On Sept. 16th Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s administration proposed new model policies for 2022 with a new focus on transgender students and their gender identity expression, in addition to parental rights.
Published by the Virginia Department of Education, “Model Policies on the Privacy, Dignity, and Respect for all Students and Parents in Virginia’s Public Schools” would require schools to adopt these new policies regarding the treatment of transgender students. There was a 30-day public comment period in which individuals were allowed to express their opinions regarding the proposition.
Last year, former Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam, worked to grant transgender students access to facilities based on their own gender identity, although they left transgender participation in athletics up to the Virginia High School League (VHSL).
The new model policy states that “the word ‘sex’ means biological sex,” and further goes on to say that all student participation in sex-specific school activities, events, and usage of school facilities shall be determined by the student’s sex, thus expressing that transgender students may not be identified with their preferred gender at school.
In response to these proposed policies, the Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent, Michelle Reid, sent an email out to all members of FCPS. “Please be assured that FCPS remains committed to an inclusive learning environment for each and every student and staff member and that our schools will continue to be safe and respectful learning spaces,” said Reid.
“Identity is very personal, and it is up to each person to decide what their [identity] is.”
Senior Seth Traub
On Sept. 27th, schools across Virginia, including Justice, held student walkouts to protest the implementation of these new model policies. Students gathered with pride flags and posters to bring attention to the policies and their impact.
Sophomore attendee of the walkout, Ellie Juarez, feels that the proposed policies are unnecessary. “School should be a comfortable place [for students] and they should be able to choose how they want to be named,” they said.
The proposed policy also states that “No policy, guidance, training, or other written material issued by the [School Division] may encourage or instruct teachers to conceal material information about a student from the student’s parent, including information related to gender,” meaning that teachers are not required to hide a child’s gender identity from the student’s parents, even if that is against the students wishes.
Justice science teacher and advisor of the Gay Student Alliance Kirsten Salonga talks about her comfort level regarding this policy. “Although adults may want to know everything about their kid, there is often a reason why the child or student isn’t sharing that information about themselves with their parent,” she said.
Transgender and non-binary students may have not opened this aspect of their identity with their parents due to fear of a lack of support and finding comfort at school because it provides them with the opportunity to express their identity more freely. However, the policy emphasizes that parents should have the right to know their child’s gender identity.
Senior Seth Traub spoke about the consequences of these policies on transgender students’ home lives. “These policies will create real possibilities of kids being outed against their will and being potentially kicked out or abused by their parents,” said Traub. “Identity is very personal, and it is up to each person to decide what their [identity] is,” he said.
“There is no reason for me to alert a parent if their child chooses to go by a nickname, so why should that change when it comes to gender?”
Teacher Kirsten Salonga
However, these policies also work against students with supportive families. The document states that the “legal name and sex of a student shall not be changed, even upon the written instruction of a parent or eligible student.” This means that if a parent/student over the age of 18 requests to be called a different name or identified as another gender rather than what was assigned at birth, it will not be changed in the classroom.
Salonga expressed the literal effects of this rule. “A lot of students go by nicknames in school regardless of gender, like Tony for Anthony,” she said. “There is no reason for me to alert a parent if their child chooses to go by a nickname, so why should that change when it comes to gender.”
In the email from Superintendent Reid, she says they will be “thoroughly reviewing the new state proposed model policy in the coming days and will share a more detailed response to the newly proposed policy soon.” The public comment period ended on Oct 16th, but as of now there is no set date as to when the final policy will be published.
Although these policies are not set in stone, if you or someone you know needs extra support or help, you can contact the Trans Lifeline at (877) 565‑8860 or The Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender National Hotline at (888) 843‑4564.