Pro-parent policies proposed by the Virginia Department of Education

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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.


I oppose this policy.

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I object and vehemently oppose any attempt to undermine the rights of students to be provided a safe and welcoming environment to learn in. Though some may say that this proposed policy will help parents keep their children safe, I would like to remind you that not every home or parent is a safe place. A student who finds no support at home when they are most vulnerable must be able to turn to their teachers, counselors, and administrators without fear or intimidation. This proposal will make it impossible for a student to do so and will stimulate  animosity and fear that will undoubtedly lead to mental health crises.
Furthermore, it should be noted that this proposal directly conflicts with the ethics an quality of professionalism that many school boards have codified in their district policy. The legislature must consider how this overtly conservative, restrictive, and unethical policy will affect those who are tasked to enforce and abide by it; as well as how such a policy will impact the ability for school districts to maintain staffing requirements.


Support of new policies on parental rights

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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.


State Controlled Education is the historical hallmark of Tyranny

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A key characteristic of tyrannical government such as the former Soviet Union and the current Chinese government is the hijacking of education to be the privilege of the State (e.g. the rich and powerful). Rather, parents must be in charge of their children's education within reasonable limits. No right is unbounded, but we must not imitate tyranny. Ideally, parents and the State should work together, but in no case should the State preempt parents. Keep education centered in the home, not the government.


Oppose

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I oppose Gov Youngkin’s policy regarding transgender students.

Transgender students should not be denied any services or opportunities based on their identity.

All students must be given privacy, respect and dignity.
Parents must not be informed of a students identity by the school. This is not the business of the school.
Thank you.


strongly oppose

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trans rights are human rights


Shame

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Shame on this administration for rolling back what education, pediatric, and psychological  experts have been saying is a net positive for children for years. Schools should be the one welcoming place guaranteed for a child, and these proposed policies have been shown to be harmful to LGBTQ kids. This will not protect kids, give parents rights, it is just spiteful and cruel to inflict these policies on our kids. Shame for even considering this atrocious edits to the guidelines.


Parental Rights are Human Rights


Regarding Protecting Students Rights

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I am writing in regard to the proposed model policy affecting transgender students in public schools. I believe the proposed policy is too strictly limiting. It should balance parental rights with protecting vulnerable populations such as LGBTQ minors.

LGBTQ youth are more than four times as likely to attempt suicide than their peers (Johns et al., 2019; Johns et al., 2020)

45% of LGBTQ youth seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year, including more than half of transgender and nonbinary youth

73% of LGBTQ youth report that they had experienced discrimination based on their sexual orientation or gender identity at least once in their lifetime, and those who did attempted suicide at more than twice the rate of those who did not in the past year

Having at least one accepting adult can reduce the risk of a suicide attempt among LGBTQ young people by 40 percent.

While I agree that schools should not be put in the position of hiding students information from parents, I disagree with the aspects of the policy relating to bathrooms, sports teams, and use of chosen pronouns.

The term "parental rights" has been co-opted to speak for a very small number of parents who want to impose their beliefs on other people. The reality of it is, the vast majority of parents want their children to be treated like humans and their peers to be treated like humans.

I oppose this policy.


Support for Gov Youngkin's Policy

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<p>As parents are legally responsible for the welfare of their children to age 18, nothing about their child should be kept in secret by a school that may well not share the values of the parents.  Something as radically transformational as gender change, whether it be in name, pronouns, or other ways, is enormously impactful on the well-being of the child, and should be approved only with parental permission.  Further, schools should avoid political issues such as this entirely and stick to teaching our children the basic core subjects of math, science, composition, history and government, which are the real essentials for academic success at increasingly higher levels of education and life.  Accordingly, I strongly support Gov Youngkin's proposed policy. </p>


Respect parental rights

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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.


Thank you, Governor Youngkin!

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<p>Thank you for giving parents a voice in our public schools. Finally, someone who understands that children need the love and support of their parents, and that can’t be fully achieved if the school isn’t allowed to communicate with us on these important issues. </p>


Strong support of 2022 policy... father-daughter dances!

Just a normal Dad of beautiful daughters

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I'm looking forward to taking my daughters to a proper father-daughter themed dance just like my dad did with my sisters!  Appalled 2021 VDOE tried to take that away!


Proposed model policy

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I grew up in Southside and am a product of Virginia public schools all the way through university at Virginia Tech.  I have always been proud of the academic education I received.  However, I am embrassed by the governor and his supporters' backwards looking and mean spirited view.

I do not support the Governor's new model plan.  I do not believe he has the legal authority to implement it.  I do not think it is within the spirit or the letter of the law that was enacted to protect trans and other LGBTQ youth.

Further, I believe it is immoral to repress these students and deny them support.

This sort of policy is exactly that which prevents me from moving my family back to what is a beautiful place to live otherwise


STRONGLY SUPPORT!


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

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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.

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


Strongly oppose policy!

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Strongly oppose policy!


I support this policy to keep girls safe in their bathrooms and locker room

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This isn’t a new concept. Boys go to boys rooms and girls go to girls rooms.


Why Do You Spread Hate?

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Your proposed guidance to schools regarding accommodations for transgender students is discriminatory.  You are using politics and religion to justify hate.  Many LGBTQ+ students cannot have conversations with their parents about their sexuality or gender identity and your policies potentially place them in harm's way.  Schools should be a safe haven for all students.  As an elected official, you are supposed to protect your constituents.  Your proposed policy does the opposite.  This proposed policy is fundamentally morally corrupt.


I oppose the current changes

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As someone who went to schools in Virginia and was subject to abuse by the administration, I was made a fool last year over my silence when a student who was subjected to the same by the same school administrator became the victim of suicide. I should have spoken up before then, but I will speak up now.

The administrator was removed from the position and hence their ability to cause the same harm was removed. If these policy changes are introduced more students will be victims of similar abuse from their schools. This abuse will stymie the ability of victims and bystanders from being able to comfortably integrate into the workforce in ways where Virginia Schools have previously excelled.

Finally, I propose you do not change the current policy to one that requires Virginia schools to bully their impressionable students.


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<p> “I would hope that people who share our beliefs and convictions about the dignity of the human person, that God created us uniquely as male or as female and we are under his protective care, will certainly affirm what this policy is stating — that the parents cannot be excluded from this decision.”</p>


voicing the uncomfortable..

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Have read too many comments on this board that accepting the 2022 policy is "going to kill trans kids” and create an environment of imminent suicide for others.... sorry I hope you can find light and faith!  If someone decides mortal exit is their only route then that is on them and their family and I am not going to be guilted into accepting their ridiculousness and sacrifice normalcy for 99%+ of the people for a potentially different outcome.   As humans our long-term purpose is, and has always been to adapt, procreate, and thrive for the masses. ~15k suicides per year should not redirect the lives of 330,000K+


Albemarle County school board members will personally be held legally and financially responsible

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When sexual assaults occur under your terrible leadership, you will all be held personally responsible for endangering our children. You are on notice.


Parental Rights

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I am 100% in favor of a Parent's right to know everything that is being taught to children in the public schools. Leave ideology indoctrination out of the schools. Stop telling children not to let their parents know!


Support Governor's proposal

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I support parental rights.  Parents have first responsibility for their children.  The school system should not prevent parents from doing what's best for their children.


Click and Read this comment! Who has the support role?

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”Public Policy must be mindful that children are a gift from God to Parents, not to the State. Thus the care, nurturing, and education of their children is the primary responsibility of the Parents, not the State. The role of the State, if any, is in support of the Parents rights and responsibilities.” -Michael Hadro


Parental rights/Education

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What is the point of witholding compassion and simple understanding for the well-being of transgender young people? Are the "rights" of ignorant and prejudiced parents more important than the young and vulnerable?


Parents are the first educators of their children

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Parents who are raising children and doing everything in their power to provide the best for them need the support of the taxpayer-funded schools and agencies, not the undermining of their efforts. Parents are motivated by love of their children; they have the responsibility and the right to raise them as they believe right. Parents are not funded by special interests or motivated by political gains. It is hard to fathom how anyone can justify indoctrinating children without the parents’ knowledge and consent in ways that are harmful to the children’s physical, mental, and spiritual help. Elected officials and education “experts” need to remember that they rightly answer to the parents whose sole interest is in the welfare of their sons and daughters.


Thank you, Governor, for involving parents in important conversations

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We fully support your policy and appreciate your courage to stand up for parents!


strongly oppose the proposed policy

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Making it policy to ignore the wishes of children about their own name and how they are addressed is fundamentally disrespectful and hurtful to them. Transgender youth already experience suicidal ideation at higher rates than their cisgender peers and refusing to dignify them by referring to them with their preferred name and pronouns will only make that worse. This policy will kill people! I strongly oppose it's implementation.


Unanimous=Chicken

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Not enough nerve to put your name to your beliefs?

stop this policy.


Parental Rights

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Parents need to be involved in all aspects of their childre

children's life. I support sex at birth determination ation.


Oppose/Heartless

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<p>A dog is treated more respectfully than this proposal </p>


No ethical counselor would ever treat child without involvement and consent of parents

Mary Beth Style, MSW Parents Out of Exile

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Thank you, Governor Youngkin administration, for correcting a terrible injustice to children.  Prepubescent children, pubescent children and adolescent children do not have the capacity to deal with the issues of gender dysphoria.  No legitimate, ethical counselor would ever see a child without the involvement of the parents.  Without the input of the parents a realistic picture of what is going on in the child's life cannot be known.  Parents need to be included in the treatment.  Let us get back to protecting children and that requires the involvement of the people who know and love them best -- their parents.  It is not up to a teacher or "school counselor" trained in "guidance" to make life changing determinations about children with whom they have had a limited encounter.


Support New Guidance

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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 the Governor

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Since the parents are the first teachers of their children, their rights need to be honored and protected.  There should be NO school policy designed to interfere with their rights to know what is happening in their childrens’ schools and especially when it comes to sensitive, personal, moral and religious issues.


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affirming historical parent role in ED policies is a must ~~ Trans by kids is CHILD ABUSE

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.


Transgender School Policy

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I support the new guidance as proposed by Gov. Youngkin.


2022 Model Policies for Virginia Department of Education

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Good evening,

I just wanted to share my concerns about at least two important issues I am in agreement with concerning students of all ages. One, is the use of school facilities such as bathrooms and locker rooms being based on the student's biological sex. Two, students especially minors or the very young should be referred to by their name and pronouns that are in their official records unless the parent approves otherwise which I do not particularly agree with at all. My final concern is the child pornographic material that is in our school libraries. They must be removed immediately. I do not understand why that type of reading material is legal let alone allowed to be seen and read by minors. One particular sexually explicit book by the name of "Gender Queer: A Memoir" has been found in several libraries in local schools all across the country. It is very important that you please take this under consideration for school policy. Children just need to be children and not be taught about sexuality on an adult level at such a young age. Thank you for your consideration of my comments.


Support the policies


Stop this craziness! Biological gender for bathroom and sports!  Support Youngkin!

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Thank you Governor Youngkin!


Strongly oppose this ugly policy

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NO HEART

NO LOVE

BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS


Oppose governor's policy re: transgender students

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I strongly oppose the governor's policy about transgender students.  Suicide rates among teens are highest in relation to sexual identity issues.  This policy will have disasterous effects on our young people and on the education community in Virginia.  Why would we ever want to put more pressure and stress on our young people about who they are? We already know from the pandemic that mental health issues (such as fear and stress, among other things) are a serious issue for them.  Growing up and feeling good about who you are is difficult enough.  Don't you remember???  What is the goal of this policy????


Proposed "Model Policy" for trans kids

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I am opposed to the proposed policy. Besides not conforming with the intent of the 2020 statute, everything about the proposed policies are just plain cruel, and have already raised anxiety among kids who will be affected. The proposals also imply that every trans kid is a pervert, waiting to attack someone in the bathroom that corresponds with their gender identity.

The governor's spokesperson made a statement that  'it is not under a school's or the government 's purview  to impose a set of particular ideological beliefs on all students.' But that is exactly what these proposals would do.

Please support our kids, all of them, in all their wonderful diversity, and don't punish them or drive them to self-harm, for simply wanting to be themselves.

Thank you


Good job, Governor Youngkin.  I support parents’ involvement with children.


Oppose this policy

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A Grammy of a transgender grandson who needs love and support.


Albemarle Neighborhood Strongly in Support

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As a neighborhood we have read the three relevant documents together:

the Albemarle County Public School JBA, adopted 8/12/2021

the VDOE 2021 Model Policies

the draft VDOE 2022 Model Policies

My family and our neighbors strongly endorse the new draft 2022 policy.  The 2021 Albemarle County Policy and VDOE Model policies do not align with our core values nor represent the values of the overwhelming majority of people in our community.  As we read and discussed this material together it was amazing what people thought the policy was verse what it actually is (as written).   We thank the current administration for the 2022 model policy and It’s return to decency and proper protection of female/male definition and parental values!

A few reoccurring themes in our round table discussion:

Our daughters should not be subject to boys in their locker room nor the threat of being forced to share a hotel room with a “confused” boy who claims to be otherwise on a field trip.

Our daughters should not be forced to compete against testosterone infused kids (boys).

Our teachers (some in the roundtable) long tenured careers should not be threatened for objecting to long standing values and biology, and their core beliefs.

Parents are to be intricately involved with the health and wellbeing of their kids; schools and unnamed administrators should not be primary value decision makers.

What ever happed to the KISS method? Why do we need three pages of definitions for boys and girls and a whole new set of pronouns that make zero sense especially in writing?

The 2021 policy roll outs were repulsive and are rightfully about to be relegated to the dumpster.

Protect our children, allow our teachers to educate, and allow parents to parent.


Support with these changes

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<p>My thanks to the governor and others who have put forward these proposed changes. I teach my children to treat others with respect even if they do not agree with the choices or behavior of other people. Teaching them values is my job as a parent. I appreciate the governor's effort to continue to protect our children from bullying at school, whether that bullying is based on religion, race, sexual preference, gender, etc. And I very much appreciate that these proposed changes will end the practice of requiring teachers and schools to promote progressive ideologies that would have incalculable negative consequences on children as individuals and our society collectively. </p>


Keep that lefty wacko ideology in California- we don’t want to live in that cesspool.

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Don’t bring your out of state nonsense to Virginia.


Parental Rights

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Parental rights are critical to the development of healthy and informed students and must not be ignored at any point!


Thank you Governor Youngkin

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Thank you for supporting parental rights. This is a good start, but this still puts non-woke teachers at the mercy of school boards and administrators because cultural competency is still an added component to the teacher evaluation tool used.  Also being forced to teach character education (many using CASEL products) and SEL curriculum leaves teachers prey to school districts pushing these gender issues which are included alongside CRT.

III.Statutory Authority and Requirements (A7) Needs to be a clear definition of what "sex based dress codes" means. Cannot permit another situation (male student wearing a skirt and being allowed to be in a girls locker room/bathroom and then sexually assaulting a female student (LoudounCounty).

(A8) Must clarify what "student participation in sex-specific school activities, events, and use of school facilities" means - and why these activities do not include athletics. Does that mean that males will be allowed to compete in female sports?

IV.Terminology (3) "transgender student" - absent from that definition is a diagnosis of gender dysphoria by a medical professional. Without such a medical diagnosis, the fact that there exists only two biological sexes becomes a moot point.

VI. Additional Related Laws (A4) The PPRA provides for the right of a parent of a student to inspect, upon the request of the parent, any instructional material used as part of an educational curriculum for the student."  (HOWEVER THIS STATEMENT DOES NOT INCLUDE CONTENTS WITHIN A SCHOOL LIBRARY. THE LOOPHOLE FOR THOSE WISHING TO "GROOM" OUR CHILDREN IS CLAIMING THAT LIBRARY BOOKS ARE NOT SPECIFICALLY PART OF AN EDUCATIONAL CURRICULUM. THE CONTENT OF MANY BOOKS FOUND THUS FAR IN MANY OF VIRGINIA'S SCHOOL LIBARIES IS BEYOND SEXUALLY EXPLICIT AND PROFANE. CHILDREN WOULD NOT BE PERMITTED IN MOVIE THEATERS WITHOUT A PARENT IF SUCH CONTENT WAS BEING DISPLAYED. YET OBJECTING TO THIS AS PART OF THEIR '"FREE READING MATERIAL" IS LABELED AS BOOK BURNING AND BOOK BANNING.  SCHOOL BOARDS WILL MAKE THE CLAIM THAT THEY HAVE A POLICY FOR PARENTS TO "object/challenge" MATERIALS (i.e. fill out a form, etc.) -- BUT IF PARENTS DON'T HAVE A CLUE THAT THIS CONTENT IS PREYING UPON THEIR CHILDREN -- THEN WHAT?

(A14) "requiring character education" - while this sounds like a wonderfully altruistic goal -- there are many school districts using CASEL products to fulfill this requirement.  CASEL products are well known to be the TROJAN horse for Critical Race Theory products and SEL products that have CRT and activisim intertwined through it.

(A16) - same issue as A4.

(A17) "If student has indicated that the reason for being a imminent risk of suicide relates to parental abuse or neglect" -- this is a loophole that groomers use to circumvent parents when they push transgender treatments and NOT to include parents OR have students removed from parents.

(A19) Grimm v. Gloucester County School Board (transgender students must be allowed to use restroom facilities that correspond to their gender) - there are only two genders (male and female) - if there is no specific medical diagnosis of "gender dysphoria" - how, then, can a male use a female's bathroom?

Appendix 1 - Model Policies (C2) Maintenance of student records -- ???to change legal name or sex in records (current or past) - shouldn't there be a diagnosis of gender dysphoria as part of the legal documents?

(D4 + 5) - Identification of Students - where is medical diagnosis of gender dysphoria as part of the legal documents?

(D7) - This language needs to include the statement that teachers are NOT "to conceal material information, etc....", as a stand alone statement to be added to the part of school districts not being allowed to force them to conceal.

(F1+2) - There is absolutely NO clarification - as written, it leaves wide open the opportunity for boys wearing skirts, etc. (i.e Loudoun County sexual assault incident)


Model schools policy

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I strongly support these common sense policies that emphasize the rights of parents to be involved in every aspect of their children’s education and  their mental and emotional health.. The public schools cannot be permitted to usurp parents rights.


I Strongly Oppose the Governor’s Dangerous Proposed Transgender Student Policies

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<p>As the parent of a gay child, I strongly oppose the proposed transgender policies.  They are hateful and divisive and will hurt children.  Middle school and high school are hard enough on kids as it is, especially any of those that are a little different, and this policy will only make things worse by supporting discrimination during an already difficult time in children's lives.  At a time when children need the most support as they are growing and learning about themselves and their sexuality, they should not be forced to hide or deny their identities because of a minority of uninformed homophobic people who are trying to force their views on everyone. </p>


Support parental rights

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<p>Thank you governor </p>


Fully Support

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I fully support parental rights.


Parental Rights and Responsibilities

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It is the parent's responsibility to educate their children.  The State assists parents in carrying out this responsibility, if the parents so choose.  It is not the State's role to determine what true is nor should the State indoctrinate our children.  When School Boards start attacking parents for voice their opinions on how their children should be educated, then our society is in real trouble.


rights

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rights belong to the parents

it is the parents duty to raise teir children

the problem is the state assumes too much responsibility

the rights ,priveleges,blessings,responsibility to teach will always belong to the owners

the children belong to to their God given parents

the state only assists the curriculum defined by the parents

God bless everyone


Policies re: transgender students

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<p>Policies need to be based on research based evidence and not on opinions. Please incorporate evidence-based guidelines into the proposed policies and not on political positions. Thank you. </p>


Good move.

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As parents are the first and best teachers of their children, and as the public schools should only act as agents of and in cooperation with parents, this policy change is most welcome.  Teachers should never consider themselves co-parents.


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I am writing in opposition to Governor Youngkin's 2022 Anti-Transgender Student Policy.  I oppose the guidance form the Governor on this issue.  As an educator and as a person with transgender friends and neighbors, I recognize that transgender individuals face a great deal of scrutiny and judgement.  Virginia students need acceptance and encouragement -- not our judgement.  This proposed policy is discriminatory and based on the false assumption that schools do not work with parents or pay attention to their concerns.  Schools must be supportive of students and their families -- just not at the expense of the students and their overall wellbeing.  Transgender students often face rejection and many times it comes first from their families.  The result of this emotional pain can be tragic for these amazing young people.  Suicide attempts and completions are a tragic result of the isolation that our young people can experience.  This policy clearly threatens safety and wellbeing for transgender students, especially those who do not have support at home.  Forcing students to only use their legal names is counterproductive to safe learning environments. Just ask any kid who has ever preferred a nickname to the moniker given by parents.  As educators, we build relationships with each student in order to teach academics.  Let's not make it more difficult to build healthy relationships with students or endanger students who already navigate difficult circumstances.  I urge the VDOE to reject the Governor's proposed draft.


Youngkin’s proposal will destroy young trans people’s mental health

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<p>This is not acceptable. Trans youths’ rights are essential to comprehensive care and a healthy, safe upbringing. So many trans kids only feel safe expressing themselves at school due to hostile home environments — and Youngkin wants to take that safety away. Mental health in our youth will absolutely plummet. People wonder why LGBTQ+ youth struggle so much with anxiety and depression — people are out to get us. Youths deserve respect and affirming care just as much as adults. </p>


Parents’ Rights for Their Children in School

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Parents’ know their children and what their needs are.  There is guidance and counseling available if they need it.

SCHOOLS SHOULD TEACH READING, WRITING & ARITHMETIC.
That’s it!  Stay out of gender issues and everything that goes with it.  It’s none of their business and out of the domain of Education.

Teachers have enough to do with teaching, testing and record keeping.


Bathroom Policy in Schools

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I stand with Gov. Youngkin’s comments and policies regarding gender use of restroom facilities in school district!


Support

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<p>Parents have best interest for their children </p>


Empower Parents not Teachers Unions

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I fully support Governor Youngkin's proposed policies and reject the foolish policies promulgated by Ralph Northam. The ability of teachers, administrators, and union flacks to substitute their opinions and choices for those of parents MUST end! Children in public schools are not the "property" of the schools or teachers; these children are not "our kids" as many teachers like to say. The days of allowing teachers, administrators, and school nurses to make decisions for students, independent of their parents cannot be allowed to continue.

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.


Pro-Life


Restore 1st Amendment Rights, Parental Rights, childrens rights

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the March 2021 guidelines violated the 1st Amendment Rights of teachers. They violated parental rights. Most of all they violated the rights of minor children who need the help and guidance of a parent during their tumultuous adolescence. Please restore these rights by enacting the VDOE’s newly proposed Model Policies on the Privacy, Dignity, and Respect for all Students and Parents.


Department of Education proposed policies

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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.


OPPOSED: children deserve safety and autonomy over their own bodies, protect these kids!

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This is beyond the parent’s views, let children have access to counseling and therapy sessions that will benefit them.

These kids need a trusted adult to confide in and feel supported. Do NOT take away a child’s protection and safety ever!

Parents have to create a safe environment for their child(ren), not disown them for differing views! Shame on the ones who shun their kid(s) and physically/verbally abuse their child(ren) for expressing LQBTQ+ views!! Shut up and listen to your child(ren) for once, they don’t live for you!


Support

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<p>Parents know their children's needs better than anyone, including schools. The role of parents in the care of their children is sacred whether the children are at school, athletics, or any other community-based activity. </p>


Adults that encourage trans mental disorder is a crime

Trans should get therapy for mental disorder, not hormones and surgery


Healthy male thinking they are a girl in the wrong body is a mental disorder

Stop celebrating disorders, it’s not brave , it’s mental illness


Protect children and parental rights

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Please protect the rights of parents to guide and nurture their children. Protect the children from making life altering decisions without parental knowledge or consent.

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.


Teens and children are part of a family

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While I have compassion for the situation of teens who are on a different page than their parents, it's an egregious overreach to remove kids from their families because the families aren't on board with government-sponsored ideology.  I'd like to see how these folks would react if their kids were taken away from them for not being brought up religious!  It's the parents' decision how to raise and care for their kids unless there's real abuse going on, and this really doesn't qualify.  Once a teen turns 18, it's their decision how to live.


Nothing hidden from parents

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I support the new policy which is common sense, sex separating bathrooms and overnight events, and keeping parents well informed of anything, especially related to something as important as issues with a child's identity. Thank you!


Overhaul the rules!

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Pro-parent Policies.

The present preoccupation with pronouns and the promotion of safe spaces has ushered in an age of reducing our youth (and young adults) to emotional bodies of cells that can shift and be manipulated at will. The more we can do within the State to promote an agenda and legislation to ensure that parents are actively involved in the education of their children is paramount. Education is not about dumping our youth off at daycare! I was a daycare worker for a couple of years - who knows who is forming the youth. We should be challenging our youth to strive for a greatness of soul and to understand what it means to be men and women who contribute to the good of society and not to simply devolve into emotional roller coasters every time they are challenged.

I know a number of teachers who see teaching as a mission that serves their faith, they see themselves as custodians and advocates of young men and women, they deserve to be supported and not simply expected to carry a party line. We shouldn’t boxing them in to an agenda that is about 15 seconds old, but is scaring people from defending the truth.


Fully Support Governor Youngkin!!!


Support these changes! Please, Governor Youngkin do it!


STRONGLY AGAINST THESE CHANGES

Diane K., parent, ally, supporter of trans rights

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I am writing to oppose the proposed changes in how schools are to handle transgender and non-binary students. As a parent, I see no problem with the school doing everything in their abilities to fully support a student. Also as a parent, I do not feel my rights are threatened in any way by a school or teacher affirming a child's identity and calling them by their chosen pronouns and/or name. Schools are supposed to be safe places for children to learn and thrive. Unfortunately, many children, especially transgender, gay, and/or nonbinary children do not come from HOMES that offer that same safe environment for them to be themselves. Some children are not comfortable telling their families about their identities for fear of abuse, being kicked out of their homes and made to be homeless or worse. Outcomes for transgender and nonbinary children are statistically more grim, with higher rates of homelessness and suicide. I fear that involving parents in situations that are unstable and unsafe at home would create higher rates of suicide and homelessness among this population of students. For many children, being at school is the only place they can be themselves. Why force these children to out themselves to their families when they are not ready, putting them into a potentially unsafe environment. I fear for the safety of all transgender, nonbinary and gay children, because what is next?! It takes great courage to be oneself and to share one's true self with the world. As a parent and ally and active member of my community in Burke, I implore you to not implement these changes. Students lives are at risk.


Amen! Fully Support Governor Youngkin!


Parents have God given rights as well as man made legal rights to raise/educate our children.

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Please respect our rights.


Don’t want my children introduced to these things! Support Governor Youngkin!

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<p>I don’t want to know what some of the terms for people are!  I don’t want my children introduced to them either!  Thank you Governor Youngkin!  </p>


Biological gender for bathroom and sports! Support Governor Youngkin!


English teachers support policy that prohibits the use of they/them for one person.

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<p>It is a silly, unnecessary usage of pronouns. </p>


Life

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<p>why y’all care so much about what people got in their pants? </p>


support trans rights!!

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<p>trans rights are human rights! </p>


My family supports separate bathrooms and locker rooms for boys and girls

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Thank you governor for helping the families of kids.


The CEO of AAP went to Berkeley and lives in Chicago-don’t bring your politics to Virginia!!!

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I’m shocked that liberal abortion loving AAP would post on here. We don’t want your California politics in Virginia. Is Disney going to comment next? No thank you!


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

George Young  14 years teaching experience, past pres. local Teacher Assoc.

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<p>The public school system is in jeopardy of losing its support from parents. The proposed policy is reasonable attempt to restore confidence.  Loudoun County schools “allowed” a trans person to use the opposite sex's bathroom. The trans person sexually molested two different girls.  If I had a child in that school system, I would try everything possible to get him/her out of danger by enrolling in a religious, private school. Please, MAKE OUR SCHOOLS SAFE AGAIN. </p>


School Board Statement in Support of Transgender and Non-Binary Students

Respect and Safety for Students are Non-negotiable
Charlottesville City Schools is asking Governor Youngkin’s administration to drop proposed new guidance that would undermine the division’s ability to support students who identify as transgender and non-binary.
In a letter to families from Superintendent Royal A. Gurley, Jr. sent September 23, and a letter to the community from the Charlottesville City School Board to be presented October 6, division leadership restated its commitment to providing a supportive educational environment for gender-expansive students, staff, parents/guardians, and others within the school community. That includes ensuring that schools refer to students by their chosen name.
In supporting the rights of students who identify as transgender or nonbinary, the division is aligned with federal Title IX legislation, which extends school protections based on gender identity; Virginia law, which requires the Virginia Department of Education to issue guidance to support transgender students according to “evidence-based best practices”; and the division’s own policy, which has included gender identity in its nondiscrimination statement and practices of support since 2013. In September of this year, the Charlottesville City School Board also approved a stand-alone Transgender Policy and its accompanying regulations in order to bring all of the division’s existing supportive practices into one single document.
“On top of all this, protecting students is the right thing to do,” the seven-member School Board writes in a letter it will present to the community at its regular meeting on October 6. “While we continue to learn and grow in our capacity to support transgender and nonbinary students, we are committed to moving forward with best practices supported by the American Academy of Pediatrics and others. We will not retreat to fear, misunderstanding, and bullying.” Read the full text of the School Board’s message below.
Letter from Charlottesville School Board (October 6, 2022)
Dear families, students, and community members –
In response to the Youngkin administration’s proposed changes regarding the treatment of students who identify as transgender and non-binary, the Charlottesville City School Board strongly affirms Superintendent Dr. Gurley’s commitment to “continue to support our LGBTQ+ students, staff, parents/guardians, and others within our school communities.”
In this stance, we are supported by federal Title IX legislation, which extends school protections based on gender identity. In addition, our approach is in keeping with Virginia law, which requires the Virginia Department of Education to issue guidance to support transgender students according to “evidence-based best practices.” It’s worth noting that a recent attempt to legislatively overturn this law in Virginia failed. Our approach also follows our own nondiscrimination policy, which since 2013 has protected students based on gender expression and identity. On top of all this, protecting students is the right thing to do.
We are committed to maintaining our existing policy, adopted earlier this fall, which brings together in one place our prior practices for creating a supportive environment for gender-expansive and other students. While we continue to learn and grow in our capacity to support transgender and non-binary students, we are committed to moving forward with best practices supported by the American Academy of Pediatrics and others. We will not retreat to fear, misunderstanding, and bullying.
One example of how the governor’s proposed new guidance fails to extend basic respect to transgender and non-binary students is the simple courtesy of calling students by their chosen name. Schools across the country already extend this practice to their students, whether the child uses a middle name, a variation of their first name, or a completely different name or nickname. Why, per this pending guidance, would we exempt our gender-expansive students from this basic decency?
We have always partnered with families and will continue to do so. Part of the schools’ role – in every area of a child’s growth – is to work alongside students and families and to help them navigate new terrain (and to seek their help as we also navigate new terrain).
Having said that, one of the values that schools offer young people is another set of trusted adults. Most of us can recall a time when we asked a caring teacher, clergy member, relative, or family friend for support, counsel, or a lifeline. Rejecting such connections for young people limits the very resources that have always been available to them. Mentoring relationships are at the heart of a successful school, and we want to nurture those relationships, not police them.
We are proud and privileged to stand alongside our transgender and non-binary students. As in so many other situations, when we make changes that support one group of students, we make our schools better for all our students.
We call on Governor Youngkin and the Virginia Department of Education to drop this proposed update to the guidance for transgender and non-binary students. As one of many school divisions across the state and nation that are committed to affirming and supporting gender-expansive students, Charlottesville City Schools would be happy to engage in a more productive conversation to promote mutual understanding, with the caveat that our students’ respect and safety are non-negotiable.
As a reminder, Virginia is accepting public comment on the proposed new policy through Wednesday, October 26, at: https://townhall.virginia.gov/L/comments.cfm?GDocForumID=1953.
Charlottesville City School BoardLisa Larson-Torres, ChairJames Bryant, Vice-ChairLashundra Bryson MorsbergerEmily DooleySherry KraftJennifer McKeeverDom Morse

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Respect and Safety for Students are Non-negotiable

Charlottesville City Schools is asking Governor Youngkin’s administration to drop proposed new guidance that would undermine the division’s ability to support students who identify as transgender and non-binary.

In a letter to families from Superintendent Royal A. Gurley, Jr. sent September 23, and a letter to the community from the Charlottesville City School Board to be presented October 6, division leadership restated its commitment to providing a supportive educational environment for gender-expansive students, staff, parents/guardians, and others within the school community. That includes ensuring that schools refer to students by their chosen name.

In supporting the rights of students who identify as transgender or nonbinary, the division is aligned with federal Title IX legislation, which extends school protections based on gender identity; Virginia law, which requires the Virginia Department of Education to issue guidance to support transgender students according to “evidence-based best practices”; and the division’s own policy, which has included gender identity in its nondiscrimination statement and practices of support since 2013. In September of this year, the Charlottesville City School Board also approved a stand-alone Transgender Policy and its accompanying regulations in order to bring all of the division’s existing supportive practices into one single document.

“On top of all this, protecting students is the right thing to do,” the seven-member School Board writes in a letter it will present to the community at its regular meeting on October 6. “While we continue to learn and grow in our capacity to support transgender and nonbinary students, we are committed to moving forward with best practices supported by the American Academy of Pediatrics and others. We will not retreat to fear, misunderstanding, and bullying.” Read the full text of the School Board’s message below.

Letter from Charlottesville School Board (October 6, 2022)

Dear families, students, and community members –

In response to the Youngkin administration’s proposed changes regarding the treatment of students who identify as transgender and non-binary, the Charlottesville City School Board strongly affirms Superintendent Dr. Gurley’s commitment to “continue to support our LGBTQ+ students, staff, parents/guardians, and others within our school communities.”

In this stance, we are supported by federal Title IX legislation, which extends school protections based on gender identity. In addition, our approach is in keeping with Virginia law, which requires the Virginia Department of Education to issue guidance to support transgender students according to “evidence-based best practices.” It’s worth noting that a recent attempt to legislatively overturn this law in Virginia failed. Our approach also follows our own nondiscrimination policy, which since 2013 has protected students based on gender expression and identity. On top of all this, protecting students is the right thing to do.

We are committed to maintaining our existing policy, adopted earlier this fall, which brings together in one place our prior practices for creating a supportive environment for gender-expansive and other students. While we continue to learn and grow in our capacity to support transgender and non-binary students, we are committed to moving forward with best practices supported by the American Academy of Pediatrics and others. We will not retreat to fear, misunderstanding, and bullying.

One example of how the governor’s proposed new guidance fails to extend basic respect to transgender and non-binary students is the simple courtesy of calling students by their chosen name. Schools across the country already extend this practice to their students, whether the child uses a middle name, a variation of their first name, or a completely different name or nickname. Why, per this pending guidance, would we exempt our gender-expansive students from this basic decency?

We have always partnered with families and will continue to do so. Part of the schools’ role – in every area of a child’s growth – is to work alongside students and families and to help them navigate new terrain (and to seek their help as we also navigate new terrain).

Having said that, one of the values that schools offer young people is another set of trusted adults. Most of us can recall a time when we asked a caring teacher, clergy member, relative, or family friend for support, counsel, or a lifeline. Rejecting such connections for young people limits the very resources that have always been available to them. Mentoring relationships are at the heart of a successful school, and we want to nurture those relationships, not police them.

We are proud and privileged to stand alongside our transgender and non-binary students. As in so many other situations, when we make changes that support one group of students, we make our schools better for all our students.

We call on Governor Youngkin and the Virginia Department of Education to drop this proposed update to the guidance for transgender and non-binary students. As one of many school divisions across the state and nation that are committed to affirming and supporting gender-expansive students, Charlottesville City Schools would be happy to engage in a more productive conversation to promote mutual understanding, with the caveat that our students’ respect and safety are non-negotiable.

As a reminder, Virginia is accepting public comment on the proposed new policy through Wednesday, October 26, at: https://townhall.virginia.gov/L/comments.cfm?GDocForumID=1953.

Charlottesville City School Board
Lisa Larson-Torres, Chair
James Bryant, Vice-Chair
Lashundra Bryson Morsberger
Emily Dooley
Sherry Kraft
Jennifer McKeever
Dom Morse


Support Trans Rights


Strongly Oppose

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I strongly oppose these changes taking rights away from children who are already going through a difficult time!


Strongly Oppose  -  self expression is part of being well-rounded in preparation for future success

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Why would anyone try to suppress the well-being of others? If you are threatened by the way someone looks, feels, loves, or how they want to express themselves then that is on you. Being a teenager is difficult enough, why make it worse?

School should be an environment for our children to learn to be productive members of society. Parents who are trying to take that away from other parent's children are, in my opinion, way too self-absorbed in self righteousness that is misguided for a productive society.

There are all types of people out there, each with strengths and weaknesses. I would much rather for the school/school board to concentrate on making all students smarter and prepare them for success in life, than to rip them apart because some adults can't think outside of their own bubble.

Ask your teenager if any of this really affects them, it may surprise you that kids today are much more tolerant of others than you may be, and that's a good thing.


Strongly oppose

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<p>I strongly oppose this proposal. Children at school should be free to express their identities without fear. This proposal also undermines the trust between a student and student. It’s not the teacher’s job to police and report student behavior. </p>


Strongly Oppose

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Strongly oppose. This isn’t an attack on parental rights. No one is talking about taking away parental rights. What this is about is trans rights and an attack on the LGBTQ+ community. Protect trans rights!!!!


I do NOT support these policies - I stand with gender diverse youth

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The 2022 “model” policies which were released  by the VA DOE are not in compliance with law nor are they consistent with the best practice recommendation set forth by all major medical, education, and mental health agencies across the country regarding the care and treatment of transgender and gender diverse youth.  The entirety of these policies is discriminatory, biased, and with an intentionally inflammatory agenda. I remain concerned about the safety and survival of already at-risk gender diverse youth who read today’s new releases and have legitimate concerns for their physical safety if school personnel out them to non-affirming parents, deadname them, or misgender them.

As with all people, support that transgender and gender diverse youth receive at school and at home is critical to their ability to thrive. Please allow them to do so.


LGBT+ STUDENTS DESERVE RIGHTS

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Acting like this will kill trans kids and do irreparable harm to other LGBT+students, PLEASE support our trans youth and not laws that will kill them


Protect Emotionally Vulnerable Children and Parental Rights!

Dear Virginia Dept of Education,

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

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

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

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

Sincerely,
Lauri Van Osdol
275 Norway St
Norway, MI 49870

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Dear Virginia Dept of Education,<br /><br />Schools should never secretly socially transition students and keep the child's new name, pronouns and gender identities from parents. I am pleased and relieved that the Virginia Department of Education's revised model policies support parental rights and ensure that school employees don't cut parents out of critical decisions for their children. <br /><br />The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) issued "model policies" in 2021 that encouraged every school district in Virginia to hide a child's new gender identity from parents who choose to affirm the child's biological sex. Under Governor Youngkin's leadership, the VDOE's revised policies make it clear that all children should be valued and parents' rights and beliefs should be respected. The 2022 Model Policies on the Privacy, Dignity, and Respect for all Students and Parents in Virginia's Public Schools keep parents involved in major decisions in their children's lives.<br /><br />The 2021 VDOE "model policies" encouraged schools to create "a plan (that) may include addressing the student at school with their name and pronoun consistent with their gender identity while using the legal name and pronoun associated with the sex assigned at birth when communicating with parents or guardians." <br /><br />I strongly support the revised policies that end this practice. Virginia schools should not drive a wedge between parents and their emotionally vulnerable children. Virginia school districts, including those who have already communicated their plans to ignore the 2022 revised model policies, should put an end to secret Gender Support Plans now.<br /><br />Sincerely,
<br />Lauri Van Osdol
<br />275 Norway St<br />Norway, MI 49870<br /><img src="http://admin.phone2action.com/email/open/leg/657523/148126054" width="1" height="1" />


Concerns with policy

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I am writing to express my concern about the changes proposed.  First off I think children are so vulnerable just being a child or teenager.  I raised two girls that are not transgender but they have never felt threathend by the current policy you have proposed to change. I also was able to provide a home to a young man who came out as gay to his parents.  They were not accepting of this information and told him had to enter a conversion program or he would be exiled from his home.  He loved his family and initially he thought he would try it to appease his parents but after he began reading more about the programs and the very high sucide rate of those who "successfully" completed the program he approached his parents about this information and his concern.  Their response was yes that is correct and we think it is worth the risk.  My daughter told me of the situation and we opened our home to him.  This young man had top grades, very popular student leader, completed college, grad school and works in the field of medical research and is a healthy productive member of our society.

While yes parents should be involved in their child's education,their life to provide guidance and unconditional love.  When unconditional love cannot be provided by parents our society needs to be supporative of our children, regardless if they are straight, Homosexual, or transgender.  This policy makes it illegal for educational staff to do this.

thank you


Parents Rights to guide their children's curricula in schools

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Parents belong to their parents and to God. Only virtuous material should be taught.


agreement for children in public schools

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thank you

I agree strongly with the actions set fourth in this document on going forward in the public schools concerning children and what they are taught and are handled while in the public school buildings.


Strongly Support parental rights

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Strongly Support Parental Rights in schools


Dear Virginia Dept of Education,

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

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

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

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

Sincerely,
Ryan Lundquist
2133 W 100 S
Greenfield, IN 46140

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Dear Virginia Dept of Education,<br /><br />Schools should never secretly socially transition students and keep the child's new name, pronouns and gender identities from parents. I am pleased and relieved that the Virginia Department of Education's revised model policies support parental rights and ensure that school employees don't cut parents out of critical decisions for their children. <br /><br />The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) issued "model policies" in 2021 that encouraged every school district in Virginia to hide a child's new gender identity from parents who choose to affirm the child's biological sex. Under Governor Youngkin's leadership, the VDOE's revised policies make it clear that all children should be valued and parents' rights and beliefs should be respected. The 2022 Model Policies on the Privacy, Dignity, and Respect for all Students and Parents in Virginia's Public Schools keep parents involved in major decisions in their children's lives.<br /><br />The 2021 VDOE "model policies" encouraged schools to create "a plan (that) may include addressing the student at school with their name and pronoun consistent with their gender identity while using the legal name and pronoun associated with the sex assigned at birth when communicating with parents or guardians." <br /><br />I strongly support the revised policies that end this practice. Virginia schools should not drive a wedge between parents and their emotionally vulnerable children. Virginia school districts, including those who have already communicated their plans to ignore the 2022 revised model policies, should put an end to secret Gender Support Plans now.<br /><br />Sincerely,
<br />Ryan Lundquist
<br />2133 W 100 S<br />Greenfield, IN 46140<br /><img src="http://admin.phone2action.com/email/open/leg/657523/148125307" width="1" height="1" />


Oppose: protect the lives of ALL children

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These 2022 model policies will create an unsafe and negative learning environment that discriminates against LGBT+ youth. This proposal endangers and degrades thousands of students, both at school and at home.

Forcing teachers to call transgender students by their legal names holds an unfair standard in favor of the many cisgender students who use nicknames at school without parental permission, More importantly, mandating teachers to report students' queer identities allows non-affirming parents to abuse and neglect their children upon discovering their identity. These policies will subject transgender youth to higher rates of bullying, self-harm, and suicidal ideation.

These policies will not reduce the number of transgender youth in Virginia, but they will directly increase the number of transgender youth who attempt suicide. Gender affirmation is not a privilege, it is a right.


The AAP also believes that minors should not be required to involve parents when getting abortions

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If the American Academy of Pediatrics comes to help your child… RUN! The fact that they are on here posting is scary. They hate babies and children… one of the largest abortion advocates in the US! Of course they don’t want parents involved.


I support the changes

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The changes are consistent with science, psychology and the constitutional jurisdictions found in the Bill of Rights. The previous policy violated all of these. I support the changes.


Parents Rights/Religious Beliefs just buzzword for Good Ol days of intolerance

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I strongly oppose Gov. Youngkin's Model Policy which dismantles the good work that Policy 8040 enacted in a bipartisan way working through the General Assembly and then being adopted at the division level by county school boards.

Instead, Gov. Youngkin through fiat seeks to erase all that work under the notion that “parents’ rights” and the constitutional protection for religious beliefs are being thwarted.

The net effect is that parents, who are overwhelming informed by schools about curricula, extracurricular activities, etc. and are notified by text, email, and through ParentVue portals in many different languages, yet somehow claim their rights or religious beliefs are being abrogated, will now feel like they’ve been heard.

And what of the actual policy that was meant to bring equity and inclusion to transgender students? Youngkin's model policy essentially eliminates them or makes it much harder for transgender students to be welcomed and valued in an equitable and safe environment. That is not dealing with an issue, let alone solving it.

Gov. Youngkin’s parent's rights and support for religious belief are just a cover for intolerance and denial of the needs transgender students have for equity and inclusion. VA schools will suffer from this setback and students and their families will be the victims.


Support Trans Rights

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Trans rights are human rights. These policies would be a violation of human rights. Trans youth deserve a safe space to express themselves just as any other kid.


STRONGLY DISAGREE

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I STRONGLY DISAGREE WITH THIS. LET TRANS KIDS HAVE THEIR RIGHTS


Provide Protections for All Not Just the Few

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Common sense needs to be applied here. There need to be protections in place for the largest number of students. Girls should not be forced to share a bathroom or locker room with another student because they "identify" as a certain gender. This could result in a 13 or 14-year old girl to be in an intimate area of the school with an 18-year old biological male. This is flagrantly non-sensical. Likewise the same thing could happen to a boy being in an intimate area of the school with a female who is much older.

Children in their early teenage years are among the most vulnerable mentally and physically. Their minds and bodies are rapidly changing and they carry with them uncertainty and insecurities about their physical development. They (the masses ) should be able to exist in a school environment without these unnecessary risks.

To the extent possible schools should provide locations where trans gender kids can go to bathroom or change clothes.

Also, girls should be afforded the full protections of Title IX by being able to compete on a level playing field with other competitors that are biologically aligned. Biological males should not be able to compete in female athletic settings .

I support the 2022 changes.


Proposed rules are harmful, and discriminatory

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Public institutions have an obligation to serve people of all identities. Schools in particular have an existential and moral obligation to nurture and affirm vulnerable childrens identities and help them. This nonsense proposal from the governor can only serve to harm our children.  Parents can unfortunately inflict whatever views they want on their child at home, but the school must respect what the child actually wants, and what their identity is, even and especially when that identity is complex and sometimes evolving. Anything else is child abuse.


Statement from American College of Pediatrics

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In 2002 a group of pediatricians and related professionals split from the 86-year-old American Academy of Pediatrics over the organization's support for abortion and homosexual adoption. Some 14 years later, now called the American College of Pediatricians, the group is challenging the AAP on transgenderism.

In a biting statement last month, the American College of Pediatricians warned legislators and educators that conditioning children to accept transgenderism as normal is child abuse, as transgenderism is classified as a mental illness.

"The American College of Pediatricians urges educators and legislators to reject all policies that condition children to accept as normal a life of chemical and surgical impersonation of the opposite sex. Facts — not ideology — determine reality," they warned.

"When an otherwise healthy biological boy believes he is a girl, or an otherwise healthy biological girl believes she is a boy, an objective psychological problem exists that lies in the mind not the body, and it should be treated as such. These children suffer from gender dysphoria. Gender dysphoria, formerly listed as gender identity disorder, is a recognized mental disorder in the most recent edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the American Psychiatric Association. The psychodynamic and social learning theories of GD/GID have never been disproved," the statement added.


I Oppose

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<p>I incredibly oppose to this proposal by governor Youngkin, it diminishes the safe space that a school should be. </p>


OPPOSE


Oppose

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Please keep trans students safe.


LITERALLY SICK OVER THIS / STRONGLY OPPOSE

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<p>My kid came out as trans in 2021 and the school has been very supportive. All kids deserve to have a safe space and access to mental health care services. My family is experiencing severe stress over these proposed rule changes. I’m literally in the hospital due to a chronic illness influenced by stress. I strongly oppose this policy and need to see it thrown in the trash where it belongs. </p>


I totally agree.

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In this day and age we allow a child to make a decision on what they want to be however that child has not grown up enough to make that decision on their own. In the past this would have never been allowed i get the fact people feel that grew up during that time were incentive, but I feel that people have become to sensitive a d to brain washed by social media and liberal press. With this being said to many people that believe in today thinking need to realize that they are destroying everything that past generations have fought and died for.


Please support new parental rights policy

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This is a common sense policy please support!


Please Protect Transgender Students

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Dear Governor Youngkin,

While I fully understand the concern of cis-gender female students with having a transgender female in their locker room or multi-stall bathroom, I would like to share with you my personal experience with a non-binary child.

We are a family with very conservative personal values. My husband and I do not use any "drugs", we have a glass of wine with dinner and have been monogamous for 42 years. I gave up my career as a scientist to care of our middle profoundly disabled daughter who lived with her genetic brain defect for 13 years until she passed away in our home. In that environment we raised our third child.

As a toddler our third child preferred to play with boys and in elementary school they frequently told us that they were a "pony" named "night bear". Throughout school, I was called in by this youngest child's teachers about behavior that was atypical. When children in her elementary school were segregated by sex for prayer in 2nd grade, our child began to crawl under the table. In middle school when girls were called upon to bake for a fundraiser, our child boycotted saying " why don't the boys have to bake". Fortunately an understanding middle school principal said " well the students just learned about boycotts so this is understandable."

Eventually in ninth grade our child wrote us a letter explaining that they did not identify as female and had been certain about this for a year and wanted to share this. We accepted this and told our child that we loved them whatever gender they were. It was when we moved to a new state for work that our child decided that they would matriculate as a male at their new school. They had always played football with boys at recess but now they could sit with the boys at lunch and hang out with them between classes. Despite this making our child a lot more comfortable, they continued with a practice that had started in middle school, refusing to use any bathroom at school and avoiding any PE options that necessitated changing in school.

Our child's experience with school had a profound impact upon them and ultimately they chose to work at an online business that they had created in high school rather than subject themselves to the awkwardness of constantly feeling unnatural in society at large. Dropping their voice as they work with colleagues and customers all day enables them to be who they feel that they are.

I share this with you so that you can understand that what appears to just be a "woke agenda" on the surface is actually an attempt to help people who are atypical to feel a degree of normalcy. While I understand that we cannot endanger or make many people feel uncomfortable for the sake of a small number, we should offer accommodations to those who are transgender or non-binary because in the absence of these, they are less likely to be able to participate and contribute in positive ways to society and may even require far more in the way of support in the long run. These are not bad or undisciplined people by and large, though there are some of those in every group in society.

I hope that my story has some impact upon the way that you and others think about decisions that impact transgender/non-binary and LGBTQ individuals in general  in the future.

Respectfully,

Julie Bernstein


The American Academy of Pediatrics is an ultra left leaning political group- sold out to lib agenda

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That is a fact. They don’t have children’s best interests at heart. They are a sell out to liberal wokeness.


Review of proposed changes

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These guidelines and proposed changes are reasonable and balance the needs of the various parties (kids, schools and parents).  The issues are very personal and difficult to work thru, but these policy changes bring equilibrium to the situation.


Let's consider the welfare of EACH and every student

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<p>Please do not turn back the clock on the progress our society has made in Virginia. One of the goals of public education should be to uplift the self-esteem of each student and encourage them to find their place in the world. New policies regarding gender non-conforming students seek to bully and belittle these students, unnecessarily. I am a retired educator and a person who seeks to accept, affirm and learn from people who are not like me. Let's set a goal of INCLUSION. </p>


I don’t have to make you agree w how I live, throw me a parade, give me a month

People demanding constant affirmation do so because they’re not at peace

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Must not be living right. You demand the affirmation from man because you never get it from God.


Trans rights is Human rights.

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Having to restrict children from freely expressing themselves due to the lack of knowledge and empathy the higher ups have is highly immature and unnecessary. The community is not forcing anyone to be anything. They are simply providing acceptance for those who seek it. Having to take away their rights for personal reasoning is unprofessional because then why is their (the LGBTQIA+) reasoning suddenly invalid? It makes zero sense and blatantly goes against basic human rights. Forcing an individual to be what you want them to be will never and should never be fetishized nor accepted as a norm.


Do opponents approve . . .

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I wonder if opponents of the proposed policy approve of a school in a New England state recently that, in order to allow a "transgender girl" privacy, made the ENTIRE team of girls change in a cramped bathroom rather than the locker room and allowed the one individual the entire locker room? There are dozens of instances of these events around the nation, including in Virginia.

The fact that opponents of this proposed policy have no regard for biological males imposing themselves, for example, into what should be natural team bonding experiences and growing together as teammates (for example) and instead horrifying them shows they have less than sincere motives.

Of course, the larger issue -- the fundamental issue -- is why this basically all-of-a-sudden problem has emerged in the last 10 years. Until we get laws similar to the laws and bills recently adopted and/or proposed in Oklahoma, where the out and out corruption of pediatric medicine (both mental and physical) is not banned (hormone blockers to very young children, "therapy" designed to make them believe they are the opposite sex and other ideologically driven malpractice) we will see this problem -- literally unimaginable 10 years ago -- continue to ravage our youth and grossly distort the culture, nature and fabric of Virginia and the country.


School guidance document for transgender policies.

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<p>I support Gov. Younkin’s guidance document giving parents their God-given family authority and also leaving these policies to local school boards. </p>


Liberals promoting false ideas, grooming kids, to be helpless needy adults

Easily controlled, dependent, manipulated- break down of Family/ country


Support- trans parents sacrifice their own children for Facebook attention

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<p>Some parents care more about the attention of coming out as a trans parent than they do about their own kids. It is a sad society that we live in. </p>


Transgender rights are human rights!

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The new laws surrounding transgender student rights are harmful to the mental and physical well-being of all our children.  I was proud of Northam's policies on this subject and proud to be in a state that supported civil rights.  These new policies are the opposite of civil rights-they put our students (those who identify as trans, their allies and everyone else) at danger for feeling unsafe at school.  This is reminiscent of a time when there were "whites only" bathrooms and water fountains.  If the issue is about trust -- shouldn't parents trust their kids to know when and where to use the bathroom?  The fear mongering tactics used to promote the idea that other students are in danger if a trans student uses the bathroom they identify with is just that -- fear tactics.  There is much more evidence of trans students being the victim of violence (in all areas, but specifically in school bathrooms), rather than being the perpetrators of identity-based violence.  Maybe Governor Youngkin could use his influence to help educate the parents he wants to trust in important human rights, such as the needs of our trans children.


I am the parent of a trans teen and I STRONGLY OPPOSE this proposed policy!

The statement from this parent from Hanover County encapsulates the reasons I oppose this policy:
"I’m the father of a non-binary student in Hanover. Who my child is wouldn't change if I refused to acknowledge them. Redefining words to bend their meaning wouldn’t change who my child is.
This policy was intentionally written to ignore me, ignore my child, but most importantly, it was written to ignore their friends who aren't ready to come out to their families, or whose families are unsupportive.

If this policy were really about parental rights - I would be able to request that the school address my child as they/them - instead of just male or female.If this policy were really about parental rights - we wouldn’t be required to provide legal documents just to have our children addressed by their chosen name at school.
If this policy were really about freedom of speech - supportive teachers wouldn’t be forced to ignore a student’s chosen name, or their gender just because of what their birth certificate says.
If this policy were really about freedom of religion - it wouldn’t ignore those whose religion calls on them to treat others with compassion instead of disrespect.
If this policy were really about all students - it wouldn’t exclude the most vulnerable students.
If this policy were really about preventing bullying - it wouldn’t devote almost every legal argument to legitimizing unsupportive parents and bigotry.
If this policy were really about the truth - it wouldn’t need to redefine words to bend their meaning."

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The statement from this parent from Hanover County encapsulates the reasons I oppose this policy:

"I’m the father of a non-binary student in Hanover. Who my child is wouldn't change if I refused to acknowledge them. Redefining words to bend their meaning wouldn’t change who my child is.

This policy was intentionally written to ignore me, ignore my child, but most importantly, it was written to ignore their friends who aren't ready to come out to their families, or whose families are unsupportive.

If this policy were really about parental rights - I would be able to request that the school address my child as they/them - instead of just male or female.
If this policy were really about parental rights - we wouldn’t be required to provide legal documents just to have our children addressed by their chosen name at school.

If this policy were really about freedom of speech - supportive teachers wouldn’t be forced to ignore a student’s chosen name, or their gender just because of what their birth certificate says.

If this policy were really about freedom of religion - it wouldn’t ignore those whose religion calls on them to treat others with compassion instead of disrespect.

If this policy were really about all students - it wouldn’t exclude the most vulnerable students.

If this policy were really about preventing bullying - it wouldn’t devote almost every legal argument to legitimizing unsupportive parents and bigotry.

If this policy were really about the truth - it wouldn’t need to redefine words to bend their meaning."


If you say banal garbage like "follow the science" and "some men get pregnant"

Then do everyone a favor and take a walk into oncoming traffic

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Because you're making the world worse


Keep this cancer away from children


Support Parent’s Rights and new policy

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Dear Virginia Department of Education Officials,

The former governor of Virginia chipped away at parent involvement. Parents should always be an integral part of a child’s education process. The new policies enshrine the rights of parents to raise their child the best way they see fit. Allow parents to be parents. The state is not the guardian of our children. I urge you to implement the policies as written and restore the right and responsibility of parents.

Thank you


There are "trans" people - that's not a real thing

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And stay away from children, you psychos.


Trans penises assault too. Don’t be a victim of trans penis. Say no to neutral bathrooms

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Stop the assaults. No to neutral bathrooms.


Vulnerable Children Should be Protected! Parental Rights Matter!

Dear Virginia Dept of Education,

Socially transitioning students is bad enough; doing it without parents' knowledge is egregiously wrong. I applaud Virginia Department of Education's revised model policies which support parental rights and ensure that school employees don't cut parents out of critical decisions for their children.
In addition, gender ideology itself is insultingly regressive in its gender stereotyping! It's misogynistic and homophobic. They are literally converting kids who would otherwise grow up to be gay or lesbian (or just gender non-conforming) to believe that are born in the wrong body and setting them down a path of surgery and life-long medicalization. What ever happened to "free to be you and me?" That's what I learned and thank goodness I did. I was a tomboy growing up and puberty was hard. But once I went through it, I felt a lot better. I have 4 kids and am happily married. I am frightened to think of what would have happened to me if I'd been born in this generation.

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

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

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

Sincerely,
Suzy Lebovitz
150 Wooster St
New York, NY 10012

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Dear Virginia Dept of Education,<br /><br />Socially transitioning students is bad enough; doing it without parents' knowledge is egregiously wrong. I applaud Virginia Department of Education's revised model policies which support parental rights and ensure that school employees don't cut parents out of critical decisions for their children. <br />In addition, gender ideology itself is insultingly regressive in its gender stereotyping! It's misogynistic and homophobic. They are literally converting kids who would otherwise grow up to be gay or lesbian (or just gender non-conforming) to believe that are born in the wrong body and setting them down a path of surgery and life-long medicalization. What ever happened to "free to be you and me?" That's what I learned and thank goodness I did. I was a tomboy growing up and puberty was hard. But once I went through it, I felt a lot better. I have 4 kids and am happily married. I am frightened to think of what would have happened to me if I'd been born in this generation. <br /><br />The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) issued "model policies" in 2021 that encouraged every school district in Virginia to hide a child's new gender identity from parents who choose to affirm the child's biological sex. Under Governor Youngkin's leadership, the VDOE's revised policies make it clear that all children should be valued and parents' rights and beliefs should be respected. The 2022 Model Policies on the Privacy, Dignity, and Respect for all Students and Parents in Virginia's Public Schools keep parents involved in major decisions in their children's lives.<br /><br />The 2021 VDOE "model policies" encouraged schools to create "a plan (that) may include addressing the student at school with their name and pronoun consistent with their gender identity while using the legal name and pronoun associated with the sex assigned at birth when communicating with parents or guardians." <br /><br />I strongly support the revised policies that end this practice. Virginia schools should not drive a wedge between parents and their emotionally vulnerable children. Virginia school districts, including those who have already communicated their plans to ignore the 2022 revised model policies, should put an end to secret Gender Support Plans now.<br /><br />Sincerely,
<br />Suzy Lebovitz
<br />150 Wooster St<br />New York, NY 10012<br /><img src="http://admin.phone2action.com/email/open/leg/657523/148121815" width="1" height="1" />


Trans Guidance Document

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Trans kids need the help of the school system to help to stand up to being bullied and other stresses caused because they are trans, they don't need the school system to help in the bullying process.  Trans kids through no fault of their own, have it hard enough without the school system forcing them to come out, many of whom have parents who do not understand that God created these trans kids, and they are no different than other kids with feelings.  Their bodies just don't match their gender identity.  Just like a kid born with a withered limb, we are all not made perfect by God.  They need empathy, not to be forced to pre-register to go to the bathroom.  The suicide rate of trans kids is considerably higher than non-trans kids, 52% of transgender kids contemplated suicide last year.  Studies have shown that trans kids who are shown some empathy are less likely to think of suicide.  G

Governor Youngkin has no right to issue this document, it is illegal by both state and federal law.


Support Girl’s Sports- Stop the Discrimination

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<p>Biological females deserve competition amongst themselves with testosterone bearing individuals competing against them. Males are bigger and stronger. We all know that. </p>


STRONGLY OPPOSE - TRANS RIGHTS ARE HUMAN RIGHTS

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<p>This policy is based on transphobia and should never ever be implemented.  Hate and bigotry have no place anywhere. All students have the right to go to school in an environment free from discrimination and bullying.  </p>