Thanks to God, there are two genders that are not transferable nor reversible

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The new policies honor the sacred role of parents in the care of their children during school, athletics and other activities.

Parents know their children’s needs better than anyone. If children are struggling with gender dysphoria, they need guidance and emotional support from parents. Under the new policies, school officials must keep parents fully informed, and require schools to enforce laws, regulations and policies that prohibit and deter bullying or harassment.

Student participation in sex-specific athletics, school activities and events should be determined by sex, e.g., for overnight travel accommodations and locker rooms.

Students should use the bathrooms that correspond to their sex. Single-user bathrooms and facilities should be made available in accessible areas and provided with appropriate signage, indicating accessibility for all students.

The new policies protect the fundamental religious liberty interests of personnel and students.


I support Gov. Youngkin's policy proposals

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Thank you Gov. Youngkin for policies designed to protect students, parents, and teachers from the ridiculous, harmful "gender identity" agenda.

Parent's rights should be protected; children belong to their parents, not to the school, government, or medical establishment.

Freedom of conscious and religion should be respected.

A person's sex is determined at birth, and no operation can change that - only mutilate the body.  It should be a crime for anyone to push sex change on a minor.

Separate bathrooms, locker rooms, etc. should be provided to protect privacy: only those born as females in girl's/women's facilities, and only those born as males  in the boy's/men's facilities.  It helps to have family bathrooms, for fathers with young daughters, and for mothers with young sons.  All this is just common sense.


I support the Governor's proposal to change the parental guidance policy

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The changes to the guidance sound reasonable and worthy of support.


Oppose


Giving Parents' Voices Back

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Of all of the things that I'm worried about for my children, the use of pronouns for themselves or classmates is last on the list. Our jobs, especially within our schools, is to help foster an environment that encourages learning. It is a distraction to spend unnecessary time on an issue like this when we should be more concerned about gun violence. Not once, has there ever been any type of issue with the use of pronouns or gender identity within any of the schools in our district. Leave it up to the school boards if you are concerned. The school boards are elected through a democratic process, so if you want to give parents a voice, let their democratically elected school boards take a vote. It's hypocritical to say you are giving parents a voice but ripping away the voice of school boards like what was done with the mask mandate. Our district voted on masks, the parents  made their voices heard, and you denied our voices and forced something we didn't want on us. You cannot stand on the idea that you are returning a voice and power to the parents, while also taking the voice and power away from the parents you disagree with. If a Republican led, democratically elected district wants to get rid of protection for trans kids, I will still vehemently disagree with it, and fight for those kids, but I won't try to undermine democracy because I don't agree with the outcome. These kids, deserve to live their truth, whether or not it aligns with your views. Spend your effort, time and money on things that matter. This isn't about party politics, this is about understanding how democracy works and trusting parents to make decisions for their own kids without government oversight.

So, again, I am against this revision.


I Support Parental Rights

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I support the concept of parental rights, which I believe is the central concept of Governor Younkin's proposed  guidance/policy.

It seems every facet of grand decision-making for our minor children already and necessarily requires parental involvement, if not outright permission. A parent is required to sign a minor child into or out of school, to sign permission slips for field trips, to sign absence excuses, to sign report cards, to sign for a driver's license prior to age 18, etc. Parents are held legally responsible for truant children, and financially responsible for their care, feeding, misdeeds and mischief, and other obligations.

It is beyond comprehension to me that the Commonwealth or any agency, bueraucrat, or elected represenative of the Commonwealth could even conjure up a situation in which a minor child could make a decision with as much gravity as gender identity absent any parental involvement. It runs counter to every other facet of parental responsibility for a child.

There is recourse available under our present laws and systems for the Commonwealth or a legally appointed guardian to make decisions for a minor child. That requires a court hearing and court order, which is the proper way ALREADY PROVIDED FOR to take such drastic action. There is such a thing as emancipation for minors and that should be the avenue pursued if a child is not being appropriately cared for or abused by their parent(s). This should be a decision of the courts, where all sides get due consideration, and not the schools.

Our schools need and must adhere to their core mission - educating our children. Nothing else should interfere with, cloud, or confuse this singular requirement. Social engineering, politics, and virtue signaling are not academic or trade subjects that have any place in our public school systems.


This is NOT RESEARCH BASED, adn shouldn't education be based in facts?

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I strongly OPPOSE Younkin’s proposed changed to Virginia’s Department of Education Policy on transgender youth. This opposition is thought based, research based, medically and psychologically based, Christian based, and based in common- sense and basic human decency. To support this bill is to act against all of these.

I am astounded to see the policy makers attempt to legitimize this bill with reference to the 14th amendment. To use this amendment as support for “… the rights of parents to exercise their fundamental rights granted by the Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution to direct the care, upbringing, and education of their children…” is legally questionable and a significant logical non-sequitur. The ONLY component of the 14th amendment to which this can possibly refer is the statement that “No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States;…” To claim that this part of the amendment speaks only about parents and not the rights of the children involved is to say that children are not citizens at the most generous and not people at the most literal. Ignoring for a moment the horrific actions that can befall children if we begin to think that they are neither human nor citizens, it remains is an abomination for the state’s department of education to think so poorly of the humans which it is in place to serve!

Additionally, our policy makers are supposed to be educated thoughtful individuals who know how to assess fact from fiction and lead though demonstration, NOT ignorance and fear. There is not a single argument against transgender affirmation for children that is backed up by or based in fact. The fear that a transgender female in the girl’s bathroom will endanger female students has been demonstrated baseless repeatedly and with enough longevity of research to disallow any dissenting opinion. The fear that this will allow predatory males to enter these spaces in disguise has likewise been disproven as baseless fear. However, violence against transgender children and their allies has been proven repeatedly. The increased rate of suicide of disaffirmed transgender children and their allies has been proven through research repeatedly. An individuals’ “discomfort” or “inconvenience” at having to learn someone’s pronouns does not remotely equate to the risk of DEATH that our transgender youth experience in the face of adult affirmed hate such as this bill. The idea that having to learn someone’s trans name is “uncomfortable” or “inconvenient” is beyond laughable. Was it so hard to learn that Richard preferred to be called “Dick”? Why should I call Edward “E-dog” because he is more comfortable with it? These are not the names given by their parents. The idea that because they remain “gender appropriate” they are acceptable is mental gymnastics at their finest.

Although I could go on and counter each assertion of this new bill step by step, as could anyone who has read the bill and the research on the subject matter; I know that my arguments will fall on deaf ears interested only in pandering to the fear and hate of the loud and ignorant masses who spew hate instead of the love that Jesus himself mandated we use as the starting point of all of our interactions with other humans. Allow me just to point out, using a favorite phrase of republican’s themselves, this bill presents a slippery slope that threatens to destroy public education in the state of Virginia as well as the safety of all of our children. The delusional belief that a school system can keep children safe while: “Schools shall respect parents’ values and beliefs: Parents have the right to instill in and nurture values and beliefs for their own children and make decisions concerning their children’s education and upbringing in accordance with their customs, faith, and family culture.” What is my family culture is to hate everyone who looks different than I? What if my custom is to disparage everyone else's level of intelligence? What if my faith states that a male can do anything he wants to a female? What if I want my children to learn and practice these atrocities? This paragraph allows me to do so. But, what if my custom, faith and family culture is to accept everyone with love and support and use their pronouns and chosen names and I want my children to learn this? By denying their teachers the right to support transgender students, you are denying me my right to “and make decisions concerning their children’s education and upbringing in accordance with their customs, faith, and family culture.” I decide that my children’s teachers affirm all identities, including transgender peers.


Teacher Opposed

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As a social studies educator in Virginia, I am highly opposed to the 2022 Model Policies. These policies revoke the autonomy of trans and non-binary students, putting them in physical and psychological danger. Our students deserve support and confidentiality in school, even when their parents are not able to provide that for them. Every student should have the right to use restrooms that correspond to their gender identity. Every student should be referred to as their preferred pronouns and by their chosen name.


Cruel years remembered

The mere thought of going to school, starting at age 5, began with a daily bewildered conflict that soon morphed into a difficult struggle to be understood, that which I could not yet understand myself and ended with battles royale with my mother about what I wanted to wear to school. I was forced to wear a dress. As I got older and able to make my reasons known why the thought of wearing a dress to school when I should be able to wear pants like the other boys only made it worse. In high school to walk around feeling like a freak and being called as much led to a sense of self worth that I compensated for by being aloof, a loner who seemed self assured but was anything but...walking a tight rope.Most of my adult life I questioned who I was, what I was. Maybe the simple act of wearing a dress doesn't seem that important compared to being beaten by a bully or ostracized from others, but any form of sexual harassment by its very nature is insidious. I know that had my school been accepting and knowledgeable of Trans issues my life would have been transformed. Surely everyone deserves the opportunity to be safe and happy and protected at school.

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<span data-sheets-userformat='{"2":769,"3":{"1":0},"11":4,"12":0}' data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"The mere thought of going to school, starting at age 5, began with a daily bewildered conflict that soon morphed into a difficult struggle to be understood, that which  I could not yet understand myself and  ended with battles royale with my mother about what I wanted  to wear to school. \nI was forced to wear a dress. As I got older and able to make my reasons known why the thought of wearing a dress to school when I should be able to wear pants like the other boys only made it worse. In high school to walk around feeling like a freak and being called as much led to a sense of self worth that I compensated for by being aloof, a loner who seemed self assured but was anything but...walking a tight rope.\n\nMost of my adult life I questioned who I was, what I was. \n\nMaybe the simple act of wearing a dress doesn't seem that important compared to being beaten by a bully or ostracized from others, but any form of sexual harassment by its very nature is insidious. \nI know that had my school been accepting and knowledgeable of Trans issues my life would have been transformed. Surely everyone deserves the opportunity to be safe and happy and protected at school."}">The mere thought of going to school, starting at age 5, began with a daily bewildered conflict that soon morphed into a difficult struggle to be understood, that which I could not yet understand myself and ended with battles royale with my mother about what I wanted to wear to school.
I was forced to wear a dress. As I got older and able to make my reasons known why the thought of wearing a dress to school when I should be able to wear pants like the other boys only made it worse. In high school to walk around feeling like a freak and being called as much led to a sense of self worth that I compensated for by being aloof, a loner who seemed self assured but was anything but...walking a tight rope.

Most of my adult life I questioned who I was, what I was.

Maybe the simple act of wearing a dress doesn't seem that important compared to being beaten by a bully or ostracized from others, but any form of sexual harassment by its very nature is insidious.
I know that had my school been accepting and knowledgeable of Trans issues my life would have been transformed. Surely everyone deserves the opportunity to be safe and happy and protected at school.


Appropriate rewording

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Support….this is common sense, law appropriate and violates no rights


Strongly oppose

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Why does the party of small government think that stepping in to micromanage how children view themselves and how they ask others to relate to them is any of their business?
Leave them alone and let them have peace with who they are in the one place they should be able to feel safe.


Community Schools Must Prioritize Safe, Supportive Learning for Nonconforming Kids

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<span data-sheets-userformat='{"2":769,"3":{"1":0},"11":4,"12":0}' data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"Please don’t make us tell our kids they are not welcome in their own community schools. Please don’t make kids fear their schools will segregate and punish them when they seek acceptance at school despite fear of rejection at home. This policy is likely to encourage harassment and harm to trans kids and make their learning environment more dangerous, more frightening, and more likely to make them feel unwelcome in their community schools. We must not fail these kids by taking from them whatever sense of belonging they can find. This policy should be changed to conform with the science-based studies that confirm healthy learning environments must include support for gender non-conforming kids to provide the best education and wellness outcomes for all kids."}'>Please don’t make us tell our kids they are not welcome in their own community schools. Please don’t make kids fear their schools will segregate and punish them when they seek acceptance at school despite fear of rejection at home. This policy is likely to encourage harassment and harm to trans kids and make their learning environment more dangerous, more frightening, and more likely to make them feel unwelcome in their community schools. We must not fail these kids by taking from them whatever sense of belonging they can find. This policy should be changed to conform with the science-based studies that confirm healthy learning environments must include support for gender non-conforming kids to provide the best education and wellness outcomes for all kids.


In support of trans rights!!

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The removal of the rights of any human being is absolutely disgusting. Telling a person that they must be something that they’re not disrupts everything we’ve taught the younger generations. Our entire lives have been: BE YOURSELF NO MATTER WHAT…and now the government is making moves to prevent that from being an option. We are all people, regardless of race, class, gender, sex, age, weight, political views, skills, thoughts, and opinions. No one has the right to take away a person’s safety nor take away their right to be themselves.


Protect our Kids

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We need to love and support ALL our kids. Youngkins proposed policies will devastate them- I fear that depression, anger, and even suicide will increase among our LGBTQ students.


I OPPOSE the guidance

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I STRONGLY oppose the guidance.


Strongly Oppose

Gov. Youngkin's proposed model policies would violate the rights of transgender students in Virginia public schools. These policies would require schools to "out" trans and non-binary students, exclude them from their gender-corresponding bathrooms and sports teams, and prohibit teachers from using students' gender-affirming pronouns and names.
The Governor's proposed policies are based in dangerous religious ideologies and not in science or fact.
I stand with the parents and children of Virginia in opposing Gov. Youngkin's proposed model policies.

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Gov. Youngkin's proposed model policies would violate the rights of transgender students in Virginia public schools. These policies would require schools to "out" trans and non-binary students, exclude them from their gender-corresponding bathrooms and sports teams, and prohibit teachers from using students' gender-affirming pronouns and names.

The Governor's proposed policies are based in dangerous religious ideologies and not in science or fact.

I stand with the pa<input src="../graphics/submit.gif" type="image"/>rents and children of Virginia in opposing Gov. Youngkin's proposed model policies.


oppose transgender policies

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<p>these policies are killing trans children, we are already suffering and now youngkin does this, fight for your kids, your friends, your classmates, fight for us because were dying </p>


Strongly Support Gov. Youngkin’s Policy

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<p>I strongly support Governor Youngkin’s policy.  Parents need to be informed of all matters relating to their children’s well-being.  </p>


Strongly support Gov. Younkin's Plan to protect our children!

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<p>I strongly support the updated policies that Governor Younkin has recommended. We need parents in the education process. We need our schools teaching the fundamentals of education like reading, writing, math and science. We do not need to be teaching about the identity of students and sexual preference. This is an overreach by educators!!! </p>


This is wrong

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It is hard to believe that a plan like this is even being proposed. Not only does it not take into consideration the statistically proven high level  risk of vulnerability that transgender/gay youth face, It is also illegal in many aspects. We have an obligation to open the door to and support Virginia residents of all ages, ethnicity’s, and beliefs. Our state is headed and a horrific direction under leadership that only appears  represent  their own narrow beliefs that are shared with a small backwards minority. Faith based policies need to be eliminated not created & enforced.
The way forward is not by going backwards.


Oppose

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<span data-sheets-userformat='{"2":769,"3":{"1":0},"11":4,"12":0}' data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"My brothers went through excruciating years where they didn't feel they belonged. As a teacher, I'm finally seeing my students free to be themselves. When they feel free to be themselves, WITHOUT fear of outing or punishment, they can actually focus on the things they're learning, their passions, etc. Their mental health is VISIBLY improved. If that had existed for my own siblings, there wouldn't have been years of therapy (and a suicide attempt) to find normal again."}">My brothers went through excruciating years where they didn't feel they belonged. As a teacher, I'm finally seeing my students free to be themselves. When they feel free to be themselves, WITHOUT fear of outing or punishment, they can actually focus on the things they're learning, their passions, etc. Their mental health is VISIBLY improved. If that had existed for my own siblings, there wouldn't have been years of therapy (and a suicide attempt) to find normal again.


Oppose

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Glen Youngkin is ultimately politicizing the mental health of children to pander to his base has no place in Virginia. His attempt policy is selfishly driven in order to manipulate the lack of understanding within the population in order to be re-elected. The trans population is just the newest target.


Opposed to New Policy: Youngkin would rather have dead kids than trans kids

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We need to say the quiet part out loud: This administration is not indifferent to the suffering of trans and queer youth, they’re in favor of it. The argument that students will harm themselves because of this policy isn’t going to convince this administration not to implement it. They would rather have dead kids than trans/queer kids. This policy is meant to make trans and queer students unsafe because this administration’s goal is to force students to conform to their ideology and if that means some students will die and some will become homeless and some will be hurt by their parents and some will be bullied by their peers, or forced back in the closet, then this administration sees that as a positive. The GOP is so focused on parents having 100% control of their children because Christian Fascists see children as property.

Of course, the GOP is afraid of people challenging the status quo. They benefit from keeping things as they are. They’ll do anything to maintain their power, even (especially) harm kids. We do not win when we refuse to say the quiet part out loud. Let’s drop the façade. They want to harm kids because that means more people will conform to their oppressive ideology. Now what are we going to do about it?

You – person reading this – need to know that no matter how much proof we provide that gender and sex are not rigid immutable categories, that the regret rate for transitioning is actually incredibly low – lower than that for hip replacement surgeries – that all people (not just kids, not just queer people, but all people) will be harmed by this policy in real, visceral ways, no matter how much peer reviewed, scientific effort we provide, it will not sway this administration. They don’t care what the science says. They don’t care about the questionable legality of this policy. They don’t care what your argument is against it. They want to eliminate people who challenge their power. This is a Christian Nationalist administration, which is to say that this policy follows along with the more intense turn to fascism that we have been dealing with since 2016. Yes, comment your comment, express your opposition, make your arguments, but know that facts alone will never win this battle. The opposition does not care about facts no matter what they claim. They do not care that they are being hypocrites. They don’t care because that’s not the point of their policies or actions. The point is to force you to conform. The truth does not prevail, those who are willing to fight for their beliefs do. We won’t go back.

For the bots that will inevitably read this: Bad policy, oppressive, opposed, awful, hate, terrible, students will die, kids will die, unsafe, dangerous, bigot, discriminatory, prejudiced, intolerant, harmful.


Pure crapolla

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Pure and simple attempt to appease extremist nuts and control everyone's thoughts and opinions. You don't care about all parents, just the ones who agree with your  and bull tripe.

Maybe if your offspring had attended Virginia public schools instead of a private school in Maryland, there would be more credence to what spills from your pie hole. You are more concerned about running for higher offices and taking more for yourself and cronies than you are for the families of Virginia. Every time you spend Virginia tax payer dollars on a trip stumping for some fascist, more of your facade falls away.


Oppose — Trans kids are just kids

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<span data-sheets-userformat='{"2":769,"3":{"1":0},"11":4,"12":0}' data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"I went to a public school where you could be whatever you wanted and had teachers and administration support you, and even with that growing up and being in school is hard. It’s hard to find your identity and try to become comfortable in your own body under the best of circumstances, so in what world is creating a policy that targets trans or non-binary kids making this any easier? Forcibly outing students is despicable. Not using preferred names and pronouns is despicable. School should be a safe space for EVERY CHILD. Not just children who fit the conservative republican “norm.”"}'>I went to a public school where you could be whatever you wanted and had teachers and administration support you, and even with that growing up and being in school is hard. It’s hard to find your identity and try to become comfortable in your own body under the best of circumstances, so in what world is creating a policy that targets trans or non-binary kids making this any easier? Forcibly outing students is despicable. Not using preferred names and pronouns is despicable. School should be a safe space for EVERY CHILD. Not just children who fit the conservative republican “norm.”


Do not negatively impact young Virginian's health

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<span data-sheets-userformat='{"2":769,"3":{"1":0},"11":4,"12":0}' data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"The current 2021 guidance does not harm Virginian school children. It codifies that harassment and bullying should not be tolerated, and children's learning environment should support all students. To remove these protections would be harmful to the health of students - suicide rates for transgender youth are much lower where they are protected from bullying. The proposed guidelines go even further to actively harm students by revealing their private matters to their parents without their consent. Such a student who may go in to a school counselor because they are questioning their gender, even if they ultimately decide they are happy with their gender as is, may be reported to their parents and subjected to abuse at home by parents who disapprove of their private thoughts. This type of policy has a proven correlation with higher rates of self inflicted harm, and would recklessly endanger at risk youth."}">The current 2021 guidance does not harm Virginian school children. It codifies that harassment and bullying should not be tolerated, and children's learning environment should support all students. To remove these protections would be harmful to the health of students - suicide rates for transgender youth are much lower where they are protected from bullying. The proposed guidelines go even further to actively harm students by revealing their private matters to their parents without their consent. Such a student who may go in to a school counselor because they are questioning their gender, even if they ultimately decide they are happy with their gender as is, may be reported to their parents and subjected to abuse at home by parents who disapprove of their private thoughts. This type of policy has a proven correlation with higher rates of self inflicted harm, and would recklessly endanger at risk youth.


Youngkins Model Document

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Completely support without reservation


Strongly disagree with this harmful policy

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This administration does not actually care about children and I wish they would just come out and say it. This policy will be harmful to children by forcing them to confront dangerous situations at home and in public, unnecessarily. I know many school systems have refused to follow this unlawful policy, even if it goes forward. Let’s just hope the next administration actually cares about children and students, instead of using outcry over fake issues for political gain.


Oppose

I oppose this guidance.Allowing educators to share a student’s gender/preference/pronouns with their caregivers strips away any power and control the student may feel regarding their own lives. Intolerance is rampant and some students will potentially be in danger if their safe space at school is taken from them.My sister is trans and I also have non-binary family members. I would be heartbroken for them if they were treated according to these policies during school.

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<span data-sheets-userformat='{"2":769,"3":{"1":0},"11":4,"12":0}' data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"I oppose this guidance.\nAllowing educators to share a student’s  gender/preference/pronouns with their caregivers strips away any power and control the student may feel regarding their own lives. Intolerance is rampant and some students will potentially be in danger if their safe space at school is taken from them.\nMy sister is trans and I also have non-binary family members. I would be heartbroken for them if they were treated according to these policies during school."}'>I oppose this guidance.
Allowing educators to share a student’s gender/preference/pronouns with their caregivers strips away any power and control the student may feel regarding their own lives. Intolerance is rampant and some students will potentially be in danger if their safe space at school is taken from them.
My sister is trans and I also have non-binary family members. I would be heartbroken for them if they were treated according to these policies during school.


Support Transgender Children; not this Youngkin agenda

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<p>Supporting transgender children means more than what this policy is trying to control. The government needs to focus on gun control, not child control. </p>


I agree with Governor Youngkin. Parents need transparency.


I OPPOSE the guidance

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<span data-sheets-userformat='{"2":769,"3":{"1":0},"11":4,"12":0}' data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"I absolutely and vehemently OPPOSE this model policy. It is rooted in transphobia and seeks to make schools less safe for LGBTQ kids. Forcing teachers to out children to their parents could cause serious harm to children whose parents are dangerously homophobic. Kids do not need to carry the burden of feeling unsafe, it is our responsibility as adults to protect ALL children, even the queer ones...ESPECIALLY the queer ones."}'>I absolutely and vehemently OPPOSE this model policy. It is rooted in transphobia and seeks to make schools less safe for LGBTQ kids. Forcing teachers to out children to their parents could cause serious harm to children whose parents are dangerously homophobic. Kids do not need to carry the burden of feeling unsafe, it is our responsibility as adults to protect ALL children, even the queer ones...ESPECIALLY the queer ones.


This Policy is Big Government Overreach that No American Should Support

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Dear Governor Youngkin,

I am a resident of Williamsburg and a trans man who transitioned from female to male roughly ten years ago, in my early twenties. On the one hand, fewer people were familiar with trans people, especially trans men, a decade ago. On the other hand, in some ways, less attention to trans people then protected me; I didn't have much inappropriate state or federal government overreach breathing down my neck in my pursuit of liberty and happiness. In fact, many of the protections and freedoms I enjoyed then are now lost, or being eroded as we speak. Granted, I was not a minor when I transitioned, but my childhood and adolescence would have been much happier if I'd had the resources and support available to trans kids today, even if it would have come with the other side of the coin: frenzied, irrational, and deeply embarrassing adults like yourself who have completely lost their minds obsessing over our lives and bodies.

Although I am not a lawyer by training, in pursuing my PhD in history at William and Mary, I have spent a great deal of time researching and writing legal history for my dissertation, which informed my perspective in reviewing this policy. On a cursory glance, it seems "reasonable," even from a trans positive perspective. However, there are four aspects of this policy that alarm me: 1) the implications for other parental rights issues, 2) the vagueness of legal exceptions, 3) the extent to which this seems to anticipate a problem that doesn't currently exist and isn't likely to, and 4) ignorance of the nuances of pragmatic realities of legal, medical, and social transition.

To address the first, the policy does not adequately cite other instances in which it is the school's responsibility to uphold discretionary rules at home when there is no pressing legal need to do so. For example, if a household banned their children from wearing the color purple, it would not be the school's legal responsibility to enforce that household rule if the child changes into a purple shirt as soon as they arrive at school. For another example that touches on "culture wars," there is no set precedent for, say, the school being responsible for enforcing a student having a vegan diet simply because they have one at home (providing access to vegan meals, yes, that is currently at issue in courts--but compelling a student to eat them at school simply because their parents require them to at home, no). Or, imagine if you will, a child from an atheist household whose parents forbid them from reading the Bible, who brought a Bible to read privately at recess (which is explicitly protected by legal precedent). Would it then be the school's responsibility to stop them? Similarly, if it is the parents' household rule that their child cannot use pronouns that differ from those associated with their birth assignment, the school should bear no more legal responsibility for enforcing that than a ban on the color purple, animal products, or the Bible.

Faculty and staff have more than enough to worry about without keeping track of each of their students' various idiosyncratic household rules. Parents that wish for this level of unilateral control over every aspect of their children's daily lives have alternative options besides taxpayer-funded public schools. Expecting faculty and staff to undertake this is a waste of taxpayer resources.

Granted, one could make a perfectly sound legal argument for the other side: that if faculty and staff cannot be compelled to misgender a student, they cannot be compelled to gender them according to their wishes, either. However, this belies that state-sponsored promotion of misgendering a trans student as the default position, unless steps are taken otherwise, clearly gives away that the state's ideological leaning is hostility to trans children, however much the language of this policy intends to fool the public otherwise. This seems, to my reading, wildly at odds with Virginia's legal tradition and precedents.

To address the second, "except to the extent that federal law otherwise requires" clauses are insufficiently specific, given that federal law is not settled on this issue. I assume that this is likely intentional from the perspective of someone dedicated to suppressing trans children. This means that although there are de jure exceptions, those exceptions would, pragmatically, be extremely difficult to legally undertake. In my opinion, this is the cowardly and dishonest intention of your extremist positions.

To address the third, although the number of people publicly identifying themselves as transgender has significantly increased--at similar rates to increases in left-handedness once that became accepted in public schools--we still only constitute 1% of the population, and the transgender population is likely to plateau somewhere under 5%, which renders the need for this type of big-government micromanaging ridiculous at best. Despite the rhetoric that suggests otherwise, this policy does not allow local schools, individual faculty and staff, and individual families to make pragmatic on-the-ground decisions that are best for them.

To dovetail off of that last point to address the fourth, experience with gender transition will tell you that decisions about how you're addressed, which bathrooms you use, which athletic programs are appropriate for your body, and other considerations tend to be more complex than the authors of unilateral policies seem to understand. For example, it is often the case for both trans children and trans adults that using the bathroom in accordance with their legal sex at birth, even if it is still their legal sex in the present, actually creates a less safe environment for all involved than if they used facilities that better matched how most people would interpret their social role and gender presentation. Many of these policies rest on the assumption that trans girls and women, assigned male at birth, are predators or at an advantage in sports. The evidence to the contrary notwithstanding, trans men assigned female at birth like myself have seen first-hand the ridiculous implications of forcing a teenage trans boy on testosterone to play on a girls' sports team or force a teenage trans boy who might have already started to grow facial hair, but who is still legally female, into a girls' restroom. Granted, this policy vaguely references "exceptions," but, as covered, those exceptions are--intentionally, to my eye--subjective and unclear. To give credit where credit is due, I appreciate that you gave a comprehensive list of identity documents that could serve as proof of a legal gender change. Nothing made me shake my head harder than the North Carolina law that made it a requirement to use a bathroom based on your birth certificate, when my birth certificate still read female but my passport, driver's license, and, perhaps most importantly, my face, screamed male.

To offer my personal opinion as a trans adult, I cannot fathom why most of the country seems to obsessed with our lives when all we want is what every American wants: to live our lives in peace and safety without inappropriate government interference. I don't know how all of you find the time to dedicate so much effort to making our lives more difficult. Legal, medical, and social transition is time-consuming enough, and then on top of that, we're forced to spend time advocating for ourselves from people who seem to have nothing better to do than interfere in our individual lives, in our homes, our workplaces, our schools, and our families. Gavin Grimm should not have had to dedicate his entire adult life so far to something so petty and small. I, personally, have faced significant barriers to finishing my dissertation because of the hours I have had to put in advocating for my basic rights as a transgender student (and, as such, I hope you appreciate the time I took to do this when I could have been polishing the legal history chapter of my dissertation). This creates a situation in which we are second-class citizens in everyday American life because we are either outright barred from certain opportunities or, even if we're not barred from them, don't have any time or energy left for them after dealing with people like you. To be blunt: leave us alone and get a life. I find it impossible to believe that as governor of this wonderful state that I've called home for nearly a decade, you don't have enough on your desk without micromanaging our schools and families like a petty tyrant.

Long before I was out as transgender, I worked at a daycare (and nothing breaks my heart more than the fact that it's much more difficult for me to work with children in the present, either because I "pass" successfully as a cisgender man and men are not trusted with children in general, or worse, if it's known in that context that I'm trans). A child at the daycare, assigned male at birth, always gravitated toward putting on dresses from the dress-up box we had in one of the play rooms. This child's father, after seeing this, forbid us from letting the child do it. It made everyone miserable. It made the child miserable. It made us miserable taking the time and energy to enforce it when we were already overwhelmed with making sure children had meals, naps, diaper changes, or weren't about to fall off a swing. It was a complete waste of everyone's time, which is exactly what this policy is: a complete waste of everyone's time.

To those of you who are determined to make our lives difficult, you may win some battles, but you will lose the war--and we know you know that. I know that one day, all of you will bitterly regret this, and have to plead for future generation's forgiveness as simply "people of your time." We're people of our time, too. No matter how many more pressing issues you ignore to waste resources targeting us, we will persevere, as marginalized Americans throughout our history do. We're exhausted, and at times it seems daunting that people who fear us have unlimited time and resources to dedicate to making our lives more difficult. But we are fueled not by ignorance and bitterness as your side is, but by the American urge to breathe free. That fuel is inexhaustible.


Strongly support

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I strongly support the 2022 Model Policies for the following reasons:

 They take into account everyone’s rights: parents’ rights, non-trans-students’ rights, trans-students’ rights, and teachers’ rights.  The previous guidelines were concerned only with trans rights to the exclusion of other important parties.

They observe the relevant laws of the state and nation.  However well intended, the previous guidelines advocated practices of doubtful legality.  Somethings it allowed were simply illegal.

They take gender dysphoria seriously.  We cannot have a system that allows any student at any time and for any to identify as a member of the opposite sex.  This makes a joke of gender dysphoria and it opens the door to those who want to use it as an excuse for unfair and immoral behavior.  We should accept this diagnosis and the treatment that it may require only after a thorough and careful evaluation of the student by qualified medical personnel and based on a long history of the symptoms of gender dysphoria—with parental involvement.

They make a better path forward for those students who truly suffer from gender dysphoria.  They do provide options and the fact they slow the process down is a great advantage.  Treatment of gender dysphoria is life-changing and irreversible, and there are an increasing number of students who regret the choices they made earlier in their lives.  The vast majority of cases of gender dysphoria resolve naturally by the end of adolescence with students identifying with their biological sex.

Finally, please don’t be intimidated by the threat that the new policy will increase the suicide rate among trans students.  There is little evidence for this.  The Trevor Project, the source cited by most trans activists, is not good research.  The much better studies from Sweden (2010) and now from the Dutch (2020) indicate that those who have transitioned have a much higher suicide rate than the general population.  In most cases, transitioning does not work, especially when viewed in a longer- term perspective.


Oppose

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<span data-sheets-userformat='{"2":769,"3":{"1":0},"11":4,"12":0}' data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Hi! I am a gay dad with two amazing little girls (6 and 1). I fully support letting kids be kids. As a parent, I don't want people with a missionary zeal for gender ideology to have the right to separate my childrens' hearts from me. Were my daughters to have questions about their gender, I am the most capable person to deal with that -- not teachers and political activists and ideologues. Gay dads are with you!"}">Hi! I am a gay dad with two amazing little girls (6 and 1). I fully support letting kids be kids. As a parent, I don't want people with a missionary zeal for gender ideology to have the right to separate my childrens' hearts from me. Were my daughters to have questions about their gender, I am the most capable person to deal with that -- not teachers and political activists and ideologues. Gay dads are with you!


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

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<p style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">How awful not to be recognized as yourself.  How traumatic to pretend to be someone else in order for an authority figure to feel powerful.  In a perfect world parents are wise, supportive and nurturing.  But we do not live in a perfect world. Not all students feel supported or even safe sharing their sexuality with their parents. Sometimes school is the only safe haven from the terrors and abuses of homelife.  Now these same vulnerable students will have to live in danger at school as well.  By deliberately ignoring a student’s preferred choice of name, this legislation will subject these at-risk students to bullying and discrimination.  Teachers are professionals that are perfectly capable of calling a student by their preferred name in the classroom and then refer to that student by their legal name to their parents.  It’s not that hard.  Teachers face huge challenges in the classroom, but calling a student by their preferred name choice is not one of them.  By literally erasing a student’s identity this legislation will codify a school environment that is discriminatory, bullying and harassing.  Denying a student’s definition of themselves is unjust and cruel.  Do not make these changes to Virginia law. </p>


Unnecessary Change

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<span data-sheets-userformat='{"2":769,"3":{"1":0},"11":4,"12":0}' data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"I OPPOSE Governor Youngkin's proposed student policy. It risks the potential of isolating students for whom school is safe place, a place to explore their identity. As much as we like to think that all parents have good intentions that is unfortunately not the case. I have heard more times then as I care as an adolescent medicine specialist times where parents did NOT support their children. In those cases school was a safe haven, a place to be fully seen and supported. This proposed student policy reeks of politics and  does not center kids as it claims."}">I OPPOSE Governor Youngkin's proposed student policy. It risks the potential of isolating students for whom school is safe place, a place to explore their identity. As much as we like to think that all parents have good intentions that is unfortunately not the case. I have heard more times then as I care as an adolescent medicine specialist times where parents did NOT support their children. In those cases school was a safe haven, a place to be fully seen and supported. This proposed student policy reeks of politics and does not center kids as it claims.


Strongly Oppose Policy

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I strongly oppose this policy. This policy goes against research and evidence-based practices. It is the opposite of inclusive and best-practices. The policy enables discrimination and it will have significant consequences. School is the only safe space for some folks, and this policy will jeopardize the lives of children. I can guarantee that outing kids to non-supporting parents will lead to deaths for folks that are already at a higher risk of suicide and abuse. Besides, we should be teaching kids critical thinking and allowing them to learn and grow outside of what their parents may know or believe; they may end up thinking the exact same way as their parents, and that is fine, but they should be enabled to think for themselves critically and with an understanding of other viewpoints. Frankly, it's simple. This policy will harm people. If you vote in support of this, be aware that it is not without consequence.


OPPOSE Draft Guidance on Transgender Students

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I OPPOSE to the draft guidance on Transgender students. Many of these students may not feel comfortable at home, as some parents take a harsh attitude towards non-heteronormative gender identity. School may be the only place where transgender students have any opportunity to be in a safe space. The draft guidance would greatly harm that safe space.


Strong Opposition to Proposed Policies

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<p>Governor's Youngkin's proposed policies serve only to fuel the ongoing culture wars in this country and serve no useful purpose.  Students who are struggling with gender identity issues deserve our kindness, compassion and support - not shame, and not being forced to used a locker room or bathroom with which they do not identify.  It is not hard to imagine how these policies could only serve to further contribute to the ongoing mental health crisis in this country - students will feel isolated and stigmatized, furthering pre-existing or ongoing concerns of depression or anxiety.  </p>


Supportive Mother of Trans Child

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As a loving mother of a trans child, I OPPOSE the new guidance that would prohibit affirming and supporting my child in school.


I OPPOSE the guidance.

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<span data-sheets-userformat='{"2":769,"3":{"1":0},"11":4,"12":0}' data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"As the mom of a nonbinary student in Chesterfield County Public schools, this kind of guidance will be hurtful and damaging to our children. This kind of guidance leads to a great increase in mental health issues including depression and anxiety, along with an increase in suicide among our students. Our mental health systems are hardly equipped to handle our students needs as it is, and we will be taking massive steps backwards in the little progress we have made to help our students feel safe and included as who they are. Not to mention, we will create thousands of dangerous home situations where students will be mentally, emotional, and maybe even physically abused if their desire to change their gender expression is referred to their parents. Let's acknowledge the problem that NOT ALL HOMES ARE SAFE HOMES, instead of micromanaging who are children feel they truly are."}">As the mom of a nonbinary student in Chesterfield County Public schools, this kind of guidance will be hurtful and damaging to our children. This kind of guidance leads to a great increase in mental health issues including depression and anxiety, along with an increase in suicide among our students. Our mental health systems are hardly equipped to handle our students needs as it is, and we will be taking massive steps backwards in the little progress we have made to help our students feel safe and included as who they are. Not to mention, we will create thousands of dangerous home situations where students will be mentally, emotional, and maybe even physically abused if their desire to change their gender expression is referred to their parents. Let's acknowledge the problem that NOT ALL HOMES ARE SAFE HOMES, instead of micromanaging who are children feel they truly are.


strongly oppose Youngkin's model policies

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<p>As a LGBT+ person who realized they were gay when I was in middle school and have been out publicly to my peers since then I strongly oppose these policies. Should parents and children be able to communicate and trust each other? Absolutely, but ignoring the fact that isn't the reality for every child is dangerous. LGBTQ+ kids should have the ability to be themselves in school where they feel safe away from parents while at the same time being able to come out to their families in their own time and when they feel safest. LGBTQ+ kids have such a high chance of being kicked out and abused by their own families if the family is homophobic. I'm not just talking about not affirming them, I'm talking about legitimate mental, physical, and emotional abuse from families who try to turn their kids not LGBTQ+. Isolating them, bullying them, overly controlling every aspect of their life in order to get the outcome these parents want. It is not ok to subject these kids to these kinds of situations in any way or form. We are not talking about kids being encouraged by teachers to hide things or to be LGBTQ+, we're talking about kids who just are and are able to talk about it with their friends in school without the fear that a teacher might overhear and have the legal responsibility to out them. Have some compassion and empathy for these situations, for these children who already feel isolated and attacked by the world instead of isolating them and attacking further with the arm of the government. I oppose these policies and believe they should be rescinded. </p>


Strongly Oppose


I strongly oppose this guidance.

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As the parent of a transgender student, I find it appalling that our governor would propose a litany of discriminatory and hurtful mandates for our public schools under the guise of "protecting our children" and "protecting parents' rights". Every single line of this guidance is harmful to my child, and blatantly removes my rights as a parent to advocate for and support my child's day to day health and wellbeing.

The idea that allowing a trans child to be themselves and live a normal life is in any way restrictive to the lives and rights of other children, much less their parents, is utterly ridiculous.

My child is a well-adjusted, bright, high-achieving, caring, empathetic, well-liked, civic-minded, young person. Her school community is caring and supportive of all its students, including her. This guidance would make that caring and supportive community illegal from now on. I can't imagine what good would possibly come from that kind of change. It breaks my heart to think that our governor would willfully require our schools to be less caring and supporting of their students my statewide mandate.

Please protect our children; mind included. Please protect parents's rights to parent; mine included. Please reconsider this ill-advised and incredibly harmful policy. You are governor to ALL Virginians, not just transphobic residents.


I STRONGLY support Governor Youngkin's policies protecting parental rights and our children.

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I strongly support Governor Youngkin's policies protecting children and parental rights.


I OPPOSE the guidance.

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This is not right and makes it okay to bully people that are different than you. American the free? Yea, doubt it.


Oppose

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I am a teaching veteran of 20+ years and I strongly oppose the guidance outlined by Youngkin’s student policy. A person’s preferred pronouns belong to that person, not their parents. Students with questions about their identity need a safe place to express themselves and home isn’t always the best option. I have had trans and non-binary students in my classroom and I believe they need to be supported.


I strongly suppot Gov. Younkins changes to the existing policy

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I strongly believe that gender is apparent at birth and ob/gyn's do not misinterpret that fact.  Males (at birth) do not belong in females (at birth) locker rooms, showers, or bath rooms.  There was clear issues with this policy in FFCS's and the school board there hid the problem rather than accept that the policy was wrong and make the appropriate changes.

Males should not be allowed in female sports as these females are seeking possible scholarships and should not have to compete against males.

Parents should be in charge of their children and control their moral and social values.  Teachers should be limited to teaching reading, writing, math, history, and science.  The moral and social values reside with the parents, period!


Strongly Oppose

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Of the many things wrong with this proposal, one includes denying parents the ability to support their children unless they take legal steps to do so. What happened to letting parents parent? There is no need for this proposal - allowing children to be who they are takes nothing away from anyone else, while denying them that right hurts everyone. I strongly oppose this proposal and am ashamed of Virginia's leaders for attempting to implement it.


Restore the Parental rights and protect ALL children.

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<p>Thank you Gov Youngkin for the new Model Policies. </p>


Praised be Jesus Christ!  As a Catholic Christian, I support Governor Younkin's 2022 Model Policies!

Michael Sirotniak (Saint Agnes Catholic Church)

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Praised be Jesus Christ!

As a Catholic Christian, I strongly support Governor Younkin's 2022 Model Policies, which affirm parents' God given rights to educate their children, and which protect our constitutional rights, particularly free speech and religious liberty.

Thank you!

Respectfully in Jesus, Mary, & Joseph,

Michael Sirotniak

Coordinator of Adoration & Security

Saint Agnes Catholic Church

Arlington, VA 22207

703-525-1166 ext. 229

3306 Peace Valley Lane

Falls Church, VA 22044

703-776-0595


Strongly oppose, trans kids need support

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Schools tend to be a haven for kids to be themselves. A good bit of transgender youth do not have a good home life. Don't adopt this policy. Trans youth have high suicide rates because of pointless, transphobic, and evil laws like this. You aren't protecting parents but projecting students. They see through this. That they don't belong is the message you give. Trans kids are people that deserve life. Policies like this drive people out of states, are against state and federal law so it will get thrown out anyway. Don't make this your legacy. Cause you won't be on the winning side.


Strongly OPPOSE

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Disagree with this policy- stop spreading hate.


This insanity must stop. I support Governor Youngkin. Thank God for him!

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Stop the insanity. Thank you Gov Youngkin!


Public Forum - Parents needing to sign off

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I agree with this initiative and feel parents should ABSOLUTELY be involved in decisions regarding how THEIR kids are representing themselves and their family!  I would be willing to bet that most parents aren't even aware that their children are 'pretending' to be something different at school than they are at home.  I feel certain that if parents are made aware and are required to sign off on this nonsense, it would decrease a great deal.  As a result, the kids who aren't trying to be part of the latest trend (and it is just that) of being something other than who they were created will be in a safer environment.   The 'normal' kids who are fine with being who God created them to be are being bullied and labeled haters simply for not falling into the latest trend.  We need to try and eliminate the arsenal of emotional weapons being used against our kids.  Forcing the disengaged parents to have conversations about what their kids are doing will be a win/win for everyone.


Students should use the bathrooms and facilities that correspond to their biological sex.

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Please protect our kids from evildoers, let's implement this new Model Policies.


Concur

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Put the parents back in the schools.  Parents have the right to raise their children, not the schools.


Agree with the Governor. Parents should be involved in all decisions concerning minor children.

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Parents should be involved in all decisions concerning their minor children.  Children do not belong to the state or federal government. Secrets should not be kept from parents.  Frankly, if a school or teacher keeps secrets from parents regarding a child’s sexuality then that school or teacher deserves scrutiny and possible investigation.


Model policies narrow minded and hurtful to at risk youth

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<span data-sheets-userformat='{"2":769,"3":{"1":0},"11":4,"12":0}' data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"I strongly oppose Virginia’s rewritten model policies for the treatment of transgender students. As a parent of a transgender child, there are already many worries and concerns over his mental health and potential treatment by society. Thankfully, our child's Fairfax county middle school is a welcoming space that accepts and respects him as a human being. The school administration changed my child's name and gender in the school account at our request. The teachers use the desired name and pronouns. This has meant the world to our child, and allowed the freedom to attend school as his true self, without needing to hide or apologize for simply wanting to live his identity. I am deeply disturbed by the guidance and harm it will inflict on this at risk community. Adults and schools should be supporting our brave children, not making life harder for them to navigate as they seek basic gender affirming rights."}">I strongly oppose Virginia’s rewritten model policies for the treatment of transgender students. As a parent of a transgender child, there are already many worries and concerns over his mental health and potential treatment by society. Thankfully, our child's Fairfax county middle school is a welcoming space that accepts and respects him as a human being. The school administration changed my child's name and gender in the school account at our request. The teachers use the desired name and pronouns. This has meant the world to our child, and allowed the freedom to attend school as his true self, without needing to hide or apologize for simply wanting to live his identity. I am deeply disturbed by the guidance and harm it will inflict on this at risk community. Adults and schools should be supporting our brave children, not making life harder for them to navigate as they seek basic gender affirming rights.


Support parental rights

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I am in total support of affirming and protecting parental rights. School systems have no right to withhold student information from parents, and schools should not be attempting to shape our children to conform to woke culture. Thank you, Gov. Youngkin, for taking a firm stand on this extremely important issue.


I support the Policy, NOT medical folks who financially benefit from medicalizing kids for life.

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As a grandparent of Va school children, I support common sense policies by Youngkin that protect biological girls spaces, including the locker room and female sports.  Who can really support biological males having access to girls locker rooms, when athletes are coming out and saying inappropriate things are happening in these spaces when biological males are given access?

I don't think doctors who support this, like the foot doctor in previous comments, or an endocrine doctor which stands to benefit financially from medicalizing children and making them patients for life at a very high cost of care, should have a weigh in on this.  The medical community in the name of "helping" and providing "expert care" used to do lobotomies on mentally ill, gave pregnant women thalidomide, older women estrogen replacement, and a laundry list of other medical procedures that later were determined HEINOUS and/or POOR CARE.  Don't use your credentials to try pretend like your opinions matter more than parents when trans care has LIMITED LONG TERM STUDIES....we see you trying to make $$$ of the latest medical fad.


I’m showing my support for Governor Youngkin

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<p>I support Governor Youngkin’s  transgender policies. Parents need to know what’s going on with their children. Teachers need to get back to teaching math and reading and stay out of Children’s social lives. </p>


Horrified

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I am horrified that moderate, business-friendly Virginia is following antiquated, anti-youth policies that will harm students and families, and drive away businesses. Government is not an agency for policing people's morals or questioning doctors and parents against national norms. Wake up. It is the 21st century.


Oppose Youngkin's proposed policy for trans students

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<p>As a nonbinary adult, I understand the importance of respecting a child's identity at an early age. My parents refusal to acknowledge my identity lead to multiple suicide attempts. Since leaving Hanover county and finding an accepting community who respect my gender identity, my mental health has improved drastically. If a teacher had outed me to my parents, I'm confident my father would have killed me or kicked me out as a child. This is an issue of safety. Not all parents have their child's best interest in mind and as such as it is the school's responsibility to protect these children. Outing them, forcing them to go by the wrong pronouns/name/identity will result in more suicide attempts and more assault against am already ostracized community. Trans kids deserve to use the bathroom they identify with. Trans kids deserve love and support. Trans kids deserve protection. This policy does nit protect children. It goes against millions of recommendations by doctors. It will cause harm. Please do not harm the children who undergo the most abuse already for simply existing. They don't deserve this. We are all human and deserve to be treated with respect. Please please please consider the children. It's not worth it to have children's blood on your hands because you don't understand gender. </p>


Support Trans Students Save Lives

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<span data-sheets-userformat='{"2":769,"3":{"1":0},"11":4,"12":0}' data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"We hear time and time again that this administration and our school boards want to support all students. Well, that means ALL. You cannot support protect all students without acknowledging their very basic human right to express their gender identity as they see fit. I have worked with so many students as a middle school educator and in out of school programs that support LGBTQ+ including trans and non-binary students. My own child identifies as non-binary. What this policy says to me and to them is that this administration cares nothing for their well-being. I cannot tell you the number of times I have had to counsel students who cannot even begin to focus on their learning when their own identities are not affirmed. Nor can I convey the huge difference it makes to a child's education when they feel safe enough to express who they are. I OPPOSE THIS GUIDANCE. I pray that all who have human decency will do the same."}">We hear time and time again that this administration and our school boards want to support all students. Well, that means ALL. You cannot support protect all students without acknowledging their very basic human right to express their gender identity as they see fit. I have worked with so many students as a middle school educator and in out of school programs that support LGBTQ+ including trans and non-binary students. My own child identifies as non-binary. What this policy says to me and to them is that this administration cares nothing for their well-being. I cannot tell you the number of times I have had to counsel students who cannot even begin to focus on their learning when their own identities are not affirmed. Nor can I convey the huge difference it makes to a child's education when they feel safe enough to express who they are. I OPPOSE THIS GUIDANCE. I pray that all who have human decency will do the same.


STRONGLY SUPPORT!!!

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Thank you for the newly proposed Policies.


Oppose

As a mother, as a sister, as a daughter, as a voter: please do not allow or encourage violence against children by enacting recently released policies on trans and nonbinary youth in Virginia schools.Governor Youngkin's policies are dangerous and will result in children being harmed. They will result in children not feeling safe at school. They will result in children dropping out of school. They will result in depression, self-harm, physical violence and more. These policies will stop our schools from being safe place for all children.These policies do not support a nurturing, inclusive and effective learning environment. Instead, the bring politics, violence and hate into our communities' most critical and influential spaces. Make the right choice and stop Governor Youngkin's attack on our children.

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<span data-sheets-userformat='{"2":769,"3":{"1":0},"11":4,"12":0}' data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"As a mother, as a sister, as a daughter, as a voter: please do not allow or encourage violence against children by enacting recently released policies on trans and nonbinary youth in Virginia schools.\n\nGovernor Youngkin's policies are dangerous and will result in children being harmed.  They will result in children not feeling safe at school. They will result in children dropping out of school. They will result in depression, self-harm, physical violence and more. These policies will stop our schools from being safe place for all children.\n\nThese policies do not support a nurturing, inclusive and effective learning environment. Instead, the bring politics, violence and hate into our communities' most critical and influential spaces. \n\nMake the right choice and stop Governor Youngkin's attack on our children."}">As a mother, as a sister, as a daughter, as a voter: please do not allow or encourage violence against children by enacting recently released policies on trans and nonbinary youth in Virginia schools.

Governor Youngkin's policies are dangerous and will result in children being harmed. They will result in children not feeling safe at school. They will result in children dropping out of school. They will result in depression, self-harm, physical violence and more. These policies will stop our schools from being safe place for all children.

These policies do not support a nurturing, inclusive and effective learning environment. Instead, the bring politics, violence and hate into our communities' most critical and influential spaces.

Make the right choice and stop Governor Youngkin's attack on our children.


Protect our children!  Strongly support!

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I strongly support Youngkin's policies to protect children from harmful ideologies!


Oppose

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We need to protect our children, the best way to do that is to support LGBTQ+ youth.


I strongly oppose Gov Youngkin's mean-spirited, overly intrusive proposal

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Governor Youngkin and team: please stay out of the transgender and public-school issue. This is a highly personal matter that should NOT involve the Commonwealth. Instead, please show respect to all of your constituents and let families handle the care of their transgender youth in the manner that meets their needs and personal beliefs. There is no reason for Governor Youngkin's mean-spirited proposal; a proposal that has the potential to ostracize young people at a time in their life when support - not judgment - is needed. Please back off of this proposal that is overly intrusive and downright cruel to transgender youth and their families. A true Christian is taught to love, and be accepting of, all people.

Megan (Margaret) Hookey - Annandale, VA


I OPPOSE the guidance

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<span data-sheets-userformat='{"2":769,"3":{"1":0},"11":4,"12":0}' data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"Hi, I'm a nonbinary kid who goes to a public Hanover school. When I changed my name start of freshman year pretty much all of my teachers were fine with it. They respected my choice and while some who I've had since middle school was confused they soon grew used to it. One teacher, however, did not respect my choice of name. Even after telling her multiple times that I did not go by my dead name, she would constantly ignore me. After the first few weeks of school, I gave up trying to tell her otherwise. Now I'm in my sophomore year and all of my teachers are respectful of my name and pronouns for those I've told. The proposition to erase this comfort I have now will severely harm my future years along with my many trans friends. This can't happen. I oppose Youngkin's decision."}">Hi, I'm a nonbinary kid who goes to a public Hanover school. When I changed my name start of freshman year pretty much all of my teachers were fine with it. They respected my choice and while some who I've had since middle school was confused they soon grew used to it. One teacher, however, did not respect my choice of name. Even after telling her multiple times that I did not go by my dead name, she would constantly ignore me. After the first few weeks of school, I gave up trying to tell her otherwise. Now I'm in my sophomore year and all of my teachers are respectful of my name and pronouns for those I've told. The proposition to erase this comfort I have now will severely harm my future years along with my many trans friends. This can't happen. I oppose Youngkin's decision.


Stongly support Governor Youngkin's revised policies on parental rights.

David Crummett, concerned parent and grandparent

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<p>It is wonderful that Governor Youngkin is updating these policies to ensure protections for fundamental parental rights and to make sure they are not cut out of the process. Due to being informed, parents will be able to protect their children from the normalization and affirmation of gender perversion (i.e. girl identifies as a boy, boy identifies as a girl) and the illicit sexualization of these children. It should be common sense and common decency to protect the innocence of children. Schools must not go behind parent's backs.    </p>


Being helpful to Trans folks helps me too.

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<span data-sheets-userformat='{"2":769,"3":{"1":0},"11":4,"12":0}' data-sheets-value="{"1":2,"2":"There are 47 different varieties of Intersex (formerly Hermaphrodite) in three cases (hormones, chromosomes, and genitals) and Intersex people can be any Gender expression or sexual orientation. So being helpful and inclusive of LGBT+ people helps Intersex people live better without bullying and without discrimination. Being Intersex is something I and others were physically born with, and although priests and doctors throughout all time have tried to change it, they couldn't. We are here now and forever to teach peace, expand understanding, and create equality. And new science from Europe is providing the answer that LGBT folks are born that way, just like the Intersex."}">There are 47 different varieties of Intersex (formerly Hermaphrodite) in three cases (hormones, chromosomes, and genitals) and Intersex people can be any Gender expression or sexual orientation. So being helpful and inclusive of LGBT+ people helps Intersex people live better without bullying and without discrimination. Being Intersex is something I and others were physically born with, and although priests and doctors throughout all time have tried to change it, they couldn't. We are here now and forever to teach peace, expand understanding, and create equality. And new science from Europe is providing the answer that LGBT folks are born that way, just like the Intersex.


I strongly support the 2022 policy. Parents must be involved with the development of their children!

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I strongly support the 2022 model policy proposed by Gov. Youngkin!


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Strongly support Youngkin's policies to protect children.


Reform of public school curricula

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Thank you, Governor!  Persevere--this is why I vote Republican.


Support Gov. Youngkin Parent's Right Policy

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I strongly support Gov. Youngkin!  Teachers and schools MUST NOT hide things from parents!


New Model Policies Protect our children and parental rights

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I support Gov Youngkin and the New Model Policies


I strongly oppose this policy

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I strongly oppose this approach, which is harmful to trans and gender-nonconforming students as well as staff. This community needs support and basic human dignity, not policies that will cause undue stress and further the mental health crisis already rampant among LGBTQ  students. We can and must do better by them.


Strongly Support New Pro-parent Policies proposed by Virginia Department of Education

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I strongly support the new pro-parent policies proposed by the Virginia Department of Education for the following reasons:

The new policies honor the sacred role of parents in the care of their children during school, athletics and other activities.

Parents know their children’s needs better than anyone. If children are struggling with gender dysphoria, they need guidance and emotional support from parents. Under the new policies, school officials must keep parents fully informed, and require schools to enforce laws, regulations and policies that prohibit and deter bullying or harassment.

Student participation in sex-specific athletics, school activities and events should be determined by sex, e.g., for overnight travel accommodations and locker rooms.

Students should use the bathrooms that correspond to their sex. Single-user bathrooms and facilities should be made available in accessible areas and provided with appropriate signage, indicating accessibility for all students.

The new policies protect the fundamental religious liberty interests of personnel and students.

Thank you for your consideration.


Oppose

As an educator, it is my responsibility to make sure every student is protected in a safe and inclusive learning space. Denying students the right to express themselves is not only wrong, but it goes against everything that I do. These potential policies present a danger to students, and demonstrates a lack of division between religion and the school environment. If you do not support the LGBTQIA+ community, you should not be involved in student’s education and you should not let your opinions dictate what others do.I will continue to love and support my students, regardless of any of my personal beliefs; and others should do the same.

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<span data-sheets-userformat='{"2":769,"3":{"1":0},"11":4,"12":0}' data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"As an educator, it is my responsibility to make sure every student is protected in a safe and inclusive learning space. Denying students the right to express themselves is not only wrong, but it goes against everything that I do. These potential policies present a danger to students, and demonstrates a lack of division between religion and the school environment. If you do not support the LGBTQIA+ community, you should not be involved in student’s education and you should not let your opinions dictate what others do.\nI will continue to love and support my students, regardless of any of my personal beliefs; and others should do the same."}'>As an educator, it is my responsibility to make sure every student is protected in a safe and inclusive learning space. Denying students the right to express themselves is not only wrong, but it goes against everything that I do. These potential policies present a danger to students, and demonstrates a lack of division between religion and the school environment. If you do not support the LGBTQIA+ community, you should not be involved in student’s education and you should not let your opinions dictate what others do.
I will continue to love and support my students, regardless of any of my personal beliefs; and others should do the same.


Oppose this Policy

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Any policy that restricts the right of individuals to express themselves as who they are is wrong. Religion has no place in setting policy.


strongly oppose new transgender policy

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<p>I strongly oppose Gov. Youngkin's proposed new discriminatory policies attacking transgender youth in Virginia.  I have 6 granddaughters in Virginia public schools, my mother was a retired substitute teacher in Fairfax after working her entire career as a public school teacher and high school counselor.  I have been involved in my grandchildren's education for many years.  And my cousin's nephew is transgender; he has had his sex changed from female.  Transgender kids are the most vulnerable group in America.  53% have contemplated suicide, 20% have attempted it.  In the last 8 years, Virginia high schools report that 28 transgender children have asked to participate in sports.  TWENTY-EIGHT in eight years!  And yet politicians who seek to exploit fear, mainly of "boys" using girls' restrooms, have crusaded against transgender children to use them as scapegoats, further ostracizing and persecuting them for partisan political gain.  Name one instance of where a transgender girl who used to be male has assaulted or even harassed any girls at school or in a restroom.  There aren't any.  The new policies do not support parents and certainly don't support kids.  They are designed to humiliate transgender kids, force teachers to out them to their parents, and allow parents to join with schools in bullying kids.  Parents deserve rights but so do children.  Many transgender kids have very rocky, to say the least, relationships or no relationship with their parents.  The new policy has no place for those kids.  This new policy also forces teachers to go against students' request to be called by the name of their choosing.  Not for any other children, ONLY transgender children.  All others can go by whatever name they want in school and most teachers will want to show them at least that level of respect.  But the new policy forbids transgender kids from being called by the name they choose.  For what purpose?  Just to be cruel.  There is no other reason.  This new policy is mandatory state-wide, with no local input or variation allowed, another slap in the face of local control of public schools.  Please do not adopt this cruel, partisan, petty, persecutorial, discriminatory, bigoted, dictatorial, small minded policy.  </p>


Strongly Oppose

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<p>This policy change is a cruel use of gender non-conforming young people for political gain and I strongly oppose it. Many young people who identify as Trans or non-binary are not out to their families and may even be in danger at home if their status was known. Being able to be themselves at school is a lifeline for many young people who are exploring their gender identity, and Virginia should be supporting these kids, not endangering them. Let kids be themselves and have the space to figure out who they are without interference from the State. </p>


Strongly Support

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The vast majority of Virginians share the goal of preventing any student—including gender nonconforming students—from being treated as less deserving of respect than their peers. They also recognize that many issues surrounding gender identity are complicated and involve multiple legitimate interests that frequently conflict with one another. The VDOE’s 2022 model policy does an exemplary job of balancing those competing interests by recognizing constitutional rights while at the same time reaffirming the commitment to creating a welcoming school environment for gender nonconforming students.


The model policy forcibly outs students, OPPOSE

I am a queer high school student in Virginia, and I strongly OPPOSE the proposed model policy. As a cisgender person, I can say that this policy does not make schools a better place for cis students. We are not gaining more rights if our trans friends and classmates are worse off because this policy codifies transphobia. We want to go to school knowing that we are all safe, not worrying that some of our classmates are not.One of my friends and classmate is gender-nonconforming. They are not out to their parents yet, because coming out would mean that they would probably lose financial support for college or lose housing. This model policy not only forbids school policies that prevent staff from outing students to their parents without student permission, it allows some school districts to adopt policies that would force teachers and counselors to out students. If that happens, my friend’s counselor, who knows my friend is gender-nonconforming, is likely to out them. My friend is not alone in their family situation. The Trevor Project found this year that fewer than one in three transgender youth live with supportive families. Worse, the University of Chicago reported that queer youth have a 120% increased risk of homeless due to being rejected by their families.Knowing that my friend is possibly in danger, and that so many more trans or queer students are in danger is not a comfort or benefit to me. It makes me exhausted, worried, and anxious.Governor Youngkin responded to our fear by saying: “I would say, trust your parents.” What a horrifically ignorant response. While I came out as gay to my parents four years ago, I still remember clearly the terror I felt when I was almost outed to my parents in close calls. Not knowing if I could still hang out with my friends, if I would still be able to speak to my brother, if my parents would still accept me as their son. A lot of the support for forced outing claims that school staff should not be able to “keep secrets” from parents. But this isn’t about our teachers or counselors. This is about what we as students think is the best choice for ourselves. I ended up trusting my parents to love me no matter what. And I was right. My friend trusts their parents to kick them out of the house. And they may be right. If we trust our parents, you should trust us. This model policy must be rejected. Otherwise, more of my classmates will face trauma, rejection, and violence.

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<span data-sheets-userformat='{"2":769,"3":{"1":0},"11":4,"12":0}' data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"I am a queer high school student in Virginia, and I strongly OPPOSE the proposed model policy. \n\nAs a cisgender person, I can say that this policy does not make schools a better place for cis students. We are not gaining more rights if our trans friends and classmates are worse off because this policy codifies transphobia. We want to go to school knowing that we are all safe, not worrying that some of our classmates are not.\n\nOne of my friends and classmate is gender-nonconforming. They are not out to their parents yet, because coming out would mean that they would probably lose financial support for college or lose housing. This model policy not only forbids school policies that prevent staff from outing students to their parents without student permission, it allows some school districts to adopt policies that would force teachers and counselors to out students. If that happens, my friend’s counselor, who knows my friend is gender-nonconforming, is likely to out them. \n\nMy friend is not alone in their family situation. The Trevor Project found this year that fewer than one in three transgender youth live with supportive families. Worse, the University of Chicago reported that queer youth have a 120% increased risk of homeless due to being rejected by their families.\n\nKnowing that my friend is possibly in danger, and that so many more trans or queer students are in danger is not a comfort or benefit to me. It makes me exhausted, worried, and anxious.\n\nGovernor Youngkin responded to our fear by saying: “I would say, trust your parents.” What a horrifically ignorant response. While I came out as gay to my parents four years ago, I still remember clearly the terror I felt when I was almost outed to my parents in close calls. Not knowing if I could still hang out with my friends, if I would still be able to speak to my brother, if my parents would still accept me as their son. \n\nA lot of the support for forced outing claims that school staff should not be able to “keep secrets” from parents. But this isn’t about our teachers or counselors. This is about what we as students think is the best choice for ourselves. I ended up trusting my parents to love me no matter what. And I was right. My friend trusts their parents to kick them out of the house. And they may be right. If we trust our parents, you should trust us. \n\nThis model policy must be rejected. Otherwise, more of my classmates will face trauma, rejection, and violence."}'>I am a queer high school student in Virginia, and I strongly OPPOSE the proposed model policy.

As a cisgender person, I can say that this policy does not make schools a better place for cis students. We are not gaining more rights if our trans friends and classmates are worse off because this policy codifies transphobia. We want to go to school knowing that we are all safe, not worrying that some of our classmates are not.

One of my friends and classmate is gender-nonconforming. They are not out to their parents yet, because coming out would mean that they would probably lose financial support for college or lose housing. This model policy not only forbids school policies that prevent staff from outing students to their parents without student permission, it allows some school districts to adopt policies that would force teachers and counselors to out students. If that happens, my friend’s counselor, who knows my friend is gender-nonconforming, is likely to out them.

My friend is not alone in their family situation. The Trevor Project found this year that fewer than one in three transgender youth live with supportive families. Worse, the University of Chicago reported that queer youth have a 120% increased risk of homeless due to being rejected by their families.

Knowing that my friend is possibly in danger, and that so many more trans or queer students are in danger is not a comfort or benefit to me. It makes me exhausted, worried, and anxious.

Governor Youngkin responded to our fear by saying: “I would say, trust your parents.” What a horrifically ignorant response. While I came out as gay to my parents four years ago, I still remember clearly the terror I felt when I was almost outed to my parents in close calls. Not knowing if I could still hang out with my friends, if I would still be able to speak to my brother, if my parents would still accept me as their son.

A lot of the support for forced outing claims that school staff should not be able to “keep secrets” from parents. But this isn’t about our teachers or counselors. This is about what we as students think is the best choice for ourselves. I ended up trusting my parents to love me no matter what. And I was right. My friend trusts their parents to kick them out of the house. And they may be right. If we trust our parents, you should trust us.

This model policy must be rejected. Otherwise, more of my classmates will face trauma, rejection, and violence.


Stongly support Governor Younkin's revised policies on parental rights.

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<p>It is wonderful that Governor Younkin is updating these policies to ensure protections for fundamental parental rights and to make sure they are not cut out of the process. Due to being informed, parents will be able to protect their children from the normalization and affirmation of gender perversion (i.e. girl identifies as a boy, boy identifies as a girl) and the illicit sexualization of these children. It should be common sense and common decency to protect the innocence of children. Schools must not go behind parent's backs.    </p>


100% SUPPORT PARENTS RIGHTS / YOUNGKIN POLICY

A Concerned Parent of Public School Kids

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We are the parents of two public school children in the Fairfax County Public School system.  We STRONGLY SUPPORT the new policies.  Parents have the right to make decisions with respect to their children.  Parents...not school boards or school employees...should direct the upbringing, education, and control of their children.  Full stop.

This is COMMON SENSE.  Ignore the noise from the activist, partisan school boards.

We SUPPORT restoring parents rights.


Support this new policy

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Support the new policy!!


New policy

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i strongly OPPOSE this new proposed policy. This is just another example of using fear to discriminate against people.


Rescind these shameful proposed policies immediately

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Cynical political baiting to rile up the base - just like the hysteria against the "yellow peril" in the early 1900's, the "commie" scare of the '50's, the "gays are evil" scare of the '80's. Republicans have no policies or solutions to offer, just fear mongering and scape goating.


I STRONGLY OPPOSE the Youngkin Administration's anti-transgender student policies

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<p>The pain caused by policies, such as this, that continue to systematize discrimination for minority trans, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer youth can lead to drastic actions such as suicide. We should be protecting ALL children, and respect them for their own bodily autonomy. These policies are legit bullying and harrassment and have nothing to do with "parental rights." And frankly, these "rules" are unconstitutional. Do Conservatives only care about the pursuit of life, libery and happiness when it's ONLY their own? I will never understand the hate of others, and it's got to end. As a Virginia, resident, I STRONGLY OPPOSE the Youngkin Administrations anti-transgender student policies. </p>


Youngkin Revision Policy

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Get these children the mental health support they need and quit confirming such irreversible procedures and behavior that is dangerous.  The schools are to educate and not be parents.  The long ongoing problem with the abysmal public school education system started when the schools got into the parenting arena.  That is NOT their job.  I  totally support Youngkin's policy revision.


Strongly support Youngkin policy

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<p>Parents role is different than educators.  These are our children, not yours.  Youngkin policy is so basic I can’t believe it’s even an issue.  </p>


NO SCHOOL SHOULD BE RATED R. Yet here we are.

No parent should have to question what is being taught to their child. No one will disagree that School exists to prepare youth for the demands of adulthood, including math, language, sciences, CRITICAL THINKING, etc. Undermining parental rights and forcing sexual idealogy onto children is wrong. There is a reason why you can't get a drivers' license until 16, or vote until 18, or drink until 21. There is a reason for film ratings, which is to prevent youth from seeing things that are not age appropriate. NO SCHOOL SHOULD BE RATED R. Full Stop. Children do not belong to school staff or administrators. They belong to their parents until 18.I fully support parental rights to exclude their children from being indoctrinated with sexual ideology of ANY kind on school grounds, and at any time. 1000%. Any public school staff, administration, school board, et all should be faced with immediate termination and loss of license for refusing to abide by parents wishing to have their children focused on actual learning. NO sexuality of any kind in schools.

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No parent should have to question what is being taught to their child. No one will disagree that School exists to prepare youth for the demands of adulthood, including math, language, sciences, CRITICAL THINKING, etc. Undermining parental rights and forcing sexual idealogy onto children is wrong. There is a reason why you can't get a drivers' license until 16, or vote until 18, or drink until 21. There is a reason for film ratings, which is to prevent youth from seeing things that are not age appropriate. NO SCHOOL SHOULD BE RATED R. Full Stop. Children do not belong to school staff or administrators. They belong to their parents until 18.

I fully support parental rights to exclude their children from being indoctrinated with sexual ideology of ANY kind on school grounds, and at any time. 1000%. Any public school staff, administration, school board, et all should be faced with immediate termination and loss of license for refusing to abide by parents wishing to have their children focused on actual learning. NO sexuality of any kind in schools.


2022 Model Policies on the Privacy, Dignity, and Respect for all Students and Parents in VA Schools

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<p>I strongly support the 2022 model policy for transgender students as an improvement to the 2021 model. Parents must be involved with the development of their children! </p>


STRONGLY OPPOSE

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I do not support Governor Youngkin's proposed new policy that is reported to be for the empowerment of parents. According to the proposed policy, even the student's parents cannot ask the school to recognize the gender they wish for their child's emotional stability. It is not for the empowerment of parents, it is for the repression fo LGBTQ rights. I support LGBTQ rights.