New Public School Policies (Note: opinions are my own and do not represent any group I may belong to).
The Virginia Department of Education has put out a document requiring all local boards of education to pass a transgender treatment bill for the 2021-2022 school year. I have been reading it with a variety of comments, but suffice it to say the following are disturbing. The document says the following:
1. The document calls gender innate at the same time it calls gender something derived from culture, emotions, and psychology. Let's just note, it can't be both.
2. Any discussion with a child that discourages their identity is wrong and condemned (and is possibly illegal). However, you can talk to students about other gender identities without repercussions. In other words, someone can talk to you about alternative identities you can embrace, but if a teacher counsels you towards Biblical Genders, it is illegal.
3. If a parent doesn't want their child to be referred to by their "chosen" identity, the document encourages teachers to refer to the child by their chosen gender, but when talking to the parent they should refer to the child by the gender their parent's desires.
4. It is considered harassment and bullying if you misgender someone by calling them the gender they do not want to be identified as, even if it is their gender by birth.
5. Dress codes, they encourage, should be generic and gender-neutral. They go out of their way to avoid labeling clothes in any gender-specific manner. The new dress code is to allow transgendered students to dress in any way they deem fit. Schools are also discouraged from gender-specific clothing even in extra-curricular activities.
6. Traditionally gender activities are discouraged including activities like father/daughter banquets, prom courts, and more.
7. Students, they say, should be free to choose which sports activities they participate in and they should participate according to their gender. The policy only makes mention of non-competitive sports leagues but does refer the schools to another entity for competitive sports.
8. Students who are transgendered and on an overnight trip should not be forced into a single occupancy room. In other words, a male student who identifies as a female can stay in a room with a female, and cannot be forced into a separate room or bathroom facility.
9. Students are said to be allowed into locker rooms and restroom facilities of their "consistently" identified gender. By the way, any student can request special accommodation for privacy and the school should attempt to accommodate (would be something if 100 students request these special accommodations if someone of a different sex dressed in their locker room.).
10. The school said that a student should not be questioned about entering a restroom because it could be "emotionally harmful."
11. All staff are now required to go through education around LGBTQ+ issues.
12. Outside organizations that do not conform to their policies, may require a conversation to help them adhere. Specifically, JROTC was mentioned in the report, but other groups may be required including those renting the facility.
13. While the report noted some people will have different views including religious views, there was no guidance or direction on how to handle differing views. It seemed ignored.
14. It is considered harassment if you reveal the gender of a child to someone without that child's permission. In other words, if a child chooses another gender but doesn't want their parents to know, you are harassing them if you tell the parents.
There were many other notes I made, but I fear it was too long for a Facebook post. Needless to say, there were inconsistencies and irrational lines of thought. No accommodations were made to people who object, but the discrimination policy seemed to enforce an ideology that didn't allow for much disagreement. I found that if you replaced transgender/LGBTQ words with religion/Christianity, most who support this document would have an adamant disagreement. We never want kids to be bullied, but we also do not want other students to be bullied or abused either.
https://townhall.virginia.gov/....l/GetFile.cfm?File=C
