Shameful proposal

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<p>These last years, as an immigrant, is surprised to me to see as a single handful of people see and want to treat humans different from the rest just by favoring a political and power goal against those who have no access to decide what really benefits us or not. The common people of this country unite and feel the same! unlike from what people of power want to impose for their own benefit. STOP TAKING AWAY THE AMERICAN DREAM FROM THE PEOPLE </p>


Strongly support.

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<p>Strongly support. </p>


I don’t not support this policy

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<p>Policies like this are an attack on trans students privacy as well as safety in school. It is not a teacher’s place to out trans students who may not be out to their own parents. This creates an unsafe environment both in school and potentially at home. Think about the safety of trans youth, an already marginalized group with few resources available to them. </p>


Kids keep secrets, deal with it. Preferred names? Big whoop!

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<p>Stop the obvious discrimination of these trans kids. All kids deserve rights and freedom to express themselves. Safety at school is imperative for all. </p>


Extreme opposition of this policy change

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This policy does so much more harm than good. Not only does it force kids and teens to "be normal," when in actuality it can hurt them, it puts them in a DANGEROUS position. These children already face bullying and bigotry, so why would you make it worse by literally outing them to their parents? All it can take is one little notice and a plea for a signed form, and they can face abuse of any and all kinds, abandonment, and even commit suicide or be violently hate-crimed. The policy was proposed in order to make only a small percentage of people comfortable, and that isn't right morally. Protect Trans Youth!!


Support 100%

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<p>This is to protect all kids. Children at this age not be making such huge decisions without the support, knowledge, and understanding of the parents. Let alone the fact that before 25 you don’t have a fully developed frontal lobe. Coercing and “teaching” Young kids that being trans is normal and a wonderful way of life is tragic and harmful.  </p>


Strongly Support

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<p>After reading the language of the bill I STRONGLY SUPPORT Governor Youngkin and his efforts to support involve parents in this process. If there is written parental consent zero changes will be effected by the bill. This bill stops the School Administration from making these decisions for the children without the consent or knowledge of the parents. I think most reasonable people support parental involvement in the education of their children. We should not surrender that responsibility to anyone. The school, the church or the government. </p>


Strongly Support

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<p>This is not discrimination.  All this is doing is giving parents back the right to take care of and know about what’s happening with their child. It’s also protecting vulnerable kids from the unfortunate predators that do exist and will take it vantage of a policy that’s created to protect other vulnerable people.  You cannot make vulnerable children stand aside to make room for other vulnerable minorities. There needs to be some balance and this policy brings back balance.  Teachers, administrators, counselors and any other school personnel should never have been given the ability to lie to parents about the welfare and needs of their children.  I strongly support this change and I do not see how it will cause any harm to the trans kids that do actually still need support and help, which they will still get.  </p>


Strongly Oppose

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Virginians are better than this. Children and teens are struggling to survive and thrive at a time when more effort and energy are being used to focus on cultural wars rather than their general welfare and education. Enough already! Be kind. Demonstrate tolerance.


Far Right Policies have NO place in VA

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<p>Trans kids matter, these policies are violent and atrocious. There are other compromises however what you’ve come up with is far from humane. </p>


STRONGLY OPPOSE ......RETIRED EDUCATOR

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ANOTHER IGNORANT GOPr TRYING TO DESTROY ANOTHER HUMAN BEING


Former educator, current voter, disgusted

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Politics that hurt kids are no good for me. Trans people deserve our respect and support. Politicians like Youngkin do not care about our kids, they only want to make a cheap buck by stirring the pot.

If you are o afraid of Trans people, here is a novel idea: go talk to someone who is in that community and then try and deny their humanity.

Youngkin is a pathetic worm and full of hate and greed.


Strongly Oppose

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<p>I strongly oppose this bill for being blatantly prejudiced against trans people. It is clear that the people involved in this have little to no understanding of and no empathy towards the trans members of our community. </p>


Strongly oppose

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I am strongly opposed to this policy that will harm transgender and non-binary students, and the community as a whole.

School should be a place where students feel safe and respected for who they are.  As students get older, we frequently encourage them to become more independent of their parents, to form their own identities, and to advocate for themselves.  Students who choose to identify as transgender or non-binary at school should be accepted and respected for that decision, without the requirement of parental notification and consent.

There are students who may be "out" at school, but uncomfortable or even afraid of telling their family members at home.  Schools should remain a safe place for these students, rather than require that parents be notified.

Forcing students to use the name and gender assigned at birth will certainly lead to depression, suicide, and other negative consequences for transgender or non-binary individuals.  Forcing students to use restrooms, locker rooms, etc. according to gender at birth will have similar negative effects.  Not only will these policies be harmful to the students' self-esteem, they will also open up the student to bullying and other abuse.  Transgender and non-binary students already have higher rates of mental health issues than other students--schools should be trying to support them, not exacerbate these issues.

Allowing for teachers/staff to maintain religious objections to calling a student by their preferred name and/or pronouns is not required under the First Amendment.  Individuals in teaching and staff positions at schools must be open to accepting all students, regardless of their background.  Calling a student by their preferred name is not in any way inhibiting the staff member's free exercise of their religion--the staff member does not need to agree with the student's choice, but rather simply be respectful of it.

The policy will not only harm transgender and nonbinary students, but will harm the community as a whole.  Students will learn that it is ok to disrespect those with whom you do not agree, and will become less tolerant of those who are different from them.  These students will then become adults who will contribute to and worsen our current climate of animosity towards people who do not agree with us.


STRONGLY OPPOSE

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It's naive to think that parents are going to know what is best for their gay and trans kids. If they did, the suicide rate for LGBTQ kids wouldn't be so high. It's estimated that an LGBTQ kid attempts suicide every 45 seconds in this country, about 1.8 million per year. LGBTQ kids of color are at an even higher risk.This stat comes from The Trevor Project.

The kids don't attempt suicide because they are LGBTQ. It's a result of not being understood and accepted by their families, schools, and peers.

What Governor Younkin has done is to ensure that more kids are beaten, ostracized, shamed and bullied.


STRONGLY OPPOSE

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<p>These policies are arbitrary, damaging, and will result in irreparable harm to trans students that are already disproportionately at risk for discrimination and harassment and the adverse mental health effects that follow from that. </p>


STRONGLY OPPOSE

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This is abysmal.  The governor should be ashamed of himself for even suggesting this.


Strongly oppose

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<p>I strongly oppose Youngkins transphobic “model policies”. All children should have the right to feel safe, especially in their school. These policies will only lead to bullying and fear. Schools should affirm a child’s identity and promote equity. </p>


Outrageous discrimination

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Subjectin children to humiliation, potential violence and so much mental health issues. You are truly lost and heartless if you think these help an children. Trans kids are not political pawns.


Absolutely not!

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Absolutely not.  Everyone deserves to be welcomed and feel safe at their school.  This policy will further isolate students who may not feel like they are part of their school.


My parents don’t support my decision…

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The biggest argument I see about not involving parents is a lack of parental support.

So..what if a child gets caught using drugs?  “My father will kill me”. Teacher:  Don’t worry about it, I won’t tell. Just go shoot up in that room over there.

Child:  “I’m failing math. My mom is going to be ed.”  Teacher: Don’t worry, I won’t tell. I’ll put an A on the report card so they won’t know”.

These are ridiculous arguments. Parents are the caregivers. Teachers are trusted to educate, not raise.

Stop trying to remove parents from parenting. It’s literally in the name. Stop trying to create a war against parents and teachers. Parents will win that battle.


STRONGLY OPPOSE- LOVE WINS

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<p>As a community member living in Virginia for nearly 40 years, the only way we can advance our commonwealth and our country is to embrace and recognize all peoples in a loving, thoughtful and supportive way.  By excluding groups of people we create weaker communities based on division not on inclusion and love.   Strength and love should always win! </p>


What, you want to teach our kids that everyone should be the same?

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This is the land of the free for goodness sake! So what if people don't think like you and want to be different? It hurts no one- in fact differences are a good thing. If you are threatened by that you need to take a hard look in the mirror and ask, "Why am I so scared? Am I a coward? Am I totally insecure with myself?"

Do you think it is heroic to marginalize and subjugate people who are already going through a hard time? Is that heroic? Is that patriotic? Trans people in the U.S. are people, citizens, Americans. They have an unalienable right to the pursuit of happiness.

How cruel to deny them, turn them into outcasts, beat them down. How could any one be proud of doing that? They're kids not political pawns.


OPPOSE Youngkin's policy

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We previously had a model policy that was based on expert advice and best practices for trans students. Youngkin's plan is based on fear of the unknown, ignorance of scientific and medical facts, and bigotry against transgender people. Please keep religious-based decision-making where it belongs -- in the home and in the church -- and keep the policy-making regarding public schools based on the accepted guidance and recommendation from medical, mental health, and education professionals. Pandering to a certain demographic base at the expense of young trans peoples' lives is dangerous, detestable, and should not be allowed to become policy.


Strongly oppose

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Parents rights do not override the rights of the student to be who they are. This bill aims to harm transgender people by removing a safe space


Strong oppose as a parent of transgender child

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<p>The revised guidelines put transgender youth in a dangerous situation and undermine their dignity and humanity. This is a high-risk population and our public schools must be safe places for children to be their authentic selves. If a child is not open with family at home, it's likely to protect themselves from abuse or rejection. </p>


updated policies for Schools & Parent rights re transgender issues

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Thank you for updating these policies to restore protections for basic parental rights, ensuring that parents are no longer cut out of the process—especially when it concerns how gender and sexuality issues are handled with our kids at school.  I support the new policies’ removal of language that encouraged school officials to follow procedures, essentially deceiving parents when their children are making potentially life-altering decisions regarding their gender identity in a school setting.  The original policy had language that created a wedge between parents and their child, at a time when they need to have more communication—and I support the new update that removes this barrier.

 I support the updated language that acknowledges students and teachers can’t be forced into compelled speech that violates their constitutional rights, including First Amendment and religious freedom protections.

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

 I’m glad you already have comprehensive bullying policies to ensure a safe environment, while still respecting the rights of all students. It’s important schools have the freedom to address bathroom/privacy issues on a case by case basis with parents—and not through a one-size-fits-all pressure tool that treats all districts/communities the same. Middle and High School years can be very challenging enough!

 Please finalize these updated 2022 model policies as written without removing any of the key protections to restore parental involvement in the process and protect children’s privacy and safety rights

also, i am praying Kentucky would follow your example!!

thank you so much,

mw

Anderson Cnty KY


Keeping secrets from parents is not safe for the child

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Keeping secrets from parents by the school is not safe for the child. There are a lot of teachers in the news who have abused kids. Empowering schools and teachers to keep secrets from parents will give teachers opportunity to groom and sexually abuse kids. Let us not let this happen until it is too late for our kids. Parents should know what is going on. Support parental rights! Support Youngkin policy!


Strongest Opposition

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<p>These are harmful if not recklessly harmful towards a marginalized group of kids. No one in their right mind believes these benefit children. </p>


Strongly Support

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Protect our children and let parents know what is going on, when we are not there.


Protect all school age children

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Nicknames have always been a part of growing up and determining one's self-image. This proposal in VA is aimed at the transgender youth, leaving them no where to feel safe and to share their journey. Please do not support Youngkins proposal instead support equality.

Thank you,

Cheryl


In Opposition

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Overall comments:

The 2022 Model Policies are pushing a political agenda in the same manner that the current administration believes that the 2021 Model Policies promoted a specific viewpoint aimed at achieving cultural and social transformation in schools.

Transgender people come in all ages, shapes, sizes, and colors and are members of all religions. An education system that is inclusive of transgender people cannot be as simple as deferring to biological sex as stated on birth certificates, or by involving parents in all cases.  In some cases, contacting a parent regarding a student’s desire to be referred to by a pronoun that is not in agreement with their biological sex, could be devastating to the student – emotionally and physically. These cases should be considered carefully and handled in a manner that respects the student and his/her/their safety.

Should a teacher not acknowledge transgenderism, adjustments should be made to a transgender student’s schedule, so he/she/they do not have to be in said teacher’s class. The 2022 Model Policies do not provide guidance on how these situations should be handled.  Because case law to support this type of situation already exists, the Department of Education should expect and be prepared for these situations.

Specific Comments:

Section II A 2 (a) – Names, nicknames, pronouns

When a student named “James” tells teachers that he/she/they want to be called “Jim,” will the teacher contact James’ parents?  Likely not, because the teacher will respect the student’s wishes.  James’ parents named their child “James” with the intention of their child being called “James,” but teachers likely will not think twice about the nickname, which could be against the parents’ wishes.

Contacting parents regarding a student’s preferred pronouns is equally as ludicrous as contacting parents regarding a student’s preferred nickname. Contacting parents to inform them of a student’s preferred pronouns may unknowingly cause more trauma at home for the student.  The school should respect the student and comply accordingly.

Section II B – Single-user bathrooms

Single-user bathrooms should be available for a variety of reasons, not just for transgender students.

Section II D - Schools shall respect all students

The entire Act and 2022 Model Policies should be reviewed from the viewpoint of the student. As they are currently written, do the Act and 2022 Model Policies truly respect the student? They do not. Have students, or at least “eligible students,” been solicited for comments?

Section III A – Enforcement of sex-based dress codes

Referring to the dress code as “sex-based” is inconsistent with Code of Virginia, § 22.1-279.6  I (ii-iv) and the Sample Policy provided in 2022 Model Policies Appendix I Part III F.

If the purpose of the dress code is to maintain a respectful, distraction-free environment that supports a focus on learning for all students, perhaps a “unisex” dress code would be more consistent with Code of Virginia, § 22.1-279.6  I (ii-iv) and the Sample Policy provided in 2022 Model Policies Appendix I Part III F.

Section V C – “These 2022 Model Policies adhere to the First Amendment.”

This Section V C is pushing a political agenda and is inconsistent with Section II: Guiding Principles. Consider the transgender student who makes his/her/their intentions known to be called by a specific pronoun or name, and his/her/their parents’ consent to the preferred pronouns or name.  This section indicates that a teacher that does not acknowledge transgenderism would not comply with the student’s wishes and the parents’ consent and would continue to refer to the student by the pronouns associated with his/her/their biological sex, thereby going against Section II: Guiding Principles.

The Section VI 20 reference to Meriwether v. Hartop and Section VI 21 reference Loudoun County School Board, et al., v. Byron Tanner Cross, both used to serve as additional evidence base for this document, conflict with Section II: Guiding Principles.

How will this conflict be handled so that the transgender student’s wishes and parents’ consent are respected while maintaining the First Amendment rights of a teacher that believe does not acknowledge transgenderism?


Do no harm

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Youngkin's policies towards trans kids will only do more harm than good. Their lives are difficult enough. Help them. Not all parents are good to their trans children. That I know for a fact.


STRONGLY OPPOSE

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This policy wants to make a claim based on parental rights. "Parental rights" is a dog whistle. No one is taking away parental rights. And whoever is writing these policies is uninformed about gender assignment at birth. The 2021 policy takes no rights away from parents but it does protect the rights of students, no matter their gender, sexual identity, or sexual preference. The 2022 policy threatens the health and well-being of trans students and, by association, all students.

Like the issue of CRT, this issue is being used as a wedge for the Governor to make national news and gain traction as a potential candidate for the 2024 presidential nomination. It is disgusting that any politician of any party would use the vulnerable to gain attention and votes. It is especially gross when a self-proclaimed "Christian" politician targets the vulnerable to impose his Christian nationalist values on his constituents.


Oppose! This measure is harmful to children.

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It is insane to me that people are so optimistic about inevitably harming children. Not everyone has a safe home life. Those in this thread that argue that this is “poisoning” children and creating a narrative are not only lacking empathy but are part of the problem. Being “outed” to parents or others does not always end well and students in these cases are not always safe physically or emotionally. Youngkin is out of touch with the mainstream of Virginian political thought. Thousands of students and nearly 100 schools  across the state of Virginia walked out to protest this. This is not what we want. Additionally, forcing students to use bathrooms and pronouns they are not comfortable with is extremely detrimental to most people’s mental health. Trans suicide rates are incredibly high as is. This is not creating a welcoming environment at home or at school. I personally have seen students being made fun of at my high school for being apart of the LGBTQ community. All of these policies, intended to “protect students”, are doing the opposite. None of this is conducive to learning.  Keep politics off of people’s bodies and lives.


Oppose -- VA must support all children

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I strongly oppose this bill, which would be extremely harmful to the lives of the LGBTQ+ community.


Absolutely not

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<p>Strongly opposed </p>


Strongly oppose.

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<p>This proposal is transphobic to its core. Kids should not be outed or told their views and feelings don’t matter because they do. This causes psychological harm to students to be outed and not have their names and pronouns respected. Transgender students will suffer with this policy and it will cause psychological damage. Schools have to support their students and schools should be a safe space to be who they are. </p>


trans rights

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I am in favor of trans rights


this does more harm than good for ALL children, you oblivious bigots

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Glenn Youngkin's proposal for banning LGBTQ+ identity expression doesn't stop with queer kids and teens and dear God how do you all not see this? It doesn't protect ANY child if it's stripping away the rights of some. The birth name only thing is also a ing joke. Has Youngkin never been to public school? Every child is asked if there's a name they'd prefer to be called for their own comfort, your precious cisgender children you're trying to "protect" lose that comfort too if you're in support for this.

First they'll come for the queer kids, next they'll come for your afab daughters ability to make any sort of decision for herself and autonomy (oh wait! They already are)

Transgender youth should be protected and supported, they are normal kids trying to live comfortably in their bodies the same as every other child and teenager. Leave them alone. Let them have a safe place to learn just like your cis children.


opposed - respect and autonomy

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I have given a lot of thought to Gov. Youngkins’s new model policies for the treatment of transgender students. And I’m angry. This new policy wraps up transphobia in a blanket of fluffy, feel-good “parental rights” and “respect for all”. But what it actually says is “we don’t trust children to understand their own feelings”. Requiring parental consent for a child to use a particular name or pronoun is so unbelievably disrespectful. You would never treat an adult that way, and you shouldn’t treat a child that way either. As people transition from childhood into adulthood, they get to figure out who they are, how they feel, and who they want to be in this world. And our ONLY job as the adults in their lives, is to keep them safe and respect them and the way they feel. It’s not our job to figure out who they are “supposed” to be. That’s their job. It’s a part of growing up.

Here’s the thing. If my kid came to me and said they wanted to use different pronouns I’d say “Cool, I’ll call the school and we’ll make sure they know. What should we make for dinner?”. I clearly understand that changing a person’s pronouns doesn’t change that person. What it does do is makes a person feel respected, seen, and safe. So, my kid would go off to school and, with my support, they would be addressed in a manner that respects the way they authentically feel. But should my kid really need my permission? No! Should a teacher require permission to respectfully address my child? Absolutely not!

And what about the children who don’t feel safe enough to tell their adults how they are feeling? The ones who, for the past few years, have a safe space at school without danger of derision, ridicule (or much worse) at home. I’m scared for these kids. These are the most vulnerable, most at-risk individuals for self-harm. Not only are they feeling isolated and scared and different from everyone else, but now they’re also seeing some of their peers getting to use their preferred pronouns while they can’t. It further reinforces the feeling that they’re alone and no one understands them.

Tell me again that this is a “win” for families. I’m not buying it.


SUPPORT

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It has always been the parents’ responsibility to educate their children.  Parents have many options today … public school, private school, homeschool, online school, or a variety of combinations … but it is still the parents’ responsibility to determine how their children are educated.

Accordingly, it is not just important, but it is essential, that parents be informed about and involved in their children’s education … especially in the public school system.  This policy allows and ensures appropriate parental involvement.


Give the dissenters what they want, but….

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Go back to the Northam plan, but under the following conditions…

1) Teachers and schools can be held both civilly and criminally liable if a child decides later in life that the school “groomed” them.  No statute of limitations

2) Truancy- this is now the school and teachers’ responsibility. If a child doesn’t come to school, the teachers can be fined and imprisoned.

3) Field trips- schools and teachers accept all liability for anything that occurs.  Can be held both civilly and criminally liable.

4) Schools and teachers must ensure children have appropriate medications.  If administered improperly or not at all, face jail and fines

If schools and teachers want to leave parents out of the conversation, own it  Assume all liability, buy a $50,000 a year malpractice insurance policy, or shut up  Put your money where your mouth is


Transphobic Policy

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<p>I cannot believe that such policies are even being considered in 2022. This policy is steeped in ill informed and dangerous transphobic rhetoric and will only serve to create a more hostile and far less safe environment for students. Public policies should benefit the public and not perpetuate harmful stereotypes and erasure or silencing of swaths of the population. I vehemently oppose this policy and will fight any enforcing of such policies in my children's schools. This governor lacks the humanity to adequately lead those with whose struggles he cannot identify with and instead perpetuates a culture of hate. </p>


Strongly oppose

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The Department of Education should serve to support all kids. This policy actively discriminates against a group that needs support, which is never okay.


Strongly oppose


Strongly Support!!

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<p>I am so thankful that the current Virginia administration has introduced these guidelines.  I will do anything I can to help get this into law so school boards must apply them to stop the dangerous policies of the former administration.  </p>


Opposition to bigoted bill

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Glen Youngkin is supporting and enabling bigoted policy by restricting the rights and social visibility of trans and queer Virginians. Do not support this bill if you have any love for your community and those who live in it.


Strong support

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I strongly support the guidelines the Governor announced.


Strongly denounce this policy

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This policy ensures the non-safety of our students!


Questioning and opposing Youngkin policy

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Is the Youngkin policy, which acknowledges state and federal constitutional and statutory protections for trans people but seems to encourage school systems to defy them, nothing more than the tyranny of the majority, in which the rights of an estimated 4,000 transgender pupils are subordinated to those of a public school population of 1.2 million? I strongly oppose this Youngkin policy.


support Gov Youngkin

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Children are minors, and do not have maturity to make life changing decisions.  Parents are caretakers and decision makers until the child is 18.  Teachers need to respect parents rights.


2022 Model Policies

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<p>I strongly support our Governor and his 2022 Model Policies.  His policies respect ALL people NOT just a small subset. </p>


Strongly Oppose-- Support Trans Youth

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Schools should be a safe place for all children to be respected and have dignity. Not only should we, but it is the law. Support trans youth.


Be inclusive-SUPPORT ALL KIDS

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Do not exclude all kids for the sake of a few.

All kids deserve safe space!!!!All kids should be safe from bullying. All kids deserve sex based bathrooms, all kids deserve sex based sports! Equal rights for all students. Include all students! Don’t play favorites! All kids deserve to be treated equally.


Strongly oppose!!!!

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<p>School should be a safe spice for all children, especially trans children. Governor Youngkin does not represent me or my beliefs. Keep your religion out of politics </p>


Support

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School should be about learning. Parents should know what their kids are doing at school. Teachers should not be allowed to keep secrets about our children.


Trans policies Strongly Oppose!


Trans policies


Strongly Oppose

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<p>I oppose this change. </p>


Parental involvement in education

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Please continue to fight for Parental rights in all areas of their children’s education. There should be no information withheld from parents regarding their minor children. Parents have the final authority over their minor children


Object strongly to Youngkin's proposed changes to the way in which trans students are treated

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Governor's proposed changes are harmful to all students, but particularly those most vulnerable who are confronting choices/decisions about their gender and identity.  It is difficult to understand how imposing such cruel restrictions and policies can be countenanced by the governor who purports to be a Christian: what ever happened to Jesus' mandate: "do unto the least of these..."?

Listen to the students; their message of walking out in protest yesterday says it all.


Fully support parental rights and empowerment re: underage children

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While this is a sensitive subject, parental rights must be protected when it comes to their underage children. Parents play a critical role in the development and overall health of their minor children, and than cannot be infringed upon. No agency or institution should be allowed to withhold such pertinent developmental information from parents or guardians, but should instead encourage and foster positive interactions and engagement for these difficult situations and make appropriate family resources available when possible.


Oppose

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<p>Stop bullying kids </p>


Oppose


STRONGLY OPPOSE


Strong oppose

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What gives anyone the right to tell other people how they can be addressed.
Why would any feel it’s is ok to unprotected a subset of the population?  If you don’t like the current laws them distance yourself from those people who believe in them. But why would anyone feel it is ok to to ostracize a group within the population of Virginia or the USA.  All humans have the right to be respected and protected. Whether you agree with who or how they are.  Denying rights to any group is a receipt for violence and lawsuits. You don’t need to agree with who these people are are you just need to agree that all human life deserves the same decency and respect. No one is better than anyone else.


Overwhelmingly support the policy!

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Governor Youngkin is spot on with this policy.  Something like this should never have been allowed in schools to begin with.

You cannot 'choose' your sexual orientation as if you're choosing a pair of shoes. It's utterly ridiculous.  And completely against God and nature.

The guilt, shame, and fear one feels making a choice to differentiate from the gender given AT BIRTH haunts a person forever because they know it's WRONG. I have a brother in his 50s who's dealt with the internal torture for years.  It's a struggle that never goes away, no matter how 'trendy' they attempt to make it.  Not happening.

God doesn't make mistakes, and rather than allowing kids to jump at the newest trend, try being parents and keep them from doing something stupid and wrong.


ACLU of Virginia opposes the 2022 model policies

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This is the Only and Official Comment from ACLU of Virginia

The American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia (ACLUVA) respectfully submits this comment in opposition to the proposed 2022 Model Policies on the Privacy, Dignity, and Respect for All Students and Parents in Virginia’s Public Schools (the “2022 Model Policies”). These Model Policies are contrary to state law and their adoption will result in rampant violations of the rights of students, parents, and school personnel, and will inflict serious harm on transgender and nonbinary students. ACLUVA demands that the administration retract the 2022 Model Policies.

ACLUVA is a private, non-profit, non-partisan organization headquartered in Richmond, Virginia. ACLUVA represents more than 37,000 members and 240,000 supporters. ACLUVA promotes civil liberties and civil rights for everyone in the Commonwealth through public education, litigation, and advocacy, with the goal of securing freedom and equality for all. Our clients, members, and supporters include students, parents, and school personnel who will be directly impacted by the adoption of the proposed 2022 Model Policies.

The 2022 Model Policies Violate Virginia Code § 22.1-23.3.

The Virginia Code authorizes the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) to promulgate Model Policies “concerning the treatment of transgender students in public elementary and secondary schools that address common issues regarding transgender students in accordance with evidence-based best practices.”  Va. Code § 22.1-23.3. Delegate Marcus Simon, one of the law’s sponsors, stated that the purpose of the legislation is to “ensure the safety and dignity of all students in Virginia, regardless of how they identify or where they live.” Press Release, Office of The Governor, Governor Northam Signs 49 Bills into Law (Mar. 5, 2020).

Schools are critical safe havens for students to express themselves, and to grow as human beings. The 2022 Model Policies will not create a learning environment that is safe for all students. Instead, they will result in school district policies that threaten transgender students’ identity and basic humanity, ostracize them, and deprive them of the same opportunities afforded to cisgender students. Courts have long recognized that separating students because of innate characteristics is harmful. Brown v. Bd. of Educ., 347 U.S. 483, 494 (1954) (such separation “generates a feeling of inferiority as to their status in the community that may affect their hearts and minds in a way unlikely ever to be undone. . .”); Doe by & through Doe v. Boyertown Area Sch. Dist., 897 F.3d 518, 529 (3d Cir. 2018) (“When transgender students face discrimination in schools, the risk to their wellbeing cannot be overstated—indeed, it can be life threatening.”). The 2022 Model Policies will inflict such harm on transgender and nonbinary students.

The 2022 Model Polices are not evidence-based, and they do not reflect the multi-disciplinary consensus around what best practices are necessary to ensure that transgender students have equal access to education in a manner free from discrimination, fear, intimidation, and bullying. The 2022 Model Policies are premised on the assumptions that “biological sex” is a binary and that one’s “biological sex” can be easily ascertained, but those assumptions are not rooted in science. The 2022 Model Policies cite no evidence supporting the effectiveness or benefits of any of the proposed policies, nor do they reference any established best-practices or recommendations. Virginia Code § 22.1-23.3 does not authorize the VDOE to promulgate model policies based on the administration’s preferred policy outcomes. Rather, the statute requires any model policies to be grounded in the science and data surrounding what practices result in the best outcomes for transgender students. Because the 2022 Model Policies are not based in evidence, they are contrary to the requirements of Virginia Code § 22.1-23.3.

The 2022 Model Policies Will Harm Transgender and Nonbinary Students.

The evidence is clear that treating transgender students consistent with their gender identity is crucial for the students’ mental health and academic outcomes. Inclusive policies have been shown to reduce the amount of harassment transgender and nonbinary students face in school, and in turn improve their academic performance.

The 2022 Model Policies mandate practices that will harm transgender and nonbinary students in Virginia’s public schools. The 2022 Model Policies would prohibit teachers from using students’ affirming names and pronouns unless the student legally changes their name and gender marker, or their parents instruct school personnel to do so. The 2022 Model Policies do not recognize the existence of non-gendered pronouns, and effectively prohibit their usage, even though Virginia law allows nonbinary gender markers on state-issued identification documents. See, e.g., Va. Code §§ 46.2-323, 46.2-345. The 2022 Model Policies will require school boards to deny transgender students access to the facilities that align with their gender identity, unless the student can prove that such access is required by federal law. Finally, the 2022 Model Policies will require school personnel to “out” students to their parents in certain circumstances – a practice that can result in grave harm to students outside of school.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) recently noted that suicide is the second leading cause of death for people in the U.S. aged 15 to 24. These rates become even more horrifying for adolescents and young adults identifying as a sexual minority. Researchers found that “gender minority students had significantly higher rates of depression, suicidal ideation, and suicide attempts relative to cisgender students.” National Institute of Health, Differences in Suicide Risk Among Subgroups of Sexual and Gender Minority College Students (Sept. 8, 2020). Discriminatory treatment plays a significant role in these results: 60% of transgender youth who have experienced bathroom discrimination reported that they had considered suicide. This study showed that bathroom discrimination “significantly increased the odds of reporting depressive mood. These findings suggest that preventing [transgender and nonbinary] youths from accessing appropriate bathrooms is associated with harmful mental health indicators.” Price-Feeney, M., Green, A., Dorison, S., C.A. (2020). Impact of Bathroom Discrimination on Mental Health Among Transgender and Nonbinary Youth.

Similarly, experiencing discrimination and harassment based on gender identity is associated with worse educational outcomes, such as higher rates of absenteeism and lower GPA. GLSEN, The 2019 National School Climate Survey (2020), p. 48. Accordingly, transgender students “have less access to education than their peers – not only because they feel more unsafe and experience more victimization, but also because they often have restricted access within the school environment itself.” Id. at 105. In order to counter this reality, schools must not only ensure that transgender and nonbinary students have access to school facilities, they must also “work to be inclusive and affirming of transgender and nonbinary students in their teaching and in their interactions” with those students. Id.

The evidence demonstrates that transgender and nonbinary students who attended schools with affirming policies or guidelines were less likely to experience anti-LGBTQ discrimination in school than students in schools without such policies, and they felt a greater sense of belonging to their school community. Id. at 52. A recent study documented that respecting transgender students’ names and pronouns was associated with a 56% decrease in suicide attempts and a 29% decrease in suicidal thoughts. Stephen T. Russell et al., Chosen Name Use Is Linked to Reduced Depressive Symptoms, Suicidal Ideation and Suicidal Behavior among Transgender Youth, 63 J. Adolescent Health 503, 505 (2018).

In addition to the challenges that transgender students face at school, transgender youth are at greater risk for homelessness or housing instability than even their cisgender LGBTQ peers. Among those youth, the majority experienced homelessness or housing instability due to mistreatment or the fear of mistreatment as a result of their identity. DeChants, J.P., Green, A.E., Price, M.N, & Davis, C.K. (2021). Homelessness and Housing Instability Among LGBTQ Youth. West Hollywood, CA: The Trevor Project. Transgender youth also experience higher rates of psychological and physical abuse at home than do cisgender youth. This abuse contributes to higher rates of depression and suicidality during adolescence and adulthood. Thoma B C, Rezeppa T L, Choukas-Bradley S, et al. Disparities in Childhood Abuse Between Transgender and Cisgender Adolescents. Pediatrics. 2021;148(2):e2020016907. Outing transgender children to unsupportive parents will subject those children to these serious and irreversible harms.

The sharp disconnect between the established evidence on what transgender students need in schools and the policies proposed here make it evident that the 2022 Model Policies were developed to further an ideological agenda, rather than to promote the safety and wellbeing of transgender and nonbinary students in Virginia’s public schools.

The 2022 Model Policies Will Result in Practices that Violate Grimm v. Gloucester Co. School Board.

In Grimm v. Gloucester Co. School Board, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals held that a school board’s policy requiring students to use the restroom matching their “biological gender” violated the Equal Protection Clause and Title IX, as applied to Mr. Grimm. Grimm v. Gloucester Cnty. Sch. Bd., 972 F.3d 586 (4th Cir. 2020), as amended (Aug. 28, 2020), cert. denied, 141 S. Ct. 2878, 210 L. Ed. 2d 977 (2021). The 2022 Model Policies require schools to have policies that would delineate bathroom and locker room usage based on “sex,” which is simply defined as “biological sex.” The 2022 Model Policies further prohibit school boards from accommodating students in any way unless it is required by federal law, and then only to the extent required by federal law.

The Grimm ruling establishes that intentional discrimination against transgender students – that is, treating them differently than other students because of their transgender identity – implicates the Equal Protection clause and the requirements of Title IX. The court made clear that there is no basis in fact or evidence for school boards to employ discriminatory bathroom policies like the one included in the 2022 Model Policies, and that such policies are based on “sheer conjecture and abstraction.” Id. at 614. Instead, the court found that all evidence – including the experiences of numerous school districts in Virginia and across the country that had implemented inclusive facility access policies – supports the conclusion that inclusive policies harm no one and provide significant benefit to transgender students. The court found that this evidence “put the lie to supposed legitimate justifications for restroom discrimination: preventing students who pretend to be transgender from obtaining access to opposite-gender restrooms and protecting privacy.” Id. (quoting brief of Education Association Amici).

By requiring school boards to implement a litmus test to determine who may use the restroom aligned with their gender identity, the 2022 Model Policies will inevitably result in discrimination that violates the holdings of Grimm. The 2022 Model Policies thus invite lawsuits that will waste taxpayer money and will put school staff in the impossible position where they may be required to violate clearly established law.

The 2022 Model Policies Impermissibly Infringe on School Districts’ Constitutional Authority to Prohibit Discrimination.

In 2015, Virginia’s Attorney General issued an Opinion concluding that school boards have the inherent authority under Virginia’s Constitution to prohibit discrimination, including discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. Subsequently, many school districts did enact policies that prohibit discrimination against students based on their gender identity. Many more school districts enacted such policies pursuant to the 2021 Model Polices on the Treatment of Transgender Students. The 2022 Model Policies contain many provisions that conflict with those non-discrimination policies, including the provisions regarding name and pronoun usage, and bathroom access. The 2022 Model Policies would prohibit school boards from maintaining these non-discrimination policies, instead requiring them to discriminate against transgender and nonbinary students. The 2022 Model Policies thus impermissibly infringe on school boards’ constitutional authority to prohibit discrimination against its students.

The VDOE Exceeds Its Statutory Authority to Promulgate Model Policies.

Despite the fact that the statutory authority for the model policies limits the subject matter of those policies to the treatment of transgender students, the 2022 Model Policies focus instead on “parental rights.” For example, the section titled “Guiding Principles” focuses almost exclusively on “parental rights,” rather than the needs of transgender students. The language and intent of the statute require any model policies to guide schools in how to protect transgender students and create “a safe and supportive learning environment free from discrimination and harassment.” The 2022 Model Policies stray outside the mandate of the statute by making the starting point of the policies the supposed vindication of the rights of parents. The VDOE does not have any statutory authority to promulgate model policies regarding parents’ rights, and thus the 2022 Model Policies are not authorized by law.

Further, Virginia Code § 22.1-23.3 contains no provision that allows VDOE to promulgate policies that would prevent schools from taking steps to protect transgender students. Any model policies promulgated pursuant to this statute are meant to set a baseline of minimum protections for transgender students. The 2022 Model Policies would impermissibly limit the ability of school districts to create safe and inclusive learning environments for all students, contrary to the intent of the statute.

In conclusion, the 2022 Model Policies are contrary to state law. They at best invite and at worst require discrimination that violates state and federal law. Most troublingly, they will lead to school environments that harm transgender and nonbinary students. All students should be safe, welcomed, and included in Virginia’s public schools. ACLUVA opposes the 2022 Model Policies in their entirety and demands that the VDOE rescind them, leaving the existing 2021 Model Policies in place.


Parents are the experts when it comes to there kids

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Kindly support this policy. Parents are the experts when it comes to their kids. If they want to trans their kids then that is up to them… If parents think there kids will benefit from WAIT AND SEE that should be a parents decision….Not the school’s or not the teachers!Before any experts are called in, it needs to be ensured that they are not connected to the money trail of the gender business.


Strongly Support

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<p>Strongly support Gov. Youngkin on this and making sure parents are aware of what their children are doing at school.  </p>


Stronly Support

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Schools have no role in teaching kids about transgenderism and grooming them secretly behind their parents back.  Kids can make that decision after their 18.  There are study after study as well as an online group of 30,000 transgender victims who can share their stories about the damage done to them.  It's all about money to the trans lobby and the billions to big pharma and doctors.  Here's just one example.

https://www.theepochtimes.com/ex-transgender-teen-recounts-horrifying-experience-of-transition-surgery_4694543.html


Strongly Support

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Parents are responsible for raising their children until they turn 18 years old. Let parents do their job, without hiding and keeping secrets about their children.


Strongly Support

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I strongly support the revised guidelines. Parents have the ultimate say over their kids. Schools should not keep secrets from parents. Stop burdening teachers and administrators with keeping secrets from parents. It is not the place of schools to trample over sex-based protections.


Leave trans youth alone

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<p>I strongly oppose Gov. Youngkin’s new policy against trans youth in public schools. Why are we evolving backwards as a society?? There is no sense in this policy. Furthermore, there is no humanity in this policy. The freedom of trans youth to be treated as who they want to be should not be taken away. </p>


Strongly support

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I strongly support Govenor Younkins's policy 2022.


Strongly oppose

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It is 2022, not a time to regress in policies especially those aimed at inclusivity.


Call it what it is, a hate bill

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<p>This bill is dangerous and vile. Every human being deserves more respect than this bill provides to the youth of VA. I grew up in VA and I knew I was not born in the right body fairly early in life. I didn’t have a word for it but it didn’t make the feeling disappear. I denied myself my authentic self for many years due to the closed mindedness around me in that area and state. Statistics don’t lie. Trans youth that are not accepted, have a much higher chance of suicide. Why wouldn’t you want your child alive and happy? Even if meant you had to change the way you see your child and instead see them for who they say they are. I know I’d rather have an alive child with a different name and pronoun. As far as bathroom use goes, trans people are more afraid of cis people and their hatred, than cis are of us. Most of the time you use the restroom or have passed a trans person and didn’t even realize it. It’s time to show love and compassion for everyone. Teachers should never have to get permission to call a child what they ask to be called. Teachers are able to report abuse. They are able to be seen as professionals that make good decisions. Many times school is where a child escapes and feels some sense of security. We don’t know what is going on in many kids lives. Again, statistics. These teachers need to be able to respect all their students. I stand with the ones that walked out of their classrooms  across the state. I’m proud of them. They will be the future leaders we need. Instead of just sheep following the herd. Please consider the lives at stake with this bill. You’ve got a chance to save lives and to not destroy the small bits of peace trans youth get during their coming out. </p>


STRONGLY SUPPORT - MAKE CHANGES PERMANENT

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I strongly support the new policy that reaffirms my parental rights to raise our children and to guide them in life decisions. It is not the role of schools or government to impose a specific ideology and to exclude parents from decision making processes. Children are not adults and often have shifting beliefs and priorities. That is understandable as they navigate childhood and adolescence, however, to affirm the rights of these children over those of their parents risks long-term consequences for which children may not be prepared. Parents raise children - not schools. Parents guide, listen to, encourage, and support children as primary caregivers. There is an underlying assumption that the proposed policy changes will affect the safety of children - this is misguided. Children with no consistent guidance from their parents or primary caregivers are in greater danger. These proposed changes secure First Amendment and Fourteenth Amendment rights and ensure families are not forced to violate both beliefs and conscience. What can be done to make the policy permanent so a future administration does not reverse it?


OPPOSE changes that harm vulnerable LGBT youth!

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A small subset of parents don't get to decide if trans students, faculty, and parents exist. There is no right to create a public school system where LGBT people are pushed out of existence for the comfort of bigots. The public school system exists to serve ALL students. Let trans kids use the bathroom in peace, for goodness sake! Endangering trans kids by outing them to unsupportive and potentially abusive family members is as immoral as it is harmful. You may not be aware of it, but being forcibly outed is one of the worst things you can do to a person, especially if they are dependent on the people they are outed to. This policy change is unsafe and is based on the flawed assumption that parents somehow get to decide if their kids are trans. That's not how it works. Ideally parents would commit to loving their kids no matter what when they decided to bring them into the world. Unfortunately, that is just as much a fantasy as the idea of schools without LGBT people in them. Stop the nonsense and leave the previous nondiscrimination policies in place. There is much more harm to be had by making this ill-advised change than by maintaining the previous policy. Protect those who are actually vulnerable, not the subset of bigoted parents who are out to make these kids lives harder!


Strongly Support

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Strongly support this policy, parents should be involved in their children's lives and decision making. Once a child is a legal adult, then it's that individual's choice to include their parent's.


Support

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<p>Thank you Governor Younkin for initiating this policy.  Parents absolutely need to be a part of this conversation about gender identity.  I find it hard to believe that citizens who are parents would not want to know if their child wants to be called by a different name or referred to by a different gender.  That is a conversation between parents and a child this is not the responsibility of the school/state.  What about all the parents and children who have been silenced?  Think of how many children are afraid to speak out about having biological boys/girls using restrooms/locker rooms of the opposite biological sex.  Sports should be played according to your biological sex.  This was the purpose of Title IX.  Boys clearly have an advantage in sports.  As far as bullying, what about the kids who are afraid to speak their minds that are not transgender, non-binary, two-spirit.  They have been bullied into silence by this radical agenda.  </p>


STRONGLY OPPOSE

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Incredibly harmful legislation, strongly

oppose.


Support Holistic Development!!!!!!!

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Why focus so much on gender identity? A child- a person is much more than gender. Schools and teachers fixate so much on gender. Why?To help the child? Schools and teachers are sowing more confusion by focusing on gender. Why are schools and teachers not focusing on helping students with math, or helping kids with research in science projects or helping kids read?Why? Are schools and teachers not qualified to teach math, etc… that they have to cloud things with gender? I support this policy-schools should not be  transitioning kids without parents knowledge and consent.


STRONGLY OPPOSE

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<p>STRONGLY OPPOSE. Support the STUDENTS </p>


Expert advice

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The state of Virginia has several respected university affiliated academic and research medical institutions within its borders.  I would like the governor and/or the Board of Education to share with its citizens which (if any) of these institutions have been consulted for guidance in the formulation of these transgender policies.  Pediatric endocrinologists and psychologists commit significant time and effort in their professional careers to understand and manage complicated transgender issues.  While their advice should not be the only determinant for transgender policies, it should carry significant weight.


Strongly Support Gov Youngkin and Parent's Rights

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I strongly support Gov Youngkin in his newly issued policy for transgendered students. As a parent, I have accepted the responsibility to care and raise my children as I see fit. I am held accountable for the care of my children, and I expect to retain that right in all areas of parenthood. The opinions and beliefs of VA's education system should not be allowed to dictate and override what I think is best for my children, and I should be made aware of any such doing. The education system's role is to teach our children without imposing personal opinions and beliefs. Please stop treading on the rights of parents and recognize what the role of the education system is and why the education system was created.


STRONGLY OPPOSE

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This is extremely harmful to the lives of the LGBTQ+ community. Reverse the bill NOW.


Strongly support the policy.

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My child is almost 40, but I felt that I needed to speak up as a parent.

No child is capable of making a lifelong determination of their sexuality  before maturity; normally in their early 20s or later.

This social trend (call it what it is) has gone WAY too far already.  Their choices aren't being made wisely, they're being made as a social statement to rebel against parents and authority.

'Choosing' ones sexuality isn't only physically wrong, but goes against EVERYTHING to do with how we were created in the first place.

God DOESN'T make mistakes, and choosing a different sexual orientation than what someone is given at birth is one of the most warped and corrupted mindsets in the world today.

Do you give a child anything they want, when they want it?  No.  So why is something this critical okay?  The reason people that choose it feel fear and shame is simply because they KNOW it's wrong.  And they will suffer guilt for it. Parents need to stop being friends, and be parents.


Gender affirming care is simple to implement, why take it away?

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<p>As the neighbor of a family with a transgendered child, I can tell you the toll it takes fon these kids to come out and be themselves is HIGH. Even in a family with loving, supportive parents, kids face the threat of bullying, taunting and ostracization from others in society. My neighbors child was too afraid to tell their loving parents until they were 18. And then they were so afraid of how they’d be treated by society that they became depressed and suicidal. They didn’t leave their house for a year! Thankfully with a lot of support abs therapy they are doing okay now. But if they had been able to be open about who they were in middle or high school, they might never have had the trauma they suffered post high school. It is not hard, and it’s pretty mainstream these days, to refer to people by their chosen pronouns. Taking this away from children who need validation is cruel and  Inhumane. I oppose Youngkin’s changes to the model policy. </p>


Fully support. Please help all youth.

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<p>Fully support Gov. Youngkin’s policy. Please protect children and restore parental rights. </p>


Strongly support

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<p>I strongly support our parents right to know what’s going on with their children. </p>


Strongly support


STRONGLY OPPOSE

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<p>I strongly oppose this proposed policy </p>


Strongly OPPOSE this guidance.

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I strongly OPPOSE this guidance. Be better.


Strongly OPPOSE this guidance.


Strongly Oppose!!!!!

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Youngkin’s selfish decisions will hurt children more than it will protect any youth, transgender or cisgender. These bigoted and transphobic ideals will only lead to higher rates of suicide in adolescents, especially those that are part of the LGBTQ+ community. Make the right decision, keep trans kids safe.


STRONGLY OPPOSE

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VA elected governor should have never been elected. He might feel for the bitter rural dwellers that put him in office, but obviously does not give a s*** about our youth that will be impacted by this ignorant action. Open your eyes, mind and heart. Stop believing, spouting and practicing what you selectively edit from the Bible. This is exclusion. Unacceptable. Adjustments can be made. As is, it encourages hate and rejection. Don't do it.


Strongly oppose

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<p>I strongly oppose this cruel measure that will harm children and their well-being. As a mother, I want all children's rights, including trans kids' rights, to be protected. </p>


Give Us Liberty

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Dear Virginia Leaders,

It appears that a loud, obnoxious minority has learned how to bully their way into the lives of Virginia families.

I, personally, cannot provide my name or email address for fear of retalliation by citizens and government officials who disagree with me.  I have a job and would like to keep my job.  My kids attend Fairfax County Public Schools, and I don't want them harmed by their teachers, administrators, or zealous students.  I must remain anonymous, and I believe that there are many, many, many like me.

I have a message for school officials:

1) Stay out of my way as a parent.  I am the parent.  You are not.  You don't own my kids.

2) Stop trying to indoctrinate my kids with your religion.  This is YOUR religion.  It is not ours.  You are attempting to establish a religion with your "gender theory."  That is unconstitutional.  Period.

3) A child (or adult) who doesn't agree with their assigned sex has a problem.  It is not my child's problem and it is not my problem.  Solve your problem outside of school.  My kids go to school to learn.

4) A boy is a boy and a girl is a girl.  No matter what you say or do to that child, their sex does not change.  I don't care what the child thinks or wants.  Nothing has changed if you give them hormones or mutilate their bodies.  I can tell a thousand people that I am a cucumber.  I can believe it in my heart.  Other people can believe it in their hearts.  However, I will NEVER, EVER, EVER, EVER be a cucumber.  So sorry!

5) Stop telling our kids (and teachers) what they can and cannot say and what they must think or not think.  As I state above, your religion is yours alone.  Here on planet Earth and in the United States, we have freedom of speech.  You will not compel speech that is not true, just because you believe it is true and want to force your religion on me.

In the same way that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion," neither shall Fairfax County Public Schools or the Commonwealth of Virginia.  Take your "gender theory" religion and shove it up your ass!


I strongly oppose this guidance document.

It is hard to press a complicated social issue into rules that govern all students fairly and without discrimination, but this administration has attempted to do so, and has failed. The purpose of the text indicates that "The Virginia Department of Education (the “Department”) recognizes that each child is a unique individual with distinctive abilities and characteristics that should be valued and respected. All students have the right to attend school in an environment free from discrimination, harassment, or bullying."And yet, this text calls for the opposite. Students are unable to indicate the very name they wish to be called. Teachers are called upon to be tattlers to students' parents, if students choose to be called something other than the name on the attendance sheet. Teachers and administrators, already called to do so much more than simply educate our children, are mandated to be the judges of students' wardrobes, and inform parents if students wear clothing that they deem to be uncharacteristic of a student's born sex.
This is an inappropriate use of schools' time, resources, and efforts to educate our children. The guidance clearly discriminates against students who wish to express themselves differently, and potentially places students in danger if their parents disagree with their self expression.
These policies clearly go against the very purpose of the document, removing the rights of certain students to attend school without discrimination, harassment, or bullying. Instead of coming from peers, the discrimination, harassment, and bullying will instead be meted out by teachers and administrators, making school just a little less safe for our students, and turning trusted adults into less trustworthy authority figures.
If this administration truly cares about providing safe places for all students to be educated, all students must be taken into account, not simply the majority of students. We must support our students with care and concern, instead of rules that single them out and place them in harm's way.

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It is hard to press a complicated social issue into rules that govern all students fairly and without discrimination, but this administration has attempted to do so, and has failed. The purpose of the text indicates that "The Virginia Department of Education (the “Department”) recognizes that each child is a unique individual with distinctive abilities and characteristics that should be valued and respected. All students have the right to attend school in an environment free from discrimination, harassment, or bullying."

And yet, this text calls for the opposite. Students are unable to indicate the very name they wish to be called. Teachers are called upon to be tattlers to students' parents, if students choose to be called something other than the name on the attendance sheet. Teachers and administrators, already called to do so much more than simply educate our children, are mandated to be the judges of students' wardrobes, and inform parents if students wear clothing that they deem to be uncharacteristic of a student's born sex.

This is an inappropriate use of schools' time, resources, and efforts to educate our children. The guidance clearly discriminates against students who wish to express themselves differently, and potentially places students in danger if their parents disagree with their self expression.

These policies clearly go against the very purpose of the document, removing the rights of certain students to attend school without discrimination, harassment, or bullying. Instead of coming from peers, the discrimination, harassment, and bullying will instead be meted out by teachers and administrators, making school just a little less safe for our students, and turning trusted adults into less trustworthy authority figures.

If this administration truly cares about providing safe places for all students to be educated, all students must be taken into account, not simply the majority of students. We must support our students with care and concern, instead of rules that single them out and place them in harm's way.


Youngkin's plan to destroy the lives of LGBT youth across the Commonwealth

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I am a thirty-two year education veteran (high school counselor). Simply put, the Governor's plan will result in LGBT youth suicides across the commonwealth. That will be his legacy; the death of LGBT youth. His attack on the LGBT community is immoral, illegal and without merit.

His policy proposal must be rejected.


Strongly OPPOSE this guidance

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As a parent of a Virginia Kindergartener, I am writing to firmly OPPOSE the proposed guidance.

This measure is rooted in transphobia and would harm the trans and nonbinary children of Virginia.

According to the Trevor Project’s 2021 survey, only 1 in 3 LGBTQ youth live in a LGBTQ-affirming home - leaving 71% of transgender and nonbinary youth the need to find affirming spaces elsewhere.  Schools are already a place of harassment and abuse for these children.  We must be working to create inclusive schools where our children can feel safe - not the opposite.

Protect our kids.


STRONGLY SUPPORT

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This guidance shows common sense support for transgender students while protecting the parent-child relationship and the rights of other students to privacy and fairness in sports.

Schools should be concerned with educating students and leave personal life decisions where they belong - with children and their parents.


Support

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Appreciative of parents taking responsibility in all things parenting.  Support this.


Fully Support

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<p>Thank you so much for giving parents the ability to help their children during their teen years, which can be very challenging. It is not an attack on a people group to encourage parental involvement and support in such a big decision, especially for a child. It is not the place of a school to keep secrets for children. If a child feels they are mature and responsible enough to make a decision about changing their gender, then they should be mature enough to have that conversation with their family. </p>


Oppose making life even more difficult for trans students

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Gender identity is exactly that; the identity of an individual. When someone tells you who they are, you do not seek independent confirmation or permission to acknowledge them; you accept it and acknowledge them as they are and wish to be. For many students, school may be the only safe space in their environment. To take that away from students who need it most is approaching the monstrous.


Opposed!

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The GOP needs to stop their obsession with trans kids. Let them live their lives.


Support Student Free Speech

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<p>A lot of students are becoming afraid to speak up. They are scared of so-called misgendering or using a deadname. Students are pressured to indicate there pronouns. This is not right. Students should be free to speak and not held hostage by gender ideology in school. </p>


STRONGLY OPPOSE.

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STRONGLY OPPOSE.

Why are we removing rights when we should be adding them??


Decision Makers

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Parents begin making decisions for their children even before they are born.  Where they will live, what their room will look like, where they will go to school, etc.  Children are not given legal rights to purchase firearms, get married, purchase alcohol, etc. until they are 18 - 21 years of age, depending on the item in question.  In fact, some states hold parents responsible for crimes their children commit (such as homicides).  Since behavior is the one thing that cannot always be governed by the parent, it's only logical that parents should be informed of their children's comportment; there may be a need to revise other areas of a child's life as well.  Why would anyone be against that?

Re: Parental Rights


Strongly Oppose

Former Student, York County Public Schools

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<p>I strongly oppose the passing of this bill. Transgender youth are already more likely to die by  suicide. This bill WILL kill children. </p>


Strongly Oppose Changing Policies Protect Our Children by Supporting Their Identities

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As an aunt to children in district schools and a human being who cares about the welfare of all children, I strongly oppose transphobic changes to policies designed to give children exploring their identities or transitioning to a new gender. Countless studies have shown that support and affirmation by their community is fundamental to the safety of trans children. Medical professionals oppose policies that deny their identities or force revelation of those identities to parents and other people who might be unsupportive. Medical professionals don't agree with these policies because kids whose Identities are not supported by their parents and community are at dramatically higher risk of abuse, self-harm, and suicide. While trans kids in affirming and supporting environments have no higher risk.

Allow our children to define themselves and decide on their own who to reveal those identities to, based on their own understanding of their safety. Don't allow their teachers and peers to bully them for being trans or exploring their gender and what it means to them.

Don't make bad policy that leads to dead kids.


STRONGLY SUPPORT!!!

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Teachers have no place in USURPING parental rights, these are minors!.  Go Youngkin!!


Strongly oppose

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<p>I strongly oppose this.  We need to protect Trans Youth.  This is being proposed for purely political reasons with absolutely no concern for the youth it will impact and harm. </p>


Support Governors Guidance Document

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<p>I strongly support this guidance document. Gender issues are very complex and students need to have the involvement of their parents in these concerns. No student should be harassed or bullied by anyone. The views of people of all people including Muslim, Christian, Hindu, and Catholic should be respected so that staff and students should not be compelled to promote beliefs against their consciences. These policies allow schools the independence to protect and care for the needs of all students. </p>


STRONGLY SUPPORT

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<p>Parents must be allowed to be informed and involved in every aspect of their child’s life. Thank you, Governor Youngkin, for protecting parental rights! </p>


Gov. Youngkin’s bill


The basic question.

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Who has jurisdiction over children?  The state or parents?  Answer:  PARENTS!!  I support Gov Youngkin's transgender position 100%!!


Opposed

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Every time we have a republican governor, our commonwealth is set back twenty years. Kids in schools don't have issues with who uses the bathrooms, only their scared conservative parents do. We should be more scared of the abuse of minors in churches and by unscrupulous straight adults in supervisory positions. Transgender kids using bathrooms and different pronouns isn't really the problem.


Full support for Governor Youngkin and parental rights to know what is going on with their kids

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Never would I think it would go this far. Thank you to Governor Youngkin for the common sense to let parents be included in all decisions of their children. Young people are so easily directed by social media and new ideas about their sexuality and are not ready at a young age to make biological changes to their bodies. They need time and maturity and certainly guidance and wisdom from their parents.
Also, as hard as female athletes train, please don’t let biological males compete against them. So many strides have been made in this area, don’t let us retrogress.


Vehemently oppose this disgusting policy change

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<p>Glenn Youngkin should be ashamed of himself. This new policy that he is proposing is setting up children for continued bullying & succumbing to harmful permanent solutions that are not necessary. For a "pro-life" advocate, Glenn Youngkin certainly doesn't give a ____ about the LIVING. Shame on you Glenn Youngkin & anyone else who supports this disgusting policy change. SHAME. ON. YOU. That blood will be on your hands. </p>


Fully support as it protects parents rights and children

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Parents are the primary caregivers for their children.


STRONGLY SUPPORT

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Parents have a right to know what's going on in the schools.  This policy protects parents and children from the sickening ideology of transgenderism.  Brainwashing children to hate their bodies is CHILD ABUSE and must end now!


Don’t let our kids be destroyed

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<p>My kids will not attend public schools as long as people can “choose” their gender and all the ramifications that comes with that. I sure hope VA doesn’t buy into transgender ideology. It is destroying an entire generation of precious kids. </p>


Strongly Support YK policy

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Stop using students to be your school weapons to go against the parents' rights

Glad to have a VA governor to have courage and stand up and fight for parents' right and ensure the children are only focus to studying and advance into technology instead being tools for teacher union to make them go on protest during school days.

Stop this nonsense and return school back to students and parents.

Government / state/ local have ZERO right to coerce and manipulate the situation, students ALREADY have the equal right to attend school 40 years ago, do not politicized school students.


This is an absolute disgrace.

“VA is for Lovers”? I guess for Cis-white conservative males that make governing decisions based on what makes themselves comfortable. Every person in this state deserves to be treated with dignity and respect. The bare minimum to this is how THEY wish to be identified.
In case you weren’t sure, I fully oppose.

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<p>“VA is for Lovers”? I guess for Cis-white conservative males that make governing decisions based on what makes themselves comfortable. Every person in this state deserves to be treated with dignity and respect. The bare minimum to this is how THEY wish to be identified. </p>
<p>In case you weren’t sure, I fully oppose. </p>


Fully Support

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This policy should be adopted.


STRONGLY OPPOSE

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<p>This policy is homophobic and cruel. Classrooms should be a place where students are allowed and encouraged to embrace their true selves and to be called by the name and pronouns that they identify with. Not only is this policy cruel to non-cis students, but it also deters students from having a learning environment where they feel comfortable. It's homophobic and preventing students from feeling comfortable learning. Glenn Youngkin says this policy is to stop bullying, but all he's doing is perpetuating the bullying and homophobia against queer students. This is outrageous. </p>


I STRONGLY OPPOSE the 2022 Model Policies for the Treatment of Transgender Students.

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I STRONGLY OPPOSE Governor Youngkin's proposed 2022 Model Policies for the Treatment of Transgender Students in Virginia's Public Schools. It is a cruel policy, harmful to ALL children and society, the opposite of good, kind, and benevolent. It is hostile to youth who fail to conform to the traditional binary model and encourages the bullying of them by those who do. It should be left to trans youth to inform their parents if and/or when they choose to do so. Their orientation is not the business of the state or the public schools. Their identities and their privacy should be respected.


I Strongly Support

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<p>Gender  is based on whether you have XX or XY chromosomes. What someone feels or identifies with does not change you biologically. That’s science. Follow science and address a person based on who they are biologically. What someone feels or identifies with can be fluid and changes, but can’t change it at the cellular level with chromosomes. </p>


Strongly support govenor

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We should not perpetuate these unhealthy and ultimately devastating trends, leading to poor outcomes for both the young people and the communities.


Strongly, Strongly Oppose

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<p>Strongly, Strongly Oppose. Who does this benefit? Schools need support and resources, not rules and restrictions. </p>


Strongly Support

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<p>Strongly Support! </p>


Protect children by protecting parents' rights

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<p>I have read the 2022 Model Policy and heartily support it.  It protects students struggling with gender dysphoria, forbidding bullying and harassing.  It protects parents ensuring they are fully informed of such matters by school staff. It protects the central importance of the relationship between the child and the parent.  </p>


Parental right. THANK YOU!!!

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Thank you for supporting parents and our rights to our children. They are ours and gifted to us by God. We deserve the right to guide our children the way we wish. Thank you for standing with parents and for parents. You gave us a choice and a voice. Thank you a million times over for allowing us to choose.


Finally, commonsense - fully support

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Virginia schools - please go back to focusing on core curriculum.


Greatly support this policy and all that Governor Youngkin is doing in VA

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<p>I strongly feel that religious freedoms and beliefs need to be protected in our state and in our nation. A small minority has been effectively changing policies throughout America that seek to force Americans to embrace ideologies that are in opposition to their own beliefs and presenting as normal things that are clearly abnormal and in many cases immoral. I am glad to have a governor that has the courage to stand against the current trends and seek to preserve the liberty that our constitution intended. </p>


In support of the Governor

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I support our Governor Youngkin


Fully support

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<p>Schools should focus on core curriculum. When schools require parents to sign consent forms for everything else, why not for gender label change too? If the issue is of trans kids being at risk at home, that is a larger societal/child safety issue, and not for schools to take over as a role. </p>


No.


Strongly Support Parent Rights - Students aren't wards of the state

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<p>Parents should be involved in all aspects of their kids lives.  No government body should be able to supersede the rights of Parents except in the most extreme situations such when the child's life is at risk due to Parent negligence.  This does not qualify.  </p>


Youngkin probs has a micro peen

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Any  who wants to abuse students and take away their rights probably is just angry because he has a micro penis.  you Youngkin.


FULLY SUPPORT

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Every person is a child of God and should be treated with dignity and respect. Yet it seems the transgender policies often forget the non-transgender children's rights.   Parents are responsible for their children and must be fully informed and have final say.


STRONGLY OPPOSE

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We need to support all children and make them feel safe


Oppose this change-I work in schools-I'm 60 years old-Kids can handle this-adults being snowflakes

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I'm a 60 year old white male and I must admit the trans thing seemed really strange to me at first.  I work in schools.  I have seen what goes on for these kids and I have come to see how this is very real and genuine and not some made up liberal BS.  The existing policy is built upon respect and the dignity of all people.  Values taught to me in church.  Church and the teachings are first about values and how we should be with each other, its less about rules and control of others.  Many adults just don't understand because they are not with a wide group of kids to speak with them and understand the issue.  The kids have this.  They are OK.  They are basically good with people being themselves.  They believe in the American value of freedom. Its the adults that are freaked out and being snowflakes.  Do not change the existing policy.


with minor tweaks...

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My children have gone to school with many children who were trans or gender-dysphoric, and count them among their closest friends.

While I strongly agree that schools should be working in partnership with parents, and not concealing, transitioning, etc. children without parental agreement and cooperation, I would like to see several small tweaks in the law.

First, regarding bathrooms and facilities: the overwhelming majority of the time, it is no problem at all for a student to use whichever facility the student is most comfortable with. However, a student who has harassed or bullied another student or been found in possession of drugs, nicotine products, or alcohol, needs to be prevented from using common restrooms regardless of gender identification, for the protection of other students.

The truth is, the public schools' restrooms can be very uncomfortable for many students -- my own son needed to find a barely-used one on the edge of campus in order to avoid marijuana smoke and harsh talk (including threats) about anal rape.

Single-unit bathrooms are a good solution for schools which can afford them, and the state should provide assistance to districts which cannot.

This method -- tying gendered facility privileges to behavior rather than identification -- can provide a safer school setting without stigmatizing dysphoria.

Second, regarding names: many students experiment with nicknames at school, and the number for whom this experimentation crosses gender-expectations without the knowledge of their parents is few.  I suggest that the default should be to allow nicknames unless parents explicitly prohibit them, but that pronouns should agree with genetic gender unless parents explicitly change them.

School districts would also appreciate guidance on how to handle joint-custody disputes, for example, if one custodial parent favors one name or pronoun set, and the other favors another.

Thank you for taking a stand to preserve women's sports.  This is important.


STRONGLY OPPOSE

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Why is it anyone else's business how a child chooses to express themselves?


Youngkin responsible for higher teen depression and suicidality

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Glenn Youngkin's homophobic and transphobic policy not only violates a students autonomy, it forcibly outs children and binds teachers to harm their own students. He (Youngkin) is posturing for a 2024 run and is out of touch with the mainstream of Virginian political thought. Repressive policies towards LGBTQ+ Identity leads to higher rates of depression and suicidality among students. Knowing this fact, if you support this measure, you will be responsible for the consequences.


Strongly support the Governor’s policy

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This is a common sense policy


Height of Cynicism

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It's evident to me that the school transgender policy you recently implemented was part of a larger strategy to run for president in 2024. Engaging in a discourse and recommending a policy that has real-world negative impact on children in pursuit of this strategy is beyond cynical - it's bad politics.

Cruelty to children to pander to 8chan edgelords won't help you win the moderate vote. Try something else or go back to consulting.


Fully support

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<p>Lets schools teach. Let parents parent. </p>


UNJUSTIFIABLE

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Trans Rights Are Human Rights. How can you propose something so hurtful to youth who already don’t have that many rights, but now you want to create their school environment worse or even equal to their home environment? I do not care how you feel about trans kids, they are still kids at the end of the day. Stop pushing that trans people are corrupting this world when you’re the toxicity that seeps out into the soil, slowly killing everything you seem fit. Youngkin and those associated, i hope your days gets darker.


STRONGLY OPPOSE

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Our kids are NOT political pawns.

STOP TREATING THEM AS SUCH TO PLEASE YOUR POLITICAL BASE.

Google the definition of discrimination.

Your proposal is TEXTBOOK discrimination.

If passed I hope you & the DOE are prepared for the lawsuits that will follow.


STRONGLY OPPOSED

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I strongly oppose this policy! An absolute human rights violation, and it is disgusting that it is even being proposed.


I oppose this policy. Support trans kids

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I support trans kids. I am the proud mom of an LGBTQ+ teen, and my child has suffered years of bullying because of their personal identity while ADULTS encouraged their children to continue tearing apart and alienating my child. I STRONGLY OPPOSE THIS POLICY.


PROTECT TRANS KIDS, STRONGLY OPPOSE

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Trans rights are human rights! This endangers the mental and physical health of trans children for absolutely no reason.


STRONGLY SUPPORT

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Parents should be involved! Schools should focus on education!


SRONGLY OPPOSED - KEEP KIDS SAFE FROM SYSTEMIC HARRASSMENT

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First of all, can I just say the legaleze hiding what this bill is actually about and pretending it is for the safety of kids with unique needs is absolutely appalling. Admit your promoting misgendering transgender people upfront.

Transgender children die every day from constant harassment like this, regardless of if their parent supports their transition. If you are so concerned with a parent's control over a child's upbringing you need to use the name and pronouns the parent insists upon. This bill means even transgender children fortunate enough to live in supportive homes are going to continue to be harassed  in school, a place they cannot escape. As adults they can remove themselves from toxic environments, as children they will not have this luxury. To anyone saying they can just go to private school- that's flagrantly discriminatory to anyone of frankly average or lower income.

This is not protecting anyone's rights. We're supposed to have something called separation of church and state. As a non christian in America, I can say this is already something modern law is making the country fail at that has hurt me personally time and time again. By this logic, a teacher could ridicule or refuse to teach a child who wears a hijab or star of David, because these things are 'not in line with their religion'- I have been mocked openly by teachers in the public school system in the early 2000s by Christian teachers for wearing small jewelry related to my faith. And for those unaware, there are religions where ideas of gender are fluid and by denying this you are being discriminatory to their religious rights to religious freedom. Protect the religious rights to everyone by saying no to this. This is not promoting free speech or religion, it is promoting discrimination and legalizing discriminatory behavior against a specific minority.

We are, with this law, lamely trying to push freedom of speech over freedom of religion. Hate speech is hate speech, and intentional misgendering of a child is that. If a staff member, for religious reasons, is truly worried about a student who identifies as another gender, truly thinks this is amoral, there are much better ways to go about handling the situation than harassing them on a daily basis- contact the parent, have them talk to a counselor, don't continue to insult them to their face. As a transgender adult who personally chose to wait until later in life to transition, and as someone who has seen a multitude of people transition at younger ages than me I can acknowledge transitions at a young age can be tricky. The vast majority are happy with their choice, but there are always outliers, and it is a big decision. Maybe instead of allowing teachers to discriminate against innocent children experimenting with something that has nothing to do with you in a way that has no long lasting effects (being called a different name or pronoun, rather than getting surgery or taking puberty blockers off the bat) you should implement attempts to educate kids about the seriousness of transitioning, offer avenues to older children who may be using transitioning to escape sexual abuse that allow them to come forward and get the help they need. Obviously, I'm not particularly in favor of giving trans people more hoops to jump through, but I think it is a much more reasonable compromise than allowing teachers to openly harass children.

This is also one step away from making it legal to to use religion as a justification for other forms of discrimination. Nazi Germany began its descent against systemic genocide by first targeting laws against LGBTQ peoples with the same logic of it being a 'choice' and tying the 'corruption' of youth and open minded ideas to the Jewish community before using this and other factors to transition blame for all of the country's problems onto the Jewish people and hunting them down. If we continue down this path, we will be making it legal to discriminate against a minority. We will open the doors to more hurtful, drastic legislation preventing the acknowledgement homosexuality exists, regardless of an individual's moral passing on it. Then this will bleed to other groups, and soon enough we will be regressing to segregated schools where people of color and other minorities do not share the same privileged education as the majority.

I agree with our current gov on one thing- parents do matter, adopted, foster, biological, however the family is structured, the guardian's wishes while a child is a child are a fundamental part of how our society is structured. But again, this bill flies in the face of this message he is supposedly so worried about. Do not take a trans kids parent's rights to protect their children from harmful language away. The school system should accommodate all types of diversity and disability, not follow a law that brazenly favors a single religion.


Strongly Oppose!

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I emphatically oppose this proposal. Trans kids are already at a very high risk for alienation, isolation, harassment, abuse, and suicide. This proposal can dangerously affect their sense of self and bodily autonomy, in addition to their mental health, safety, and overall well-being.


I STRONGLY SUPPORT

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<p>We as parents should have the right to raise our kid according to our own belief, and is not about Christians belief is about the truth. </p>


I OPPOSE the guidance

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I am a concerned community member in Hanover County, VA, parent of three adult children, and a retired librarian and preschool teacher. The proposed policy is rooted in fear of the "other" and seeks to further harm trans and nonbinary kids, creating a hostile and potentially dangerous school environment. Furthermore, it would put even more stress on our already overwhelmed teachers and school staff by requiring them to forcibly “out” students to their parents against their will in some circumstances, such as where a student seeks counseling. The policy would also prohibit teachers and school staff from supporting trans and nonbinary students (this is already happening in Hanover, where teachers and staff can no longer have "Safe Place" stickers on their doors -- they're deemed political and therefore not allowed).

We, as parents and adults, need to teach our children to be kind, to be caring, and to be accepting of differences. If we would remember to love our neighbors as ourselves, we would accept the differences and similarities we all have, something this policy discourages. This policy will isolate children who are already bullied and ostracized by many in our community. Please reject the policy.


Super Support!

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Religious freedom is a constitutional right. My religion is a minority religion and  does not allow us to use bathrooms that males-trans or not. We need sex based bathrooms in school.  I also cannot join girls sports anymore if there are males that compete. Please support this policy so others like me can use the bathroom and join girls sports.Thank you.


Strongly support. Unless you have a child who goes through this, people don’t understand

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Our kids are getting consumed by learning and declaring labels when they don’t understand what it means. My kid declared she was trans out of the blue. Why? All her friends were declaring something other than cis gender. In a class of 23, 4 claim trans, 3 lesbians, 2 non binary. Come on!  Impossible. A year later my kid  said that was all stupid but it put us through a ringer!!! It’s a trend and getting pushed through adults, teachers, legislators. This should never be the case. Kids need to be free to dress and act how they want but make careful decisions when they are fully matured as to how they want to handle their gender. If a kid wants to be called a different name, let them do it with their friends. NOT through teachers, school systems, etc. and hiding this from their parents!!  Come on folks- most parents will support their kids with anything but they need to know that a child is getting indoctrinated into this.

Once a kid declares this trans thing early on, it so taxing for the parents and it takes months to wait it out until it’s over. But parents need to know. Too much focus at schools. Teach them academics and acceptance.

Do your research - why in 2008 was there one just ONE major gender clinic and years later hundreds?? Because they make $$$$$!!! At the expense of kids! And many of these kids have mental health issues that aren’t being delt with because clinicians have to affirm immediately??? God help us please!!!!!


Keeping parents in the dark is wrong

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<p>Please protect parents’ right to be involved. </p>