy?


It's Not Nice to Fool Mother Nature

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Males have no business in female restrooms, and vice-versa.  Males have no business in female locker rooms, and vice-versa.  Males should not be allowed to compete in female sports.

The notion of gender fluidity is preposterous.  A handful of animal species are able to change their sex.   Humans are not among them.  Society should not turn itself upside-down to appease groups peddling lies.   Doing so will only encourage more ridiculous demands in the future.

And for those suffering from gender dysphoria, being complicit in their delusion will not be helpful.  Truth matters.


STRONGLY OPPOSE


Oppose this cruel, unnecessary policy that marginalizes transgender students and empowers those who

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It is clear that the purpose of this policy is not to show “compassion and respect for all students”. The purpose of this policy is to give permission to school personnel and parents who do not accept transgender students the right to ignore a student’s wish to be called the pronoun of their choice and to force empathetic school personnel to “tattle” on students they wish to protect. Even though this policy targets a small number of students, who like all students wish to be accepted for who they are and to attend school “free from discrimination, harassment or bullying,” it affects all students. Everyone, trans, cis or otherwise, would suffer from this discriminatory policy.

1. This policy allows school personnel and parents who are discriminatory to openly ignore the pronouns and names that students have chosen to refer to themselves. Such blatant disregard of a student’s being denies their autonomy and authentic selves. It also denies these students their First Amendment rights to freely express who they are.

2. This policy forces school personnel who are empathetic and trusted by students to “keep parents fully informed” of their student’s choices of name and pronoun.  It denies students from being recognized and discourages guidance or support that some may seek because of rejection or erasure at home.  School personnel have the means to provide students the haven they may need from families who do not support them. They can listen and counsel or suggest books to read. They can use inclusive language and create a tolerant environment. They can invite guest speakers or help with forums, discussions or gay-straight alliances.  Forcing school personnel to “inform” parents puts teachers in a position of betraying the very students they are assisting. It is similar to the “tip line for teachers,” enacted early in this administration, possibly suppressing the rights of empathetic school personnel from offering the guidance and compassion that students seek. It puts school personnel in a terrible position: do they ignore the needs of students to protect their job or do they defy such a policy in order to protect their student?

3. Although the policy acknowledges that many Virginians reject the belief that “gender is a matter of personal choice or subjective experience, not sex,” it is clear this policy believes transgender students “choose” their gender identity.  A number of professional organizations and court opinions do not support the belief that being transgender is a choice. The Fourth Circuit in Grimm v Gloucester County School Board, noted: “Just like being cisgender, being transgender is natural and is not a choice.” The United States Supreme Court in Bostock v Clayton County, Georgia made clear that “an employer who fires an individual for being gay or transgender defies Title VII prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sex. In their April 26, 2021 press release, the American Medical Association noted, “Empirical evidence has demonstrated that transgender and non-binary gender identity are normal variations of human identity and expression.”

This policy, as drafted, is discouraging. I was heartened that in recent years, Virginia seemed to be moving towards a policy of tolerance and acceptance. This proposed policy, along with recent actions promoting the banning of books, particularly those written by, or about, the LGBTQIA+ community and people of color, takes us back to an era of marginalizing and discriminating against people. It is cruel and unnecessary and should be rewritten, inviting those from the transgender community and their families and school personnel who support them to participate. Clearly, their voice is absent here and consequently shows an imbalance of rights and responsibilities.

After all, Moira Szilagyi, MD, PhD, FAAP, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics wrote, “The emotional and psychological trauma of rejection, whether by family, friends, society or lawmakers, can leave scars that never heal. When we fail to accept people for who they are, we pass painful judgements on them and create so much unnecessary emotional and psychological pain.”


STRONGLY OPPOSE

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Strongly oppose, if you disagree you are a hateful person


absolutely disgusting

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<p>strongly oppose </p>


How do you call one person a they? Liberals have lost all sense of reality. Please help Governor!

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<p>Come back to earth liberals. You have all lost your minds. </p>


Trans children are innocent and beloved

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Re: anti-trans school policy in Virginia: Transgender children use restrooms and locker rooms for the same reasons non-trans children do. They are not using gender as part of a dastardly plot to assault their peers. They want to do their locker room and restroom business with the same privacy and safety that non-trans people do. Trans kids need the exact same support, love, and protection that ALL children need to be healthy and thrive. To single out trans children, as this proposed policy does, intentionally seeks to deny them such support, love, and protection. The act of passing discriminatory policies against innocent and beloved children is the very definition of evil.


Strongly oppose Model Policies for Treatment of Transgender Students

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I strongly oppose the Model Policies for Treatment of Transgender Students because they fail to recognize the difficulties and risks that transgendered students face. They need school to be a safe space and these policies do just the opposite - they put vulnerable students at risk.


Support forcing boys to use the boys room and stop this ultra left woke nonsense

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Governor, liberals can’t handle power. They easily lose focus and lose touch with reality. Thank you for bringing some common sense back to society.


Support 2022 Model Policies

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<p>I support Governor Youngkin's 2022 Model Policies.  They are reasonable and necessary.  These policies begin to restore the priority of parents' rights with respect to their children's education. These policies respect all children without preferencing some children at the expense of others, and do more to help children who suffer from gender confusion or denial by insuring that parents take the lead in how the school shall address the child's needs. The 2022 Model Policies are necessary to correct the 2021 Model Policies which completely and unfairly subordinated the rights of girls to boys. The 2022 Model Policies are clear and transparent and better respect the rights of school employees who morally objected to complying with 2021 Model Policies. </p>


Thank you for 2022 model policies

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I'm thankful for 2022 model policies. Pass as written!


Definitely support Govenor Youngkin 2022 model policies

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I support passage of Govenor Youngkin 2022 model policies


Support the proposed guidelines

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As the proposed policy states parents have a fundamental right and responsibility in the raising of their children that does not stop at the school house door. It is unconscionable for a school to engage in conduct which significantly impacts children, such as aiding a child in social transition, without the parents consent. Patents should be informed of any significant development in their child’s health and well being which certainly includes the feeling/belief that their gender and physical sex are in conflict or differ and a desire to express this difference outwardly in a variety of ways. To not involve parents is to assume by default that school personnel know best and places on school personnel an undue burden putting teachers in a position of having to in effect deceive parents. This breeds distrust and cynicism which has a corrosive effect on school/parent relations and is damaging to children and communities.


Forced conformity

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<p> if gay conversion therapy is (almost) universally recognized as harmful and ineffective, why would these anti-trans measures be any different. They're really just more conversion therapy on steroids. Leave all medical/psychological decisions to be resolved between families and their medical team.</p>


"Parental Involvement" is really institutionalized parent rejection and will increase child suicide

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I'm strongly against Youngkin's 2022 Model Policy for schools on "Parental Involvement"! It does the opposite of what it pretends to do.

It is consistently documented that transgender children and teens are twice as likely to consider suicide. They experience higher rates of bullying and abuse, which are linked to suicidality. Children and teens having supportive caregivers and other adults to confide in is key to preventing child and teen suicide. If a child does not feel safe revealing their gender identity at home, it is reckless for school personnel to disclose this to the parent or guardian, even more reckless to give that parent or guardian the power to exert rejection across domains of the child's life and to block potential adult support figures from offering acceptance.

My tween child's dear trans friend died by suicide shortly after reverting back to the former name and pronouns. Stifling identity might gratify adults who do not want to accept the existence of trans and non-binary children and teens, but it will absolutely harm children and lead to more suicides! The fact that this policy completely ignores the protection of the most vulnerable party involved should be plenty of evidence that it is a bad idea.

Of course most caregivers would want to know if their child were using a different name or pronouns at school. Obviously, caregivers are in the ideal position to provide loving guidance about such things. None of that outweighs the rights of children to be protected from harm. This policy will absolutely harm many children! I don't want to see any more priceless and innocent lives ended by suicide!

Yes, every parent needs to maintain the right to raise their own child. Parents can and will convey their values to their children. They should have every right to make choices for the child's education and health and not be undermined in this. However, this policy goes far beyond that by requiring schools to become informants about the child's adherence to cultural values and to enforce adherence to these values in ways that have nothing to do with education or health and that could even harm the child or contribute to abuse or suicide. Should I as a parent be able to insist that schools inform me if my child doesn't pray at lunch or if my child chooses friends I don't like or confesses belief in things I don't believe or says they want to change their religion or any other deviations from my cultural or personal values? Should I be able to direct school staff to compel my child regarding any of these choices or to speak to my child in whatever humiliating way that I choose? Humiliation and deep rejection are how deadnaming and misgendering feel to a trans or non-binary person. That is the purpose of this policy. If this policy were actually about parental involvement, it would recommend providing accurate information to all parents and guardians about the development needs of sexually diverse youth, risk factors and prevention of suicide, and how to open lines of communication with children. How else are caregivers supposed to have the healthy influence on their child's lives this policy pretends to uphold?

If you care about the lives of children and if you want to keep schools from enforcing moral and life decisions for children and parents, you must reject Youngkin's 2022 Model Policy.


Profound Support - Schools Support Parents, They Don’t Replace Them

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<p>I firmly believe that all children should feel safe and supported at school and at home. I know the grim reality is that, unfortunately, that’s not always the case and I appreciate counselors and teachers who buoy students during challenging times. That being said, schools have no business encroaching on my parental rights to raise and mentor my children in the way that I best see fit. Quite frankly, I send my children to school to learn about academic topics that will prepare them for college and future careers, not to be brainwashed and manipulated to push grown adults’ political agendas. I acknowledge that social skills and emotional growth are part of the student learning experience, but that should be left at teaching core principles such as respect and tolerance. Period. I don’t need the schools to ‘teach’ my children about sexuality (outside of an anatomical context) and other sensitive topics that they have no business introducing, ESPECIALLY WITHOUT MY KNOWLEDGE OR APPROVAL. Most importantly, the rights of trans kids absolutely do not get to infringe on my kids’ rights to feel safe and secure in locker rooms, bathrooms, etc. I’m grateful for policies that keep parents in the equation, where they belong, and I will continue to advocate for my children to learn in a safe environment free of political extremism. </p>


Strongly OPPOSE

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Disregarding one’s identity is disregarding one’s life. The 2022 proposed model policy will allow teachers, students, and administrators to treat trans youth and other members of the LGBTQ+ community like dirt. People who cannot stick up for themselves. People who have no one. Why allow for this unnecessary hate? Why enable more suicides? How many more riots will it take for queer people to be recognized and accepted?


Strongly Support the Governor's Trans Policy

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As a parent of a 20 year old, I have watched him transition through many phases in his life. I have met many of his classmates and watched them as caterpillars in cocoons go through many phases of life as well. He has come home and said, "Mom, Susie is a boy now!" Just a few weeks ago, Susie was going through a bad breakup with her boyfriend! Our society is almost pressuring children to disassociate themselves from their birth gender. We need to help them be comfortable in their birth gender whenever possible. One of the best ways to make this happen is to have the parents involved. The new policy is sensible, and will help our children have better futures with the persons who love them the most guiding them...their parents.


STRONGLY OPPOSED

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The reversal of the 2021 model policies is a mistake, grounded in bigotry and misinformation, under the guise of parental rights. Transgender students deserve better than this. They deserve our compassion and understanding, and most of all that people in positions of power are able to cut through the noise of the politics and address the topic in a way that supports their mental and physical health, which the 2022 proposed policy will not. Years from now our descendants will look on moments like these as defining of humanity, so I stand today to be counted as adamantly opposed to this policy.