Students urge public comment on Virginia’s new transgender policies

RICHMOND, Va. — Hundreds of feedback are persevering with to return in as Virginians share their ideas on the Virginia Division of Training’s 2022 mannequin insurance policies on the therapy of transgender and nonbinary college students in public colleges.

As of Oct. 23, greater than 62,800 public feedback have been made since entry opened Sept. 26.

The brand new insurance policies would require mother and father of transgender college students to request their kid’s college to handle them as such. Title and pronoun modifications would additionally require a request from mother and father, in addition to official authorized paperwork and courtroom orders noting the change.

College students could be required to make use of the lavatory that aligns with their intercourse, besides to the extent that the federal regulation requires in any other case.

Mother and father can even deny school-provided counseling providers.

IN-DEPTH: Click on right here to learn the whole draft insurance policies | Click on right here to learn the earlier insurance policies

On Sunday afternoon, simply days earlier than the general public remark window closes, college students from throughout the Commonwealth got here collectively to silently protest the mannequin insurance policies, claiming that transgender and nonbinary college students who depend on their college setting as a protected haven for the way they establish, might quickly have that stripped away if their households should not accepting of their gender id or most well-liked title or pronouns.

“I wish to combat for our youth neighborhood as a result of lots of our grownup neighborhood is now not right here. And that is one thing that oldsters want to know. When their youngsters are transgender, they deserve assist, as a result of lots of them do not make it to maturity, due to the identical insurance policies we see in Virginia, taking place right this moment,” stated Oliver Lesher with the Virginia Collegiate Queer Collaborative.

Based on 2022 knowledge launched by the Trevor Undertaking, fewer than one in three transgender and nonbinary youth discovered their residence to be “gender affirming.” Practically one in 5 transgender youth tried suicide prior to now yr.

Those that assist the coverage, nevertheless, say it’ll forestall hurt to all college students.

“Mother and father made their voices heard within the election. Governor Youngkin and plenty of proceed to specific their assist of the route he has set by the general public remark course of. With sexual assaults in bogs in our public colleges underneath the previous coverage, change is important to guard each little one,” stated Victoria Cobb, President of the Household Basis of Virginia.

Based on the Trevor Undertaking, transgender youth are liable to being bodily threatened or assaulted.

Primarily based on 2022 survey knowledge, about 37% of transgender youth reported to have been bodily threatened or harmed because of their gender id.

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 Richmond college leaders on new transgender polices: ‘That is unacceptable’

Lesher stated he hopes mother and father will look past misinformation relating to transgender people.

“Kids can keep protected with mother and father getting empowered with the right data on learn how to assist their youngsters experiment and socially transition, which tremendously reduces the chance of psychological sickness and suicide. This does not should be a zero-sum sport,” he stated.

The general public remark window will shut on Wednesday at 11:59. The feedback will then be reviewed and probably up to date by the Virginia Division of Training. The ultimate draft insurance policies then must be accredited by the state superintendent earlier than particular person college districts undertake it.

Rely on CBS 6 Information and WTVR.com for in-depth protection of this essential story. Anybody with extra data can e-mail newstips@wtvr.com to ship a tip.

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IN-DEPTH: How Central Virginia college districts are responding to new transgender scholar insurance policies